Protein Phosphatases MoPtc5, MoPtc1, and MoPtc2 Contribute to the Vegetative Growth, Stress Adaptation, and Virulence of Magnaporthe oryzae

Protein phosphatases are crucial enzymes that regulate key cellular processes such as the cell cycle, gene transcription, and translation in eukaryotes. Seven PP2C protein phosphatases have been identified in <i>Magnaporthe oryzae</i>. However, their synergistic roles in the pathology and physiology of <i>M. oryzae</i> remain poorly investigated. By qRT-PCR analysis, we found that PTC1 and PTC2 are significantly upregulated in the PTC5 deletion mutant. The double deletion of the <i>MoPTC5</i>/<i>MoPTC1</i> and <i>MoPTC5</i>/<i>MoPTC2</i> genes significantly reduced hyphal growth, conidiophore formation, sporulation, and virulence in <i>M. oryzae</i>. In addition, the double-knockout mutants were increasingly sensitive to different osmotic, oxidative, and cell wall stresses. Western blot analysis revealed that MoPtc5 plays a synergistic function with MoPtc1 and MoPtc2 in the regulation of MoMps1 and MoOsm1 phosphorylation levels. Lastly, appressorium formation and turgor generation were remarkably affected in the Δ<i>Moptc5</i>Δ<i>Moptc1</i> and Δ<i>Moptc5</i>Δ<i>Moptc2</i> double-deletion mutants. These findings demonstrate the overlapping roles of PP2c protein phosphatase in the fungal development and pathogenesis of <i>M. oryzae</i>.