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SUMMARY:Investigating the biology of plant infection by the rice blast fun
 gus Magnaporthe oryzae - Nick Talbot\, School of Biosciences\, University 
 of Exeter
DTSTART:20150702T120000Z
DTEND:20150702T130000Z
UID:TALK58907@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:38889
DESCRIPTION:Magnaporthe oryzae is the causal agent of rice blast\, one of 
 the most serious diseases affecting rice production\, and a significant th
 reat to global food security. During plant infection\, M. oryzae forms a s
 pecialised infection structure called an appressorium. The infection cell 
 generates enormous turgor\, which is focused as mechanical force to breach
  the rice cuticle allowing a penetration hypha to enter plant tissue. We a
 re studying how appressoria form on the rice leaf surface and how these sp
 ecialised infection cells function. Appressorium morphogenesis is tightly 
 linked to cell cycle regulation and checkpoints govern appressorium format
 ion and re-polarisation. Penetration peg formation involves re-organisatio
 n of the actin cytoskeleton at the base of the appressorium and is mediate
 d by septin GTPases. Septin-mediated plant infection is controlled by NADP
 H oxidase activity and a regulated burst of reactive oxygen species occurs
  within the appressorium.  The appressorium pore is also the site of polar
 ised exocytosis during plant infection and the octameric exocyst complex l
 ocalises to the pore in a septin-dependent manner and is essential for cyt
 oskeletal regulation. I will report recent progress in understanding how a
 ppressorium function is regulated and how the rice blast fungus invades pl
 ant tissue.
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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