Cell wall reorganization during infection in fungal plant pathogens

•Fungal plant pathogens dynamically reorganize cell wall components during infection likely in response to plant factors.•The cell wall surface of infectious hyphae was masked with α-1,3-glucan, a nondegradable polysaccharide for plants.•The surface α-1,3-glucan allowed the fungi to evade host immunity via protection of the cell wall during infection.

The fungal cell wall, which is mainly composed of polysaccharides, is a major source of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Because PAMPs recognition activates immunity in plants, successful pathogens have developed immune-evasion strategies. Studies of various fungal rice pathogens indicated that masking the cell wall surface with α-1,3-glucan, a polysaccharides that is not degradable by plants, is a fungal PTI evasion strategy. Interestingly, accumulation of α-1,3-glucan at the surface was specifically observed in presence of plants or plant factor(s). Since the surface α-1,3-glucan protected the fungal cell wall from digestive enzymes and interfered with PAMPs generation by host enzymes, fungal α-1,3-glucan is a potential target for plant protection strategies.