Identification and Initial Characterization of the Effectors of an Anther Smut Fungus and Potential Host Target Proteins.

(1) Background: Plant pathogenic fungi often display high levels of host specificity and biotrophic fungi; in particular, they must manipulate their hosts to avoid detection and to complete their obligate pathogenic lifecycles. One important strategy of such fungi is the secretion of small proteins that serve as effectors in this process. is a species complex whose members infect members of the Caryophyllaceae; , a parasite on , is one of the best studied interactions.