RHO3 — Magnaporthe oryzae 70-15

Summary

MGG_10323 (MoRHO3) on chromosome 7 of Magnaporthe oryzae 70-15 encodes a small GTPase of the Rho family. The product possesses GTPase and GTP-binding activities, GDP binding, protein serine/threonine kinase activator activity, and G-beta protein subunit binding. MoRHO3 is associated with Rho protein signal transduction, positive regulation of 1,3-beta-D-glucan biosynthetic processes, regulation of exocytosis and exocyst localization, and regulation of septum digestion, division septum assembly, and cell polarity. It localizes to the hyphal tip, growing cell tip, cellular bud, and the 1,3-beta-glucan synthase complex. Phenotypic associations include abnormal filamentous growth, decreased cytokinesis, decreased flocculation, abnormal plasma membrane morphology, decreased necrotic cell death, and altered mating efficiency and pheromone sensitivity. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to loss of pathogenicity and to diseases including rice blast and fusarium head blight.