Four conserved intramolecular disulphide linkages are required for secretion and cell wall localization of a hydrophobin during fungal morphogenesis

Hydrophobins are morphogenetic proteins produced by fungi during assembly of aerial hyphae, sporulation, mushroom development and pathogenesis. Eight cysteine residues are present in hydrophobins and form intramolecular disulphide bonds. Here, we show that expressing eight cysteine-alanine substitution alleles of the MPG1 hydrophobin gene from Magnaporthe grisea causes severe defects in development of aerial hyphae and spores. Immunolocalization revealed that Mpg1 hydrophobin variants, lacking intact disulphide bonds, retain the capacity to self-assemble, but are not secreted to the cell surface. This provides the first genetic evidence that disulphide bridges in a hydrophobin are dispensable for aggregation, but essential for secretion.