The role of the Tra1p transcription factor of Magnaporthe oryzae in spore adhesion and pathogenic development.

•TRA1 transcription is strongly induced on germination.•Tra1p is required for normal adhesion germination appressorium formation and virulence.•Tra1p-dependent genes were identified using microarray technology.•TDG2 is predicted to encode a transcription factor which appears to be functionally related to Tra1p.•Tra1p dependent gene product Tdg4p is also required for normal infection-related development.