Gene 763 of phytopathogenic fungus magnaporthe grisea and use thereof for identifying fungicidal compounds

Abstract

The invention concerns a novel nucleic acid fragment of the genome of rice pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea comprising a gene coding for a protein (hereafter referred to as gene 763) whereof the presence and integrity are indispensable for pathogenesis of said fungus with respect to rice and barley. The invention also concerns the promoter of said gene, the gene coding for protein 763, protein 763 and uses thereof for identifying potential biological targets for novel fungicide molecules and for isolating genes coding for proteins controlling biochemical functions essential to the pathogenesis of the fungus Magnaporthe grisea with respect to rice and barley. The invention further concerns compounds inhibiting pathogenesis of fungi related to the expression of gene 763.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for identifying compounds which inhibit fungal pathogenesis, comprising the following steps:
 a) bringing a compound into contact with a polypeptide 763, wherein said polypeptide 763 comprises a polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity with the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 3; and   b) detecting the binding of said compound to said polypeptide 763, thereby identifying said compound as a candidate inhibitor of fungal pathogenesis; and   c) determining whether said candidate compound identified in step b) inhibits fungal pathogenesis, wherein inhibition of fungal pathogenesis identifies said candidate compound as an inhibitor of fungal pathogenesis.   
     
     
         17 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said polypeptide 763 comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity with the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said polypeptide 763 comprises a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity with the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said fungus is a phytopathogenic fungus. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said phytopathogenic fungus is  Magnaporthe grisea.