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Rutter et al. Extracell Vesicles Circ Nucleic Acids 2023;4:90-106 Extracellular Vesicles and
DOI: 10.20517/evcna.2023.04
Circulating Nucleic Acids

Review Open Access

Extracellular vesicles in phytopathogenic fungi

Brian D. Rutter, Roger W. Innes
Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, IN 47405, USA.
Correspondence to: Brian D. Rutter, PhD., Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. E-mail:
brutter@iu.edu

How to cite this article: Rutter BD, Innes RW. Extracellular vesicles in phytopathogenic fungi. Extracell Vesicles Circ Nucleic Acids
2023;4:90-106. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/evcna.2023.04

Received: 15 Jan 2023 First Decision: 16 Feb 2023 Revised: 2 Mar 2023 Accepted: 14 Mar 2023 Published: 30 Mar 2023

Academic Editors: Yoke Peng Loh Copy Editor: Ying Han Production Editor: Ying Han

Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized lipid compartments that mediate the intercellular transport of lipids,
proteins, nucleic acids and metabolites. During infectious diseases, EVs released by host cells promote immune
responses, while those released by pathogens attempt to subvert host immunity. There is a growing body of
research investigating the role of fungal EVs in plant pathosystems. It is becoming clear that EVs released by fungal
phytopathogens play a role during infection through the transport of protein effectors, toxic metabolites and RNA.
Here, we discuss recent findings on EVs in fungal phytopathogens, including the methods employed in their
isolation, their characterization, contents and functionality, as well as the key questions remaining to be addressed.

Keywords: Fungal phytopathogens, extracellular vesicles, EVs

INTRODUCTION
Cells in all domains of life release nano-sized, membrane-bound compartments called extracellular vesicles
(EVs). Though initially considered little more than cellular waste , EVs are now appreciated as potent
[1]
[2]
mediators of intercellular communication .

There are generally three subclasses of EVs, grouped according to their form of biogenesis. Apoptotic bodies
(ABs), which are usually the largest (≥ 1,000 nm in diameter) and most heterogeneous, are the product of
membrane blebbing during programmed cell death. Microvesicles (MVs, also known as ectosomes or

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
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