Allergen of the Month - Ustilago maydis

摘要

There are over 800 species of smut. Ustilago is a genus containing about two hundred species of parasitic smuts on grasses. If. maydis is a parasite of maize, and like corn, native to Mexico. It is dimorphic, existing as single-cell yeast on dead plant matter, or as a pathogenic filamentous form produced by mating. Cell fusion and pathogenicity is controlled by two mating loci: a and b. The a locus encodes a pheromone and receptor for cell recognition. The b locus controls pathogen development. Signal cascade is through a MAPK pathway. A white to dark grey gall forms on the corn or the stem, and which may be quite large. However, these galls, called huitlacoche, are considered a delicacy in Mexico and may be sold for a greater price than unaffected corn. U. esculenta is parasitic on wild rice, Zizania, but the spores have been used in Japan as paint in traditional lacquering.