Characterization of the role played by Magnaporthe oryzae polysaccharide monooxygenases and related enzymes during infection of rice.

In 2030 the global rice production is expected to increase to meet the demand of the growing world population. However, rice is severely affected by the blast disease caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, which can reduce by 10-30% the total annual rice production. In the early stages of the infection process, M. oryzae forms an infection structure called appressorium to break the plant cuticle and expresses many polysaccharide and lignin degrading enzymes; among them, polysaccharide monooxygenases (PMOs) degrade polysaccharides by an oxidative mechanism and could be important virulence factors for the fungus. The first objective of the project, which is part of the Scientific and Technological Cooperation Agreement between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, is to identify the role played by M. oryzae PMOs and related enzymes during pathogenesis, with the final aim to develop new methods to control rice blast disease. In particular, candidate M. oryzae genes encoding PMOs and related enzymes have been identified by an in silico analysis of the fungal genome and their expression during the infection process, and particularly during appressorium formation, have been characterized by transcriptomic analysis. Knock-out mutants of the most expressed genes will be generated and their virulence will be evaluated on rice plants. Besides, the role played by the target enzymes on appressorium formation will be also evaluated.