Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41605287›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced research2026

Selectively targeting UDP-glucose 4-epimerase MoUGE1 for controlling rice blast disease.

Zhiguang Qu, Deng Chen, Hong Hu, Hao Liu, Lu Zheng, Junbin Huang, Yunfeng Li, Lida Zhu, Xiaolin Chen

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zhiguang QuState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Deng ChenNational Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, Haikou 572024/571101, China.
Hong HuState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Hao LiuState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Lu ZhengState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Junbin HuangState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Yunfeng LiGuangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Lida ZhuCollege of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. Electronic address: ldzhu@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
Xiaolin ChenState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. Electronic address: chenxiaolin@mail.hzau.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe fungal cell wall, a dynamic structure critical for pathogenesis, is composed of polysaccharides and proteins. UDP-glucose 4-epimerases (UGEs) play a pivotal role in cell wall synthesis by converting UDP-galactose between UDP-glucose. This study investigates the role of MoUGE1 in Magnaporthe oryzae pathogenesis and explores its potential as an antifungal target for fungal disease control. A lead inhibitor targeting MoUGE1 was identified through virtual screening.

objectivesThe aims of this study were to elucidate the role of MoUGE1 in M. oryzae during rice blast pathogenesis, assess its potential as an antifungal target, and identify potential MoUGE1 inhibitors through virtual screening to control rice blast.

methodsTo analyses the role of MoUGE1 in M. oryzae, we generated Δuge1 mutants via split-PCR-mediated gene knockout. The impact of MoUGE1 on fungal growth, cell wall composition, and plant infection was assessed. Metabolomic analysis revealed the impact of MoUGE1 deletion on metabolic processes of rice blast. Structure-based virtual screening, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) used to find hit compounds inhibiting MoUGE1.

resultsThe Δuge1 exhibited reduced mycelial growth, altered cell wall and cell membrane composition, and impaired plant infection. Metabolomic analysis and western blot revealed accumulation in UDP-galactose and alteration of N-glycosylation, leading to cell wall instability and increased sensitivity to cell wall stressors. Virtual screening identified lig122132 as a potential MoUGE1 inhibitor, which was further confirmed through MD simulation and SPR, showing stable binding to the MoUGE1.

conclusionOur findings emphasize the significance of MoUGE1 in fungal cell wall integrity, appressorium function, and virulence in M. oryzae. Identifying MoUGE1 as a target for antifungal intervention provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of rice blast pathogenesis and paves the way for developing innovative strategies against this major agricultural disease. The potential MoUGE1 inhibitor, lig122132, is a promising starting point for the development of novel fungicides to control rice blast.

Indexed as

Antifungal AgentsAscomycotaFungal ProteinsMagnaportheOryzaPlant DiseasesUDPglucose 4-EpimeraseCell WallAntifungal AgentsFungal ProteinsUDPglucose 4-EpimeraseCell wallFungicideMagnaporthe oryzaeRice blastUDP-glucose 4-epimerase

Identifiers

PMID41605287
PMCPMC13669675

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.