Ustilaginoidea virens, the causal agent of rice false smut, is one of the most devastating grain diseases that causes loss of yield in most rice-growing areas worldwide. In this study, we performed a dsRNA screen to isolate mycoviruses from 35 U. virens strains. The results revealed that 34 of the tested isolates were infected by various dsRNA elements, displaying highly viral diversity and mix...

The unfolded protein response (UPR), a conserved eukaryotic signaling pathway to ensure protein homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), coordinates biotrophic development in the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis. Exact timing of UPR activation is required for virulence and presumably connected to the elevated expression of secreted effector proteins during infection of the host plant Zea ...

The closely related smut fungi Ustilago maydis, U. hordei, and Sporisorium reilianum f. sp. zeae are facultatively biotrophic basidiomycetes that occur ubiquitously. Teliospores germinate to produce sporidia of different mating type that grow saprophytically and multiply mitotically by budding [1]. For mass proliferation and sexual genetic exchange, successful colonization of economically impor...

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the PMT, KRE2/MNT1, and MNN1 mannosyltransferase protein families catalyze the steps of the O-mannosylation pathway, sequentially adding mannoses to target proteins. We have identified members of all three families and analyzed their roles in pathogenesis of the maize smut fungus Ustilago maydis. Furthermore, we have shown that PMT4, one of the three PMT family memb...

We describe deep-water ghost shrimp assemblages from the otherwise well known Oligocene Kiscell Clay in Hungary. The described fossorial shrimps (Decapoda: Callianassidae and Ctenochelidae) include: Ctenocheles rupeliensis (younger synonym Callianassa nuda) and Lepidophthalmus crateriferus (younger synonym Callianassa brevimanus). The fossil material of the former species is assigned to Ctenoch...

Plant diseases are an important constraint on worldwide crop production, accounting for losses of 10–30% of the global harvest each year [1]. As a consequence, crop diseases represent a significant threat to ensuring global food security. To feed the growing human population it will be necessary to double food production by 2050, which will require the sustainable intensification of world agric...

The current paper has presented the study results of new hulless oat variety ‘Azil’, which was developed by method individual-family selection from hybrid population ‘Krestyansky local × ZALP’. purpose to identify economically valuable traits, physico-biochemical indicators grain ‘Azil’. According length vegetation period, ‘Azil’ is classified as a middle maturing variety. In State Variety Test...