Comparative transcriptome profiling identifies maize line specificity of fungal effectors in the maize– <i>Ustilago maydis</i> interaction

The biotrophic pathogen Ustilago maydis causes smut disease on maize (Zea mays) and induces the formation of tumours all aerial parts plant. Unlike in other interactions, no gene-for-gene interactions have been identified maize–U. pathosystem. Thus, resistance to U. is considered a polygenic, quantitative trait. Here, we study molecular mechanisms (QDR) maize, how interferes with its components. Based scoring symptoms 26 lines, performed an RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis six maydis-infected lines highly distinct levels. different showed specific responses diverse cellular processes infection. For maydis, our 406 genes being differentially expressed between which 102 encode predicted effector proteins. this analysis, generated CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out mutants for selected candidate sets. After infections fungal mutants, RNA-Seq effectors quantitative, line-specific virulence functions, revealed auxin-related as possible target one them. show that both transcriptional activity function are modified according infected line, providing insights into underlying QDR interaction.