Cytokinin Metabolism of Pathogenic Fungus Involves Isopentenyltransferase, Adenosine Kinase and Cytokinin Oxidase/Dehydrogenase.

Among phytohormones, cytokinins (CKs) play an important role in controlling crucial aspects of plant development. Not only plants but also diverse microorganisms are able to produce phytohormones, including CKs, though knowledge concerning their biosynthesis and metabolism is still limited. In this work we demonstrate that the fungus , a hemi-biotrophic pathogen of oilseed rape (), causing one of the most damaging diseases of this crop, is able to modify the CK profile in infected tissues, as well as produce a wide range of CKs , with the -zeatin derivatives predominating.