This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Buhr, T. L. Articles by Dickman, M. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Buhr, T. L. Articles by Dickman, M. B. Agricola Articles by Buhr, T. L. Articles by Dickman, M. B.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl. Environ. Microbiol., Jun 1997, 2378-2383, Vol 63, No. 6
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Gene Expression Analysis during Conidial Germ Tube and Appressorium Development in Colletotrichum trifolii

TL Buhr and MB Dickman
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0722

Preinfection development in Colletotrichum spp. exhibits three morphologies (conidia, germ tubes, and appressoria) and is directed by a complex interplay of environmental signals. Germ tube morphogenesis for Colletotrichum trifolii and the related fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene was shown to be partially dependent on a balance between self-germination inhibitors and environmental nutrients or cutin. The degree of responsiveness to these environmental signals was strikingly different between the two fungal species. A solid contact surface stimulated germ tube morphogenesis and was the only apparent requirement for appressorium morphogenesis in both fungi. A population of C. trifolii conidia was incubated on a solid surface in the presence of cutin to stimulate nearly synchronous preinfection morphogenesis for gene expression analysis. RNA analysis of signal-transducing genes from C. trifolii, including genes for a serine-threonine kinase (TB3), calmodulin, and protein kinase C, showed that maximum transcription of all three genes occurred in conidia prior to or during germ tube morphogenesis. Transcription of melanin biosynthetic genes THR1 and SCD1 (Y. Kubo, Y. Takano, and I. Furusawa, Colletotrichum Newsl. II:5-10, 1996; N. S. Perpetua, Y. Kubo, N. Yasuda, Y. Takano, and I. Furusawa, Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 9:323-329, 1996) was highest prior to and during appressorium morphogenesis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Shaw, B.D., Carroll, G.C., Hoch, H.C. (2006). Generality of the prerequisite of conidium attachment to a hydrophobic substratum as a signal for germination among Phyllosticta species.. Mycologia 98: 186-194 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kim, Y.-K., Liu, Z.-M., Li, D., Kolattukudy, P. E. (2000). Two Novel Genes Induced by Hard-Surface Contact of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Conidia. J. Bacteriol. 182: 4688-4695 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Liu, Z.-M., Kolattukudy, P. E. (1999). Early Expression of the Calmodulin Gene, Which Precedes Appressorium Formation in Magnaporthe grisea, Is Inhibited by Self-Inhibitors and Requires Surface Attachment. J. Bacteriol. 181: 3571-3577 [Abstract] [Full Text]