Rum1 and Cdc73 integrate transcriptional repression and autophagy to control teliospore timing in Ustilago maydis.

Loss of the conserved PAF1 complex subunit UmCdc73 in Ustilago maydis triggers spontaneous teliospore-like differentiation with increased heat tolerance and limited germination capacity.

• Why it matters: Understanding how teliospore formation is regulated during vegetative growth is crucial for insights into fungal development and pathogenicity, yet the mechanisms remain unclear.
• What they did: The study used genetic and molecular approaches to show that loss of UmCDC73 causes differentiation, with UmRum1 repressing its promoter and UmCdc73 associating with autophagy factor UmAtg5, linking transcriptional repression and autophagy.
• The result: The findings suggest UmCdc73 acts as a developmental checkpoint, coordinating transcriptional repression and autophagy to control timing and fitness of teliospore formation, impacting virulence and stress tolerance.