Advances in Autophagy Research in Magnaporthe oryzae

Rice blast, caused by the fungus M. oryzae (Magnaporthe oryzae), is one of the most destructive fungal diseases threatening global rice production. Its infection process heavily relies on the formation and functional maturation of appressoria. Recent studies have demonstrated that autophagy is not merely a metabolic regulatory mechanism forM. oryzae to cope with nutrient deprivation, but a critical cellular process driving the development of conidial infectionstructures. By mediating the targeted degradation and re-distribution of organelles and cytosolic components, autophagyprovides the essential material and energy basis for the formation of high appressorium turgor, infection peg formation, andsubsequent invasive hyphal growth. This review systematically elaborates on the core molecular machinery of autophagyin M. oryzae and its spatiotemporal regulatory characteristics during infection; specifically highlights the indispensablerole of non-selective autophagy in appressorium-mediated host penetration, as well as the specialized functions of selective autophagy pathways, such as mitophagy, in maintaining cellular homeostasis and pathogenicity during the infection phase.Furthermore, this review integrates the multi-layered mechanisms governing autophagic flux via post-translational modifications—including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and acetylation—and summarizes the pivotal roles of lipid traffickingand membrane tension sensing in autophagosome biogenesis and autophagic homeostasis. By deciphering the crucial roleand complex biogenesis mechanisms of autophagy in M. oryzae pathogenesis from the perspectives of molecular mechanisms, regulatory logic, and evolutionary adaptation, this review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for deepening theunderstanding of the infection mechanisms of plant pathogenic fungi and for developing novel, precise strategies for riceblast control.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2026.06.0011