PiPho85, a cyclin dependent kinase of Piriformospora indica rescue colonized maize plants grown under salt stress

We identified, isolated and functionally characterized, cyclin dependent kinase (CDK), PiPho85 from Piriformospora indica. The identified PiPho85 contains TY, PSTAIRE, protein kinase domain, and an ATP binding site which is highly conserved amongst the Pho85/CDK5 family protein specific for Pho85 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In ( Δpho85 ) mutant strain of S. cerevisiae , PiPho85 could regulate the acid phosphatase activity, restore the normal phenotype, provide the salt and drug tolerant capabilities, and found to utilize the non-fermentable sugars. This suggests that PiPho85 complementing the function of Pho85. The knock down (Kd) strain of PiPho85 was generated by RNA interference and named as Kd- PiPho85 - P.indica . The Kd strain was found susceptible to salt, drug & osmolarity stress and showed morphological abnormalities like abnormal size hyphae with knot like larger structure. This suggests PiPho85 plays a regularity role in the physiology of P. indica . Further, plants colonized with Kd- PiPho85 - P.indica were found to be susceptible to salt stress and showed less growth than that of the plants colonized with the WT P. indica which suggests that PiPho85 plays a crucial role in conferring resistance to colonized plants during salt stress.