The cell end marker Tea4 regulates morphogenesis and pathogenicity in the basidiomycete fungus Ustilago maydis.

Highlights: [•] The UmTea4 protein has similarity to the fission yeast cell end marker Tea4. [•] UmTea4 contains an RA domain and NLS not found in Tea4 in ascomycetes. [•] UmTea4 controls polarized growth, septation, growth rate, cell wall deposition. [•] Tea4::GFP localizes to sites of polarized growth or potential polarized growth. [•] Tea4 is necessary for pathogenicity of strains that bypass cell fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]