BREAKING AND ENTERING: Host Penetration by the Fungal Rice Blast Pathogen Magnaporthe grisea
Abstract
▪ Abstract Fungal plant pathogens have evolved diverse mechanisms for penetrating into host plant tissue, ranging from entry through natural plant openings to various mechanisms of direct penetration through the outer surface. The filamentous fungus Magnaporthe grisea can cause disease on many species of the grass (Poaceae) family. The disease on rice, Rice Blast, is of enormous economic importance and biological interest. The mechanism used by this pathogen for breaching the formidable host surface barriers has been studied cytologically and genetically as a model for plant pathology, and represents a remarkably sophisticated achievment of nature. The single-celled appressorium of M. grisea acts as a vessel for the generation and application of perhaps the highest turgor pressures known. The fungus requires and utilizes melanin-derived, osmotically generated pressures estimated at 80 bars to drive an actin-rich cellular protuberance through the surface of a rice leaf or plastic coverslip.
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Melanin-deficient mutant strains lose their pathogenic capacity due to compromised turgor pressure.
“Melanin-deficient mutant strains lose their pathogenic capacity due to compromised turgor pressure, thereby highlighting the essential role of melanin [13,14].”
From Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions (2025) · cites this paper as [14]
Currently, tricyclazole, fenoxanil, benzothiostrobin (probencarb), and carpropamid are widely employed as antifungal agents for controlling rice blast.
“Currently, tricyclazole, fenoxanil, benzothiostrobin (probencarb), and carpropamid are widely employed as antifungal agents for controlling rice blast [14,93].”
From Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions (2025) · cites this paper as [14]
For pathogens relying on mechanical force for host cell penetration, such as Magnaporthe grisea, melanin is essential for pathogenicity.
“For pathogens relying on mechanical force for host cell penetration, such as the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea, melanin is essential for pathogenicity [14].”
From Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions (2025) · cites this paper as [14]
In mature appressoria, a dense melanin layer accumulates in the inner cell wall, reducing wall porosity.
“In mature appressoria, a dense melanin layer accumulates in the inner cell wall, reducing wall porosity [14].”
From Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions (2025) · cites this paper as [14]
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Brunke, S., Seider, K., Almeida, R. S., Heyken, A., Fleck, C. B., Brock, M., Barz, D., Rupp, S., & Hube, B. (2010) · Molecular Microbiology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07052.x · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions
Jia, H., Liu, N., Zhang, L., Li, P., Meng, Y., Yuan, W., Li, H., Tantai, D., Qu, Q., Cao, Z., et al. (2025) · Plants · doi:10.3390/plants14142121 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
- Authors
- Howard, R. J., & Valent, B.
- Affiliations
- DuPont (United States) (US)
- Venue
- Annual Review of Microbiology
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 1996-10
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 491-512
- ISSN
- 0066-4227 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-3251
- OpenAlex
- W2158759172
- Cited by
- 632
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 1.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annual Review of Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Keywords
- Magnaporthe grisea, rice blast, host penetration, appressoria, turgor pressure, melanin, osmotic pressure, rice leaf
- MeSH terms
- Ascomycota, Hydrostatic Pressure, Melanins, Plant Diseases, Oryza, Mechanics
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