A Pmk1-Regulated Mst12-Bip1 Network Coordinates Appressorium Function, Effector Deployment, and Invasive Growth by Magnaporthe oryzae
- 1The Sainsbury Laboratory
Abstract
To cause rice blast disease, the filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae develops a specialised infection cell called an appressorium, which generates enormous turgor to breach the rice leaf cuticle. Although key regulators of appressorium development have been identified, it is not known how they drive the extensive transcriptional reprogramming required for infection-related morphogenesis. Here, we show that the Pmk1 MAP kinase orchestrates plant infection by regulating a transcriptional network controlled by the Mst12 and Bip1 transcription factors. Bip1 is regulated both by Pmk1-dependent phosphorylation and at the transcriptional level, while Mst12 binds to a cis-acting element upstream of BIP1 essential for pathogenesis. Bip1 and Mst12 are both necessary for regulating a set of Pmk1-dependent appressorium-specific genes, including transcriptional regulators, cell wall-degrading enzymes, and effector proteins. In addition, Mst12 specifically regulates functions required for appressorium-mediated penetration, while Bip1 controls a distinct sub-set of effector genes deployed during invasion of plant tissue. When considered together, these findings define a Pmk1-dependent transcriptional network required for plant infection by the blast fungus.
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BibTeX
@misc{molinari2026pmk1regulated,
title = {{A Pmk1-Regulated Mst12-Bip1 Network Coordinates Appressorium Function, Effector Deployment, and Invasive Growth by Magnaporthe oryzae}},
author = {C. Molinari and N. Sahu and L. S. Ryder and X. Yan and V. Geshkovski and T. Nobori and N. J. Talbot},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.11.750954},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.11.750954v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - A Pmk1-Regulated Mst12-Bip1 Network Coordinates Appressorium Function, Effector Deployment, and Invasive Growth by Magnaporthe oryzae
AU - C. Molinari
AU - N. Sahu
AU - L. S. Ryder
AU - X. Yan
AU - V. Geshkovski
AU - T. Nobori
AU - N. J. Talbot
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/11
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.11.750954
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.11.750954v1
AB - To cause rice blast disease, the filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae develops a specialised infection cell called an appressorium, which generates enormous turgor to breach the rice leaf cuticle. Although key regulators of appressorium development have been identified, it is not known how they drive the extensive transcriptional reprogramming required for infection-related morphogenesis. Here, we show that the Pmk1 MAP kinase orchestrates plant infection by regulating a transcriptional network controlled by the Mst12 and Bip1 transcription factors. Bip1 is regulated both by Pmk1-dependent phosphorylation and at the transcriptional level, while Mst12 binds to a cis-acting element upstream of BIP1 essential for pathogenesis. Bip1 and Mst12 are both necessary for regulating a set of Pmk1-dependent appressorium-specific genes, including transcriptional regulators, cell wall-degrading enzymes, and effector proteins. In addition, Mst12 specifically regulates functions required for appressorium-mediated penetration, while Bip1 controls a distinct sub-set of effector genes deployed during invasion of plant tissue. When considered together, these findings define a Pmk1-dependent transcriptional network required for plant infection by the blast fungus.
ER -