Septin GTPases are morphogenetic proteins that are widely conserved in eukaryotic organisms fulfilling diverse roles in cell division, differentiation and development. In the filamentous fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae , the causal agent of the devastating blast diseases of rice and wheat, septins have been shown to be essential for plant infection. The blast fungus elaborates a specialised infection structure called an app...

A cornerstone of classical virulence evolution theories is the assumption that pathogen growth rate is positively correlated with virulence, the amount of damage pathogens inflict on their hosts. Such theories are key for incorporating evolutionary principles into sustainable disease management strategies. Yet, empirical evidence raises doubts over this central assumption underpinning classical theories, thus undermining their...

Summary Cell cycle regulation is pivotal for proper cell division and cellular differentiation in eukaryotic cells. The central regulators that govern eukaryotic cell cycle progression are cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs) and their partners. Here, we report that Magnaporthe oryzae CKS1 encodes a cyclin‐dependent kinase subunit, which plays a significant role in regulation of plant infection. We demonstrate that CKS1 is a functi...

Summary The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae elaborates a specialized cell called an appressorium, which is used to breach the tough outer cuticle of a rice leaf, enabling the fungus entry to host plant cells. The appressorium generates enormous turgor by accumulating glycerol to very high concentrations within the cell. Glycerol accumulation and melanization of the appressorium cell wall collectively drive turgor‐mediated...