Sphinganine C4-Hydroxylase MoSur2 Regulates Lipid Homeostasis and Cell Development in Magnaporthe oryzae

Magnaporthe oryzae causes
rice blast
disease and possesses significant threat to global rice production.
Recent investigations revealed the importance of sphingolipids in
various cellular processes, yet the pathological role and characterization
involved in virulence in M. oryzae remain
poorly understood. In this study, we investigated a key sphinganine
C4-hydroxylase in MoSur2 and its impact on conidial development and
pathogenicity. MoSur2 is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and
interacts with upstream proteins MoSpt2 and MoTsc10. Knockout of MoSur2
resulted in significant reduction in plasma membrane tension and virulence
on the host plant. In addition, MoSur2 also regulates cell wall intensity,
osmotic stress pathway, and responses to the target of rapamycin complex
2 signaling. Lipidomics analysis further revealed significant alterations
in membrane components, resulting in MoSUR2 deletion
mutant. These findings improve our understanding of MoSur2 that could
be useful for controlling rice blast disease.