Heterochromatin protein 1 regulates alkaloid biosynthesis and the mutualistic symbiotic interaction between Epichloë festucae and its host Lolium perenne
- Date: May 2, 2016
- Time: 01:15 PM (Local Time Germany)
- Speaker: Professor Barry Scott
- Institut of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand
- Location: MPI for Terrestrial Microbiology
- Room: Lecture hall
- Host: Prof. Dr. Regine Kahmann
- Contact: kahmann@mpi-marburg.mpg.de
Genes for the synthesis of ergot alkaloid and indole-diterpene bioprotective metabolites are organised as clusters in the sub-telomeric regions of the genome of Epichloë festucae, a fungal symbiont of Lolium perenne. These genes are highly expressed in planta but not expressed in axenic culture. We have shown that the levels of histone H3 lysine 9 and lysine 27 trimethylation are reduced at these loci in planta compared to axenic culture (Chujo & Scott 2014). More recently we have investigated the role of E. festucae HepA, a homolog of Heterochromatin Protein 1, in regulating expression of these alkaloid cluster genes and establishment of a mutualistic symbiotic interaction.