Maize gene expression during infection with Ustilago maydis strain SG200Dpep1

The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize. Colonization of the host plant is initiated by direct penetration of cuticle and cell wall of maize epidermis cells. The invading hyphae are surrounded by the plant plasma membrane and proliferate within the plant tissue. We identified a novel secreted protein, termed Pep1. Disruption mutants of pep1 are not affected in saprophytic growth and develop normal infection structures. However, pep1 mutants fail to penetrate the epidermal cell wall and elicit a strong plant defense response. Using Affymetrix maize arrays we identified about 110 plant genes which are differentially regulated in pep1 and wild type infections during the penetration stage.

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Doehlemann G, van der Linde K, Assmann D, Schwammbach D, Hof A, Mohanty A, Jackson D, Kahmann R