Effectors and Effector Delivery in Magnaporthe Oryzae

Rice blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most destructive rice diseases. All plant parts can be affected including leaves, leaf collars, necks, panicles, pedicels, and seeds. The disease symptoms are caused in part by the effectors produced by Magnaporthe oryzae. Magnaporthe oryzae apoplastic effectors are secreted from invasive hyphae into the extracellular compartment through the conventional secretory pathway, Golgi complex to the plasma membrane, and are released into the apoplastic space. The biotrophic interfacial complex (BIC) appears to be the site of transfer of some of the cytoplasmic effectors into the host. Experimental results suggest that effector secretion to the BIC is associated with a unique secretion system involving exocyst components and the Sso1 t-SNARE complex. This manuscript reviews the most recent advances in our understanding of the rice-Magnaporthe oryzae interactions based on effectors