The fatty acid synthase of the basidiomycete Omphalotus olearius is a single polypeptide.

Fatty acids are essential components of almost all biological membranes. Additionally, they are important in energy storage, as second messengers during signal transduction, and in post-translational protein modification. De novo synthesis of fatty acids is essential for almost all organisms, and entails the iterative elongation of the growing fatty acid chain through a set of reactions conserved in all kingdoms.

Siderophore synthesis in Magnaporthe grisea is essential for vegetative growth, conidiation and resistance to oxidative stress.

The plant pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea excretes siderophores of the coprogen-type for iron acquisition and uses ferricrocin for intracellular iron storage. In the present report we characterize mutants with defects in extracellular siderophore biosynthesis. Deletion of the M.

Ferricrocin synthesis in Magnaporthe grisea and its role in pathogenicity in rice.

SUMMARY Iron is an essential element for the growth of nearly all organisms. In order to overcome the problem of its low bioavailability, microorganisms (including fungi) secrete siderophores, high-affinity iron chelators. As the acquisition of iron is also a key step in infection processes, siderophores have been considered as potential virulence factors in several host-pathogen interactions.

Siderophores produced by Magnaporthe grisea in the presence and absence of iron.

An analysis of siderophores produced by Magnaporthe grisea revealed the presence of one intracellular storage siderophore, ferricrocin, and four coprogen derivatives secreted into the medium under iron depletion. Structural analysis showed that the compounds are coprogen, coprogen B, 2-N-methylcoprogen and 2-N-methylcoprogen B. Siderophore production under low and high iron conditions was quantified.