Two closely related Rho GTPases, Cdc42 and RacA, of the en-dophytic fungus Epichloë festucae have contrasting roles for ROS production and symbiotic infection synchronized with the host plant
Fig 5
Overlapping and distinct pheynotypes of Epichloë festucae cdc42 and racA mutants in axenic culture.
(A) Colony morphology of E. festucae wild type (WT), cdc42 and racA mutants on PDA grown for 12 days. (B) Colony diameter, hyphal branch, hyphal diameter and septa formation of E. festucae WT, cdc42 and racA mutants grown on PDA for 12 days. Data are means ± standard error. n = 10 for colony diameter, n = 20 for hyphal branch, hyphal diameter and septa formation. (C) Hyphal tip growth of WT, cdc42 and racA mutant on water ager. Hyphae of endophyte strains were stained with calcofluor white and monitored with confocal laser microscopy. Bars = 10 μm. (D) Hyphal fusion of E. festucae WT, cdc42 and racA mutants grown on water agar. (left) E. festucae strains were grown on water agar for 12 days, stained with calcofluor white and monitored with confocal laser microscopy. Arrowheads indicate hyphal fusions. Bars = 10 μm. (right) The number of hyphal fusions of E. festucae strains grown on water agar were counted using a fluorescence microscope after staining with calcofluor white. Data are means ± standard error from 30 sites from three colonies of each strain. Data marked with asterisks are significantly different as assessed by two-tailed Student’s t tests: **P < 0.01.