Highlights•True endophytic fungi (EF) are organisms inside plants never causing
disease.•Fungal interactions in plants are a continuum from pathogenic to beneficial.•EF can …

The interaction of fungal pathogens with their host requires a novel invading mechanism
and the presence of various virulence-associated components responsible for promoting the …

Smut fungi comprise one of the largest groups of fungal plant pathogens causing disease in
all cereal crops. They directly penetrate host tissues and establish a biotrophic interaction …

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) belongs to the family of auxin indole derivatives. IAA regulates
almost all aspects of plant growth and development, and is one of the most important plant …

In most ecosystems, plants establish complex symbiotic relationships with organisms, such
as bacteria and fungi, which significantly influence their health by promoting or inhibiting …

Fungal phytopathogens pose a serious threat to global crop production. Only a handful of
strategies are available to combat these fungal infections, and the increasing incidence of …

Common smut, caused by Ustilago maydis (DC.) Corda, is a destructive fungal disease of
maize worldwide; it forms large tumors, reducing corn yield and quality. However, the …

Plants are not only challenged by pathogenic organisms but also colonized by commensal
microbes. The network of interactions these microbes establish with their host and among …

Ribotoxins are secreted ribonucleases that specifically target and cleave the universally
conserved sarcin–ricin loop sequence of rRNA, which leads to inhibition of protein …

Ustilago maydis is a pathogenic fungus that causes corn smut. Because of its easy
cultivation and genetic transformation, U. maydis has become an important model organism …