An apoplastic effector Uv7366 contributes to Ustilaginoidea virens virulence and elicits plant immunity.

Uv7366, an apoplastic glycoside hydrolase in Ustilaginoidea virens, enhances virulence on rice and triggers plant immune responses, with deletion reducing pathogen virulence.

• Why it matters: Understanding how U. virens infects rice and how plants defend themselves is crucial for developing effective control strategies against rice false smut disease, which causes significant yield and quality losses worldwide.
• What they did: Researchers characterized Uv7366, a GH12 effector protein, showing it induces ROS and defense gene expression in plants, and that deleting Uv7366 weakens the pathogen's ability to infect rice.
• The result: Findings suggest Uv7366 both promotes infection and activates plant immunity, offering insights into U. virens pathogenic mechanisms and potential biocontrol targets.