The AGC Ser/Thr kinase Aga1 is essential for appressorium formation and maintenance of the actin cytoskeleton in the smut fungus Ustilago maydis

P>On the plant surface the dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis switches from budding to hyphal growth and differentiates appressoria. To get more insight into these highly regulated processes we report on the role of a conserved Ser/Thr kinase of the AGC kinase family, Aga1. U. maydis Aga1 could functionally replace Ypk1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. aga1 deletion mutants were affected in growth, cell wall integrity, mating as well as the ability to form appressoria and showed defects in actin organization and actin-dependent endocytosis. With respect to appressorium formation and endocytosis, the aga1 deletion phenotype could be mimicked by inhibiting the formation of actin filaments with Latrunculin A. These data suggest a critical role of Aga1 in F-actin organization during the morphological changes accompanying the development of appressoria.