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A H2O2-producing glyoxal oxidase is required for filamentous growth and pathogenicity in Ustilago maydis

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Abstract

In the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis the mating-type loci control the transition from yeast-like to filamentous growth required for pathogenic development. In a large REMI (restriction enzyme mediated integration) screen, non-pathogenic mutants were isolated in a haploid strain that had been engineered to be pathogenic. In one of these mutants, which showed a specific morphological phenotype, the tagged gene, glo1 , was found to encode a product that is highly homologous to a glyoxal oxidase gene from the wood-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Glyoxal oxidase homologues are found in human, plant pathogenic fungi and in plants, but not in other mammals or yeasts. To confirm the function of the glo1 gene, null mutations were generated in compatible haploid U. maydis strains. In crosses null mutants were unable to generate filamentous dikaryons, and were completely non-pathogenic. Using a Glo1-overproducing strain we demonstrated that Glo1 is membrane bound, oxidizes a series of small aldehydes (<C4) and produces H2O2. The enzyme needs to be activated, presumably by auto-oxidation, to show full activity. A potential role for Glo1 during filamentous growth and pathogenic development of U. maydis is proposed.

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Author notes

  1. B. Leuthner

    Present address: Direvo Biotech AG, Nattermannallee 1, 50829, Köln, Germany

  2. C. Aichinger

    Present address: Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Nonnenwald 2, 82372, Penzberg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bayer CropScience AG, Alfred-Nobel-Strasse 50, 40789, Monheim, Germany

    B. Leuthner, C. Aichinger, E. Oehmen, E. Koopmann & P. H. Schreier

  2. Department of Plant Breeding and Yield Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg, 50829, Köln, Germany

    O. Müller

  3. Department of Organismic Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, 35043, Marburg, Germany

    P. Müller & R. Kahmann

  4. Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    M. Bölker

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Correspondence to P. H. Schreier.

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Communicated by P. J. Punt

The first two authors contributed equally to this work

We dedicate this work to the memory of Jeff Schell, a charismatic and outstanding person who loved science and respected people

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Leuthner, B., Aichinger, C., Oehmen, E. et al. A H2O2-producing glyoxal oxidase is required for filamentous growth and pathogenicity in Ustilago maydis. Mol Genet Genomics 272, 639–650 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-004-1085-6

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