Ca~(2+) Signaling Pathway Involved in Bipolaris maydis Conidium Germination and Appressorium Formation / 微生物学通报

ABSTRACT

Bipolaris maydis, the causal agent of northern leaf blight of maize, forms a dome-shaped infection structure, an appressorium, to infect its host. To elucidate if calcium signaling pathway is correlated with conidium germination and appressorium formation of Bipolaris maydis induced by hydrophobic surface. Conidia were treated by three kinds of inhibitors. Microscopic examination and statistical data showed: (ⅰ)EGTA, a chelating agent selective for Ca~(2+), Verapamil which could block Ca~(2+) channels, KN93, a selective inhibitor of CaMK could inhibit germination and appressorium formation. (ⅱ)Under the same concentrations of inhibitors, appressorium formation was inhibited more strongly than conidium germination. These inhibitors caused the formation of small and abnormal appressorium. These results strongly suggested that Ca~(2+ )signaling pathway was involved in conidium germination and appressorium formation induced by hydrophobic surface.