Roles and delivery mechanisms of fungal effectors during infection development: common threads and new directions

► We review latest findings in fungal effector biology of plants. ► Delivery of fungal effectors into cells may be by BICs, exosomes, or lipid rafts. ► Fungal effectors target host cell metabolism and basal immunity. ► Fungal proteins that modify or control effectors may play a role in virulence.