The need exists to create the auxotrophic mutants for basidiomycete Ustilago maydis to allow selection of gene transformants in minimal growth media. The ADE2 gene was identified by homology with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Adenine-requiring auxotrophic mutants were effectively created by homologous recombination in protoplasts using a standard plasmid containing the ADE2 locus interrupted by a p...

BACKGROUND The utilization of raw biomass components such as cellulose or hemicellulose for the production of valuable chemicals has attracted considerable research interest in recent years. One promising approach is the application of microorganisms that naturally convert biomass constituents into value added chemicals. One of these organisms--Ustilago maydis--can grow on xylan, the second mos...

Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of the experimental pathosystem constituted by Ustilago maydis and Arabidopsis thaliana were performed. Haploid or diploid strains of U. maydis inoculated in A. thaliana plantlets grew on the surface and within the plant tissues in the form of mycelium, inducing chlorosis, anthocyanin formation, malformations, necrosis and adventitious roots development, ...

In the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago hordei, one locus with two alternate alleles, MAT-1 and MAT-2, controls mating and the establishment of the infectious dikaryon (bipolar mating). In contrast, for U. maydis, these functions are associated with two different gene complexes, called a and b (tetrapolar mating); the a complex has two alternate specificities, and the b gene complex is multialle...

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...

Potassium and Na(+) effluxes across the plasma membrane are crucial processes for the ionic homeostasis of cells. In fungal cells, these effluxes are mediated by cation/H(+) antiporters and ENA ATPases. We have cloned and studied the functions of the two ENA ATPases of Ustilago maydis, U. maydis Ena1 (UmEna1) and UmEna2. UmEna1 is a typical K(+) or Na(+) efflux ATPase whose function is indispen...

Infection of maize (Zea mays) plants with the smut fungus Ustilago maydis triggers the formation of tumors on aerial parts in which the fungal life cycle is completed. A differential display screen was performed to gain insight into transcriptional changes of the host response. Some of the genes strongly up-regulated in tumors showed a pronounced developmental expression pattern with decreasing...