Comprehensive analysis of gene regulation cascades via chromatin modifications in fungi

• Project/Area Number: 16H04883
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plant protection science
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAYASHIKI HITOSHI 神戸大学, 農学研究科, 教授 (50252804)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 竹田 篤史 立命館大学, 生命科学部, 教授 (60560779)
• Research Collaborator: Quyet Nguyen
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥16,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,900,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥8,320,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,920,000)
• Keywords: いもち病菌 / エピジェネティクス / ヒストン修飾 / 菌類 / ヒストンメチル化 / 微生物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae shows dramatic morphological changes during infection with global transcriptional alterations possibly resulted from genome-wide chromatin remodeling. We previously showed that MoSET1, histone methyltransferase responsible for H3K4me played the most important roles in infection-related gene expression. In this study, we examined signal pathways up- and down-stream of MoSET1. Using yeast-two-hybrid assay, physical interaction between MoSET1 and protein kinases involved in signal perception was investigated. Some of them bound to MoSET1 in a kinase activity-dependent manner, suggesting MoSET1 could be phosphorylated by them. We also constructed 15 gene knock-out (KO) mutants of MoSET1-dependent transcription factors and kinases. Some of the gene KO mutants showed defects in growth, appressorium formation, conidiation and pathogenicity, suggesting that these genes could be executers of infection-related morphogenesis under the control of MoSET1.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

イネ科植物いもち病菌は、我が国の稲作にとって最も重要な植物病原菌である。この菌は、感染の過程で細胞分化を行い付着器という特殊な細胞を形成し、植物へと侵入していく。この細胞分化にはクロマチン構造の変化が伴っていると想定されるが、本研究ではその変化に重要な役割を果たすMoSET1を中心として、そこに至るまでのシグナル伝達系、またそれに制御される下流遺伝子など、そのシグナルカスケードの一端を明らかにした。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] Academia Sinica(その他の国・地域（台湾）)
• [Journal Article] Blast fungal genomes show frequent chromosomal changes, gene gains and losses, and effector gene turnover. (2019)
  • Author(s): Gomez Luciano LB, Jason Tsai I, Chuma I, Tosa Y, Chen YH, Li JY, Li MY, Jade Lu MY, Nakayashiki H, Li WH.
  • Journal Title: Mol. Biol, Evol. Volume: 36 Issue: 6 Pages: 1148-1161
  • DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz045
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Cell biology in phytopathogenic fungi during host infection: commonalities and differences (2019)
  • Author(s): Ikeda K., Park P, Nakayashiki H.
  • Journal Title: J. Gen. Plant Pthol. Volume: 85 Issue: 3 Pages: 163-173
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10327-019-00846-w
  • NAID: 120006631028
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A fungal argonaute interferes with RNA interference. (2018)
  • Author(s): Nguyen, Q., Iritani, A., Ohkita, S., Vu, B.V., Yokoya, K., Matsubara, A., Ikeda, K., Suzuki, N., Nakayashiki, H.
  • Journal Title: Nucleic Acids Research Volume: 46 Issue: 5 Pages: 2495-2508
  • DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx1301
  • NAID: 120006454533
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Ralfuranones contribute to mushroom-type biofilm formation by Ralstonia solanacearum strain OE1-1. (2018)
  • Author(s): Mori, Y., Hosoi, Y., Ishikawa, S., Hayashi, K., Asai, Y., Ohnishi, H., Shimatani, M., Inoue, K., Ikeda, K., Nakayashiki, H., Nishimura, Y., Ohnishi K., Kiba, A., Kai, K., Hikichi, Y.
  • Journal Title: Molecular Plant Pathology Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Pages: 975-985
  • DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12583
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] ヒストンメチル基転移酵素MoSET1が制御するいもち病菌リン酸化酵素の機能解析 (2018)
  • Author(s): 濱根美穂子・池田健一・中屋敷均
  • Organizer: 日本植物病理学会 関西部会
• [Presentation] MoAgo3アルゴノートはMoAgo1とのsiRNAの競合によりRNAサイレンシングを負に制御する (2017)
  • Author(s): Quyet Nguyen ・松原愛・池田 健一・鈴木信弘・中屋敷 均
  • Organizer: H29年度 日本植物病理学会 関西部会
• [Presentation] イネ科植物いもち病菌における転移因子MAGGYの特異的メチル化機構の解析 (2017)
  • Author(s): Nguyen Quyet, Ba Van Vu, Yuki Kondo, Hitoshi Nakayashiki
  • Organizer: H29年度 日本植物病理学会大会
• [Presentation] Three Argonaute proteins and their associated sRNAs in Pyricularia oryzae (2016)
  • Author(s): Q. Nguyen, S. Iritani, B.V. Vu, S. Ohkita, K. Ikeda, and H. Nakayashiki
  • Organizer: 第7回 国際稲いもち病菌会議
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] An Argonaute gene in the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae functions as a negative regulator of RNA silencing (2016)
  • Author(s): 入谷 彰英・Quyet Nguyen・Ba Van Vu・ 大北修平・横矢佳奈・池田健一・中屋敷 均
  • Organizer: 第88回 日本遺伝学会