Hyphal chemotropism in fungal pathogenicity

David Turrà; Daniela Nordzieke; Stefania Vitale; Mennat El Ghalid; Antonio Di Pietro

doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.04.020

Hyphal chemotropism in fungal pathogenicity

Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2016 Sep:57:69-75. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.04.020. Epub 2016 May 2.

Authors

David Turrà¹, Daniela Nordzieke¹, Stefania Vitale¹, Mennat El Ghalid¹, Antonio Di Pietro²

Affiliations

¹ Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
² Departamento de Genética, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain. Electronic address: ge2dipia@uco.es.

PMID: 27150623
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.04.020

Abstract

The ability to grow as filamentous hyphae defines the lifestyle of fungi. Hyphae are exposed to a variety of chemical stimuli such as nutrients or signal molecules from mating partners and host organisms. How fungi sense and process this chemical information to steer hyphal growth is poorly understood. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Neurospora crassa have served as genetic models for the identification of cellular components functioning in chemotropism. A recent study in the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum revealed distinct MAPK pathways governing hyphal growth towards nutrient sources and sex pheromones or plant signals, suggesting an unanticipated complexity of chemosensing during fungus-host interactions.

Keywords: Chemotropism; Hypha; Pathogen; Polarity; Signaling.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Fungi / pathogenicity*
Hyphae / physiology*
Models, Biological
Plants / microbiology
Soil Microbiology