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SUMMARY:Investigating the cell biology of invasive growth by the rice blas
 t fungus Magnaporthe oryzae - Nick Talbot\, Sainsbury Laboratory\, Norwich
DTSTART:20200206T130000Z
DTEND:20200206T140000Z
UID:TALK131818@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:85030
DESCRIPTION:_Magnaporthe oryzae_ is the causal agent of rice blast\, one o
 f the most serious diseases affecting rice production across the world. Du
 ring plant infection\, _M. oryzae_ forms a specialised infection structure
  called an appressorium\, which generates enormous turgor\, that is applie
 d as mechanical force to breach the rice cuticle. We are studying how appr
 essoria work and how rice blast infections then proceed. Re-polarisation o
 f the appressorium requires a hetero-oligomeric septin complex to organise
  a toroidal F-actin network at the base of the infection cell. Formation o
 f this septin complex requires a turgor-dependent sensor kinase\, Sln1\, t
 hat is required for development of a rigid penetration hypha to rupture th
 e leaf surface and allow entry into rice tissue. Once the fungus invades p
 lant cells it secretes a large set of effector proteins to suppress host i
 mmunity. The fungus also manipulates pit field sites\, containing plasmode
 smata\, to facilitate its spread from one rice cell to the next within pla
 nt tissue. I will discuss our recent progress into understanding the mecha
 nisms of invasive growth by this devastating pathogen.
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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