One of Three Pex11 Family Members Is Required for Peroxisomal Proliferation and Full Virulence of the Rice Blast Fungus <i>Magnaporthe oryzae</i>

<div><p>Peroxisomes play important roles in metabolisms of eukaryotes and infection of plant fungal pathogens. These organelles proliferate by de novo formation or division in response to environmental stimulation. Although the assembly of peroxisomes was documented in fungal pathogens, their division and its relationship to pathogenicity remain obscure. In present work, we analyzed the roles of three Pex11 family members in peroxisomal division and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus <i>Magnaporthe oryzae</i>. Deletion of <i>MoPEX11A</i> led to fewer but enlarged peroxisomes, and impaired the separation of Woronin bodies from peroxisomes, while deletion of <i>MoPEX11B</i> or <i>MoPEX11C</i> put no evident impacts to peroxisomal profiles. <i>MoPEX11A</i> mutant exhibited typical peroxisome related defects, delayed conidial germination and appressoria formation, and decreased appressorial turgor and host penetration. As a result, the virulence of <i>MoPEX11A</i> mutant was greatly reduced. Deletion of <i>MoPEX11B</i> and <i>MoPEX11C</i> did not alter the virulence of the fungus. Further, double or triple deletions of the three genes were unable to enhance the virulence decrease in <i>MoPEX11A</i> mutant. Our data indicated that <i>MoPEX11A</i> is the main factor modulating peroxisomal division and is required for full virulence of the fungus.</p>