Thecaphora thlaspeos–ein Brandpilz spezialisiert auf Modellpflanzen

Smut fungi are plant pathogens that infect important crops such as maize or potato. Due to the genetic complexity of their hosts, molecular studies of plant responses to infection by smut fungi are challenging. The fungus Thecaphora thlaspeos is unique as it shares many features with the well-studied maize pathogen Ustilago maydis, but is specialised on Brassicaceae hosts. This enables the exploitation of genetic resources of both host and pathogen, to characterise mechanisms of endophytic growth and smut virulence in dicot plants.10.1007/s12268-017-0828-y