Phenotypic analysis of <i>Δmet13</i> and <i>Δmet12</i> mutants.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Bar chart showing colony diameters of the wild-type strain Guy11, <i>Δmet13</i> (K56), ectopic transformant (ECT5), <i>Δmet13MET13</i> (C3), <i>Δmet12</i> (K12-7) and <i>Δmet13Δmet12</i> (DK7) on CM medium at 25°C for 10 days. Error bars represent the standard deviation. Lower case letters indicate significant differences at <i>P</i> = 0.05. (<b>B</b>) Microscopic observation of conidial development. Aerial hyphae were significantly reduced and conidia were not observed in the <i>Δmet13</i> and <i>Δmet13Δmet12</i> mutants. The wild-type strain Guy11 and the complementation strain (Δmet13MET13) formed normal conidiophores and numerous conidia. All the tested strains grown on CM medium for 4 days were examined by light microscopy. Bar = 20 μm. (<b>C</b>) Bar chart showing the conidial production. The WH672, <i>Δmet13</i> and <i>Δmet13Δmet12</i> mutants were unable to produce any conidia, while the <i>Δmet12</i> muatnt produced significantly less conidia than Guy11, ECT5 and <i>Δmet13MET13</i> on CM medium at 25°C for 12 days. Error bars represent standard deviation. (<b>D</b>) Appressoria were formed by the hyphal tips of Guy11, <i>Δmet13</i>, <i>Δmet12</i> and <i>Δmet13MET13</i> on hydrophobic surfaces. After 24 h incubation at 25°C in the dark, numerous appressoria were produced by Guy11, <i>Δmet12</i> and <i>Δmet13MET13</i>, however, no appressoria were observed after inoculation of <i>Δmet13</i>. Bar = 20μm.