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Poster

Session: Session 1 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-188 - Mapping the Pmk1 MAP kinase-dependent phosphorylation network that regulates infection-related development by the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Tuesday, July 15, 2025
09:55 - 11:30  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Microbial infection strategies (pathogens & non-pathogens)

    Author(s)

  • NC

    Neftaly Cruz-Mireles

    Postdoctoral scientist
    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • MO

    Miriam Osés-Ruiz

    IMAB, Public University of Navarre
    Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

  • PD

    Paul Derbyshire

    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • NS

    Neha Sahu

    Postdoctoral scientist
    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • LR

    Lauren S. Ryder

    Scientist
    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • MB

    MARK JAVE BAUTISTA

    PhD student
    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • JS

    Jan Sklenar

    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • XY

    Xia Yan

    Postdoctoral Scientist
    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • DM

    Dan MacLean

    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • NT

    Nicholas J. Talbot

    Group Leader
    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

    • Presenting Author(s)

  • FM

    Frank L.H. Menke

    The Sainsbury Laboratory
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

Fungal pathogens threaten global food security by causing devastating crop diseases. Here, we present a study of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, using a MS-based phosphoproteomic approach. Our research identifies 8,005 phosphosites on 2,062 fungal proteins, revealing the phosphorylation events that drive plant infection. This study reveals significant reprogramming of the phosphorylation network underlying infection, highlighting dynamic molecular responses. We also compared phosphosite conservation across 41 fungal species, uncovering phosphorylation patterns linked to fungal lifestyles and infection types. The Pmk1 MAP kinase regulates infection in many plant-pathogenic fungi, and using this data set we identified 32 potential Pmk1 substrates, providing new insight into the MAPK-dependent  regulation of appressorium-mediated infection. This identified Vts 1 as a novel substrate, critical for rice blast disease. The SAM-domain protein Vts1 is involved in appressorium morphogenesis and septin aggregation. Using an analogue-sensitive Pmk1 mutant and site-specific mutagenesis, we demonstrated that Pmk1-dependent phosphorylation of Vts1 is essential for virulence. Truncation of the SAM-domain of Vts1 furthermore disrupted pathogenicity. Structural analysis provides evidence that Vts1 may be an RNA-binding protein, and consistent with this, co-immunoprecipitation revealed Vts1 interactors include proteins involved in RNA-binding and cytoskeletal reorganisation.