FTFD: an informatics pipeline supporting phylogenomic analysis of fungal transcription factors

Draft Genome Sequence of Endocarpon pusillum Strain KoLRILF000583

Lichen Endocarpon pusillum is a highly desiccation-tolerant and dominant species in biological soil crusts in arid and semi-arid regions. We report the draft genome sequence of a lichen-forming fungus, E. pusillum strain KoLRILF000583. The draft genome assembly has a size of 37,173,200 bp with a GC content of 49.71%, consisting of 40 scaffolds.

Draft Genome Sequence of Umbilicaria muehlenbergii KoLRILF000956, a Lichen-Forming Fungus Amenable to Genetic Manipulation

Umbilicaria muehlenbergii strain KoLRILF000956 is amenable to Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT), making it the only known genetically tractable lichen-forming fungus to date. We report another advancement in lichen genetics, a draft genome assembly for U. muehlenbergii with a size of 34,812,353 bp and a GC content of 47.12%, consisting of seven scaffolds.

Prevalence of transcription factors in ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi

Background

Gene regulation underlies fungal physiology and therefore is a major factor in fungal biodiversity. Analysis of genome sequences has revealed a large number of putative transcription factors in most fungal genomes. The presence of fungal orthologs for individual regulators has been analysed and appears to be highly variable with some regulators widely conserved and others showing narrow distribution. Although genome-scale transcription factor surveys have been performed before, no global study into the prevalence of specific regulators across the fungal kingdom has been presented.

Results

In this study we have analysed the number of members for 37 regulator classes in 77 ascomycete and 31 basidiomycete fungal genomes and revealed significant differences between ascomycetes and basidiomycetes. In addition, we determined the presence of 64 regulators characterised in ascomycetes across these 108 genomes. This demonstrated that overall the highest presence of orthologs is in the filamentous ascomycetes. A significant number of regulators lacked orthologs in the ascomycete yeasts and the basidiomycetes. Conversely, of seven basidiomycete regulators included in the study, only one had orthologs in ascomycetes.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a significant difference in the regulatory repertoire of ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi, at the level of both regulator class and individual regulator. This suggests that the current regulatory systems of these fungi have been mainly developed after the two phyla diverged. Most regulators detected in both phyla are involved in central functions of fungal physiology and therefore were likely already present in the ancestor of the two phyla.

De novo assembly of Auricularia polytricha transcriptome using Illumina sequencing for gene discovery and SSR marker identification

Auricularia polytricha (Mont.) Sacc., a type of edible black-brown mushroom with a gelatinous and modality-specific fruiting body, is in high demand in Asia due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Illumina Solexa sequenceing technology was used to generate very large transcript sequences from the mycelium and the mature fruiting body of A. polytricha for gene discovery and molecular marker development. De novo assembly generated 36,483 ESTs with an N50 length of 636 bp. A total of 28,108 ESTs demonstrated significant hits with known proteins in the nr database, and 94.03% of the annotated ESTs showed the greatest similarity to A. delicata, a related species of A. polytricha. Functional categorization of the Gene Ontology (GO), Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways revealed the conservation of genes involved in various biological processes in A. polytricha. Gene expression profile analysis indicated that a total of 2,057 ESTs were differentially expressed, including 1,020 ESTs that were up-regulated in the mycelium and 1,037 up-regulated in the fruiting body. Functional enrichment showed that the ESTs associated with biosynthesis, metabolism and assembly of proteins were more active in fruiting body development. The expression patterns of homologous transcription factors indicated that the molecular mechanisms of fruiting body formation and development were not exactly the same as for other agarics. Interestingly, an EST encoding tyrosinase was significantly up-regulated in the fruiting body, indicating that melanins accumulated during the processes of the formation of the black-brown color of the fruiting body in A. polytricha development. In addition, a total of 1,715 potential SSRs were detected in this transcriptome. The transcriptome analysis of A. polytricha provides valuable sequence resources and numerous molecular markers to facilitate further functional genomics studies and genetic researches on this fungus.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lichen-Forming Fungus Cladonia metacorallifera Strain KoLRI002260

The lichen-forming fungus Cladonia metacorallifera strain KoLRI002260 is capable of producing a number of secondary metabolites, including usnic, didymic, and squamatic acids, which have antitumor, antioxidant, and antibiotic activities. The draft genome assembly has a size of 36,682,060 bp, with a G+C content of 44.91%, and consists of 30 scaffolds.

Phylogenetic and transcriptional analysis of an expanded bZIP transcription factor family in Phytophthora sojae

BACKGROUND

Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors are present exclusively in eukaryotes and constitute one of the largest and most diverse transcription factor families. The proteins are responsible for central developmental and physiological processes in plants, animals, and fungi, including the pathogenicity of fungal plant pathogens. However, there is limited understanding of bZIPs in oomycetes, which are fungus-like organisms in the kingdom Stramenopila. Oomycetes include many destructive plant pathogens, including the well-studied species Phytophthora sojae, which causes soybean stem and root rot.

RESULTS

Candidate bZIPs encoded in the genomes of P. sojae and four other oomycetes, two diatoms, and two fungal species were predicted using bioinformatic methods. Comparative analysis revealed expanded numbers of bZIP candidates in oomycetes, especially the Phytophthora species, due to the expansion of several novel bZIP classes whose highly conserved asparagines in basic DNA-binding regions were substituted by other residues such as cysteine. The majority of these novel bZIP classes were mostly restricted to oomycetes. The large number of novel bZIPs appears to be the result of widespread gene duplications during oomycete evolution. The majority of P. sojae bZIP candidates, including both conventional and novel bZIP classes, were predicted to contain canonical protein secondary structures. Detection of gene transcripts using digital gene expression profiling and qRT-PCR suggested that most of the candidates were not pseudogenes. The major transcriptional shifts of bZIPs occurred during the zoosporangia/zoospore/cyst and host infection stages. Several infection-associated bZIP genes were identified that were positively regulated by H2O2 exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of large classes of bZIP proteins in oomycetes with novel bZIP motif variants, that are conserved and developmentally regulated and thus presumably functional, extends our knowledge of this important family of eukaryotic transcription factors. It also lays the foundation for detailed studies of the roles of these proteins in development and infection in P. sojae and other oomycetes.

The N-terminus region of the putative C2H2 transcription factor Ada1 harbors a species-specific activation motif that regulates asexual reproduction in Fusarium verticillioides

Fusarium verticillioides is an important plant pathogenic fungus causing maize ear and stalk rots. In addition, the fungus is directly associated with fumonisin contamination of food and feeds. Here, we report the functional characterization of Ada1, a putative Cys2-His2 zinc finger transcription factor with a high level of similarity to Aspergillus nidulans FlbC, which is required for the activation of the key regulator of conidiation brlA. ADA1 is predicted to encode a protein with two DNA binding motifs at the C terminus and a putative activator domain at the N terminus region. Deletion of the flbC gene in A. nidulans results in "fluffy" cotton-like colonies, with a defect in transition from vegetative growth to asexual development. In this study we show that Ada1 plays a key role in asexual development in F. verticillioides. Conidia production was significantly reduced in the knockout mutant (Δada1), in which aberrant conidia and conidiophores were also observed. We identified genes that are predicted to be downstream of ADA1, based on A. nidulans conidiation signaling pathway. Among them, the deletion of stuA homologue, FvSTUA, resulted in near absence of conidia production. To further investigate the functional conservation of this transcription factor, we complemented the Δada1 strain with A. nidulans flbC, F. verticillioides ADA1, and chimeric constructs. A. nidulans flbC failed to restore conidia production similar to the wild-type level. However, the Ada1N-terminal domain, which contains a putative activator, fused to A. nidulans FlbC C-terminal motif successfully complemented the Δada1 mutant. Taken together, Ada1 is an important transcriptional regulator of asexual development in F. verticillioides and that the N-terminus domain is critical for proper function of this transcription factor.

Two conidiation-related Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor genes in the rice blast fungus

Regulation of gene expression by transcription factors (TFs) helps plant pathogens to interact with the host plants and to sustain a pathogenic lifestyle in the environmental changes. Elucidating novel functions of TFs is, therefore, crucial for understanding pathogenesis mechanisms of plant pathogens. Magnaporthe oryzae, the rice blast pathogen, undergoes a series of developmental morphogenesis to complete its infection cycle. To understand TF genes implicated in pathogenic development of this fungus, two Zn(II)2Cys6 TF genes, MoCOD1 and MoCOD2, whose expression was notably induced during conidiation, were functionally characterized. Targeted deletion of MoCOD1 resulted in defects in conidiation and pathogenicity due to defects in appressorium formation and invasive growth within the host cells. MoCOD2 was also a critical regulator in conidiation and pathogenicity, but not in conidial germination and appressorium formation. When rice plants were inoculated with conidia of the ΔMocod2 mutant, rapid accumulation of dark brown granules was observed around the infection sites in the plant cells and no visible disease symptom was incited. Taken together, both MoCOD1 and MoCOD2 play important roles in conidiation and pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus.

Fungal zinc metabolism and its connections to virulence

Zinc is a ubiquitous metal in all life forms, as it is a structural component of the almost 10% of eukaryotic proteins, which are called zinc-binding proteins. In zinc-limiting conditions such as those found during infection, pathogenic fungi activate the expression of several systems to enhance the uptake of zinc. These systems include ZIP transporters (solute carrier 39 family) and secreted zincophores, which are proteins that are able to chelate zinc. The expression of some fungal zinc uptake systems are regulated by a master regulator (Zap1), first characterized in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this review, we highlight features of zinc uptake and metabolism in human fungal pathogens and aspects of the relationship between proper zinc metabolism and the expression of virulence factors and adaptation to the host habitat.

Pathogenicity phenomena in three model systems: from network mining to emerging system-level properties

Understanding the interconnections of microbial pathogenicity phenomena, such as biofilm formation, quorum sensing and antimicrobial resistance, is a tremendous open challenge for biomedical research. Progress made by wet-lab researchers and bioinformaticians in understanding the underlying regulatory phenomena has been significant, with converging evidence from multiple high-throughput technologies. Notably, network reconstructions are already of considerable size and quality, tackling both intracellular regulation and signal mediation in microbial infection. Therefore, it stands to reason that in silico investigations would play a more active part in this research. Drug target identification and drug repurposing could take much advantage of the ability to simulate pathogen regulatory systems, host-pathogen interactions and pathogen cross-talking. Here, we review the bioinformatics resources and tools available for the study of the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the fungal species Candida albicans. The choice of these three microorganisms fits the rationale of the review converging into pathogens of great clinical importance, which thrive in biofilm consortia and manifest growing antimicrobial resistance.

Long-term strain improvements accumulate mutations in regulatory elements responsible for hyper-production of cellulolytic enzymes

Long-term strain improvements through repeated mutagenesis and screening have generated a hyper-producer of cellulases and hemicellulases from Penicillium decumbens 114 which was isolated 30 years ago. Here, the genome of the hyper-producer P. decumbens JU-A10-T was sequenced and compared with that of the wild-type strain 114-2. Further, the transcriptomes and secretomes were compared between the strains. Selective hyper-production of cellulases and hemicellulases but not all the secreted proteins was observed in the mutant, making it a more specific producer of lignocellulolytic enzymes. Functional analysis identified that changes in several transcriptional regulatory elements played crucial roles in the cellulase hyper-producing characteristics of the mutant. Additionally, the mutant showed enhanced supply of amino acids and decreased synthesis of secondary metabolites compared with the wild-type. The results clearly point out that we can target gene regulators and promoters with minimal alterations of the genetic content but maximal effects in genetic engineering.

Draft Genome Sequence of Cladonia macilenta KoLRI003786, a Lichen-Forming Fungus Producing Biruloquinone

The lichen-forming fungus Cladonia macilenta strain KoLRI003786 is capable of producing an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, biruloquinone, which effectively prevents neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. Laying the foundation to unravel the biruloquinone biosynthetic pathway, we present the 37.11-Mb draft genome sequence of strain KoLRI003786.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lichen-Forming Fungus Caloplaca flavorubescens Strain KoLRI002931

Here we report a draft genome sequence of Caloplaca flavorubescens strain KoLRI002931, isolated from the bark of a gingko tree at Mt. Deogyu, Muju, South Korea. The genome sequence is 34,455,815 bp, with a GC content of 41.89%, consisting of 36 scaffolds.

A network of HMG-box transcription factors regulates sexual cycle in the fungus Podospora anserina

High-mobility group (HMG) B proteins are eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins characterized by the HMG-box functional motif. These transcription factors play a pivotal role in global genomic functions and in the control of genes involved in specific developmental or metabolic pathways. The filamentous ascomycete Podospora anserina contains 12 HMG-box genes. Of these, four have been previously characterized; three are mating-type genes that control fertilization and development of the fruit-body, whereas the last one encodes a factor involved in mitochondrial DNA stability. Systematic deletion analysis of the eight remaining uncharacterized HMG-box genes indicated that none were essential for viability, but that seven were involved in the sexual cycle. Two HMG-box genes display striking features. PaHMG5, an ortholog of SpSte11 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, is a pivotal activator of mating-type genes in P. anserina, whereas PaHMG9 is a repressor of several phenomena specific to the stationary phase, most notably hyphal anastomoses. Transcriptional analyses of HMG-box genes in HMG-box deletion strains indicated that PaHMG5 is at the hub of a network of several HMG-box factors that regulate mating-type genes and mating-type target genes. Genetic analyses revealed that this network also controls fertility genes that are not regulated by mating-type transcription factors. This study points to the critical role of HMG-box members in sexual reproduction in fungi, as 11 out of 12 members were involved in the sexual cycle in P. anserina. PaHMG5 and SpSte11 are conserved transcriptional regulators of mating-type genes, although P. anserina and S. pombe diverged 550 million years ago. Two HMG-box genes, SOX9 and its upstream regulator SRY, also play an important role in sex determination in mammals. The P. anserina and S. pombe mating-type genes and their upstream regulatory factor form a module of HMG-box genes analogous to the SRY/SOX9 module, revealing a commonality of sex regulation in animals and fungi.

Podospora anserina, a coprophilous fungus, is used extensively as a model organism to address questions of sexual development and mating-type functions. Its mating-type locus contains three HMGB genes that encode transcription factors involved in fertilization and fruit-body development. We present the functional characterization of the remaining HMGB genes, which revealed that 11 of 12 HMGB genes were involved in sexual development. An analysis of the relationships between these genes uncovered a regulatory network governing the expression of mating-type genes. PaHMG5 is a key transcription factor that operates upstream of mating-type genes in this network. A homolog of PaHMG5 performs a similar function in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which diverged from P. anserina 550 million years ago. The conservation of a regulatory circuit over such a prolonged timeframe is a striking exception to the general observation that sex developmental pathways are highly variable, even across closely related lineages. A module consisting of two HMGB transcription factors (Sry and Sox9) is a key regulator of sex determination in mammals. We propose that the module containing PaHMG5 and mating-type HMGB genes is the fungal counterpart of the mammalian module, revealing a commonality of sex regulation in animals and fungi.

Sda1, a Cys2-His2 zinc finger transcription factor, is involved in polyol metabolism and fumonisin B1 production in Fusarium verticillioides

The ubiquitous ascomycete Fusarium verticillioides causes ear rot and stalk rot of maize, both of which reduce grain quality and yield. Additionally, F. verticillioides produces the mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) during infection of maize kernels, and thus potentially compromises human and animal health. The current knowledge is fragmentary regarding the regulation of FB1 biosynthesis, particularly when considering interplay with environmental factors such as nutrient availability. In this study, SDA1 of F. verticillioides, predicted to encode a Cys-2 His-2 zinc finger transcription factor, was shown to play a key role in catabolizing select carbon sources. Growth of the SDA1 knock-out mutant (Δsda1) was completely inhibited when sorbitol was the sole carbon source and was severely impaired when exclusively provided mannitol or glycerol. Deletion of SDA1 unexpectedly increased FB1 biosynthesis, but reduced arabitol and mannitol biosynthesis, as compared to the wild-type progenitor. Trichoderma reesei ACE1, a regulator of cellulase and xylanase expression, complemented the F. verticillioides Δsda1 mutant, which indicates that Ace1 and Sda1 are functional orthologs. Taken together, the data indicate that Sda1 is a transcriptional regulator of carbon metabolism and toxin production in F. verticillioides.

Global expression profiling of transcription factor genes provides new insights into pathogenicity and stress responses in the rice blast fungus

Because most efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning fungal pathogenicity have focused on studying the function and role of individual genes, relatively little is known about how transcriptional machineries globally regulate and coordinate the expression of a large group of genes involved in pathogenesis. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we analyzed the expression patterns of 206 transcription factor (TF) genes in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae under 32 conditions, including multiple infection-related developmental stages and various abiotic stresses. The resulting data, which are publicly available via an online platform, provided new insights into how these TFs are regulated and potentially work together to control cellular responses to a diverse array of stimuli. High degrees of differential TF expression were observed under the conditions tested. More than 50% of the 206 TF genes were up-regulated during conidiation and/or in conidia. Mutations in ten conidiation-specific TF genes caused defects in conidiation. Expression patterns in planta were similar to those under oxidative stress conditions. Mutants of in planta inducible genes not only exhibited sensitive to oxidative stress but also failed to infect rice. These experimental validations clearly demonstrated the value of TF expression patterns in predicting the function of individual TF genes. The regulatory network of TF genes revealed by this study provides a solid foundation for elucidating how M. oryzae regulates its pathogenesis, development, and stress responses.

Sequencing and comparative analysis of the straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) genome

Volvariella volvacea, the edible straw mushroom, is a highly nutritious food source that is widely cultivated on a commercial scale in many parts of Asia using agricultural wastes (rice straw, cotton wastes) as growth substrates. However, developments in V. volvacea cultivation have been limited due to a low biological efficiency (i.e. conversion of growth substrate to mushroom fruit bodies), sensitivity to low temperatures, and an unclear sexuality pattern that has restricted the breeding of improved strains. We have now sequenced the genome of V. volvacea and assembled it into 62 scaffolds with a total genome size of 35.7 megabases (Mb), containing 11,084 predicted gene models. Comparative analyses were performed with the model species in basidiomycete on mating type system, carbohydrate active enzymes, and fungal oxidative lignin enzymes. We also studied transcriptional regulation of the response to low temperature (4°C). We found that the genome of V. volvacea has many genes that code for enzymes, which are involved in the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. The molecular genetics of the mating type system in V. volvacea was also found to be similar to the bipolar system in basidiomycetes, suggesting that it is secondary homothallism. Sensitivity to low temperatures could be due to the lack of the initiation of the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, trehalose and glycogen biosyntheses in this mushroom. Genome sequencing of V. volvacea has improved our understanding of the biological characteristics related to the degradation of the cultivating compost consisting of agricultural waste, the sexual reproduction mechanism, and the sensitivity to low temperatures at the molecular level which in turn will enable us to increase the industrial production of this mushroom.

Screening of a Botrytis cinerea one-hybrid library reveals a Cys2His2 transcription factor involved in the regulation of secondary metabolism gene clusters

Botrytis cinerea, the grey mould fungus, secretes non-host-specific phytotoxins that kill the cells of many plant species. Phytotoxic assays performed about ten years ago, have highlighted the role in the infection mechanism of one of these secondary metabolites, the sesquiterpene botrydial. We recently showed that BcBOT1 to BcBOT5 genes, which are required for botrydial biosynthesis, are organised into a physical cluster. However, this cluster includes no gene encoding a transcription factor (TF) that might specifically coregulate the expression of BcBOT genes. To identify which TF(s) are implicated in the regulation of this cluster and thereby to decipher DNA-protein interactions in the phytopathogenic fungus B. cinerea, we developed a strategy based on the yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) method. In this study, a Y1H library was generated with the TFs predicted from complete genome sequencing. The screening of this library revealed an interaction between a promoter of the botrydial biosynthesis gene cluster and a new Cys2His2 zinc finger TF, that we called BcYOH1. Inactivation of the BcYOH1 gene and expression analyses demonstrated the involvement of this TF in regulating expression of the botrydial biosynthesis gene cluster. Furthermore, whole-transcriptome analysis suggested that BcYOH1 might act as a global transcriptional regulator of phytotoxin and other secondary metabolism gene clusters, and of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, transport, virulence and detoxification mechanisms.

Genomic and secretomic analyses reveal unique features of the lignocellulolytic enzyme system of Penicillium decumbens

Many Penicillium species could produce extracellular enzyme systems with good lignocellulose hydrolysis performance. However, these species and their enzyme systems are still poorly understood and explored due to the lacking of genetic information. Here, we present the genomic and secretomic analyses of Penicillium decumbens that has been used in industrial production of lignocellulolytic enzymes in China for more than fifteen years. Comparative genomics analysis with the phylogenetically most similar species Penicillium chrysogenum revealed that P. decumbens has evolved with more genes involved in plant cell wall degradation, but fewer genes in cellular metabolism and regulation. Compared with the widely used cellulase producer Trichoderma reesei, P. decumbens has a lignocellulolytic enzyme system with more diverse components, particularly for cellulose binding domain-containing proteins and hemicellulases. Further, proteomic analysis of secretomes revealed that P. decumbens produced significantly more lignocellulolytic enzymes in the medium with cellulose-wheat bran as the carbon source than with glucose. The results expand our knowledge on the genetic information of lignocellulolytic enzyme systems in Penicillium species, and will facilitate rational strain improvement for the production of highly efficient enzyme systems used in lignocellulose utilization from Penicillium species.

CFGP 2.0: a versatile web-based platform for supporting comparative and evolutionary genomics of fungi and Oomycetes

In 2007, Comparative Fungal Genomics Platform (CFGP; http://cfgp.snu.ac.kr/) was publicly open with 65 genomes corresponding to 58 fungal and Oomycete species. The CFGP provided six bioinformatics tools, including a novel tool entitled BLASTMatrix that enables search homologous genes to queries in multiple species simultaneously. CFGP also introduced Favorite, a personalized virtual space for data storage and analysis with these six tools. Since 2007, CFGP has grown to archive 283 genomes corresponding to 152 fungal and Oomycete species as well as 201 genomes that correspond to seven bacteria, 39 plants and 105 animals. In addition, the number of tools in Favorite increased to 27. The Taxonomy Browser of CFGP 2.0 allows users to interactively navigate through a large number of genomes according to their taxonomic positions. The user interface of BLASTMatrix was also improved to facilitate subsequent analyses of retrieved data. A newly developed genome browser, Seoul National University Genome Browser (SNUGB), was integrated into CFGP 2.0 to support graphical presentation of diverse genomic contexts. Based on the standardized genome warehouse of CFGP 2.0, several systematic platforms designed to support studies on selected gene families have been developed. Most of them are connected through Favorite to allow of sharing data across the platforms.

P2TF: a comprehensive resource for analysis of prokaryotic transcription factors

BACKGROUND

Transcription factors (TFs) are DNA-binding proteins that regulate gene expression by activating or repressing transcription. Some have housekeeping roles, while others regulate the expression of specific genes in response to environmental change. The majority of TFs are multi-domain proteins, and they can be divided into families according to their domain organisation. There is a need for user-friendly, rigorous and consistent databases to allow researchers to overcome the inherent variability in annotation between genome sequences.

DESCRIPTION

P2TF (Predicted Prokaryotic Transcription Factors) is an integrated and comprehensive database relating to transcription factor proteins. The current version of the database contains 372,877 TFs from 1,987 completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes and 43 metagenomes. The database provides annotation, classification and visualisation of TF genes and their genetic context, providing researchers with a one-stop shop in which to investigate TFs. The P2TF database analyses TFs in both predicted proteomes and reconstituted ORFeomes, recovering approximately 3% more TF proteins than just screening predicted proteomes. Users are able to search the database with sequence or domain architecture queries, and resulting hits can be aligned to investigate evolutionary relationships and conservation of residues. To increase utility, all searches can be filtered by taxonomy, TF genes can be added to the P2TF cart, and gene lists can be exported for external analysis in a variety of formats.

CONCLUSIONS

P2TF is an open resource for biologists, allowing exploration of all TFs within prokaryotic genomes and metagenomes. The database enables a variety of analyses, and results are presented for user exploration as an interactive web interface, which provides different ways to access and download the data. The database is freely available at http://www.p2tf.org/.

The homeobox BcHOX8 gene in Botrytis cinerea regulates vegetative growth and morphology

Filamentous growth and the capacity at producing conidia are two critical aspects of most fungal life cycles, including that of many plant or animal pathogens. Here, we report on the identification of a homeobox transcription factor encoding gene that plays a role in these two particular aspects of the development of the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Deletion of the BcHOX8 gene in both the B. cinerea B05-10 and T4 strains causes similar phenotypes, among which a curved, arabesque-like, hyphal growth on hydrophobic surfaces; the mutants were hence named Arabesque. Expression of the BcHOX8 gene is higher in conidia and infection cushions than in developing appressorium or mycelium. In the Arabesque mutants, colony growth rate is reduced and abnormal infection cushions are produced. Asexual reproduction is also affected with abnormal conidiophore being formed, strongly reduced conidia production and dramatic changes in conidial morphology. Finally, the mutation affects the fungus ability to efficiently colonize different host plants. Analysis of the B. cinerea genome shows that BcHOX8 is one member of a nine putative homeobox genes family. Available gene expression data suggest that these genes are functional and sequence comparisons indicate that two of them would be specific to B. cinerea and its close relative Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Scheffersomyces stipitis: a comparative systems biology study with the Crabtree positive yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

BACKGROUND

Scheffersomyces stipitis is a Crabtree negative yeast, commonly known for its capacity to ferment pentose sugars. Differently from Crabtree positive yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the onset of fermentation in S. stipitis is not dependent on the sugar concentration, but is regulated by a decrease in oxygen levels. Even though S. stipitis has been extensively studied due to its potential application in pentoses fermentation, a limited amount of information is available about its metabolism during aerobic growth on glucose. Here, we provide a systems biology based comparison between the two yeasts, uncovering the metabolism of S. stipitis during aerobic growth on glucose under batch and chemostat cultivations.

RESULTS

Starting from the analysis of physiological data, we confirmed through 13C-based flux analysis the fully respiratory metabolism of S. stipitis when growing both under glucose limited or glucose excess conditions. The patterns observed showed similarity to the fully respiratory metabolism observed for S. cerevisiae under chemostat cultivations however, intracellular metabolome analysis uncovered the presence of several differences in metabolite patterns. To describe gene expression levels under the two conditions, we performed RNA sequencing and the results were used to quantify transcript abundances of genes from the central carbon metabolism and compared with those obtained with S. cerevisiae. Interestingly, genes involved in central pathways showed different patterns of expression, suggesting different regulatory networks between the two yeasts. Efforts were focused on identifying shared and unique families of transcription factors between the two yeasts through in silico transcription factors analysis, suggesting a different regulation of glycolytic and glucoenogenic pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

The work presented addresses the impact of high-throughput methods in describing and comparing the physiology of Crabtree positive and Crabtree negative yeasts. Based on physiological data and flux analysis we identified the presence of one metabolic condition for S. stipitis under aerobic batch and chemostat cultivations, which shows similarities to the oxidative metabolism observed for S. cerevisiae under chemostat cultivations. Through metabolome analysis and genome-wide transcriptomic analysis several differences were identified. Interestingly, in silico analysis of transciption factors was useful to address a different regulation of mRNAs of genes involved in the central carbon metabolism. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the metabolism of S. stiptis is investigated in details and is compared to S. cerevisiae. Our study provides useful results and allows for the possibility to incorporate these data into recently developed genome-scaled metabolic, thus contributing to improve future industrial applications of S. stipitis as cell factory.

Dynamics and innovations within oomycete genomes: insights into biology, pathology, and evolution

The eukaryotic microbes known as oomycetes are common inhabitants of terrestrial and aquatic environments and include saprophytes and pathogens. Lifestyles of the pathogens extend from biotrophy to necrotrophy, obligate to facultative pathogenesis, and narrow to broad host ranges on plants or animals. Sequencing of several pathogens has revealed striking variation in genome size and content, a plastic set of genes related to pathogenesis, and adaptations associated with obligate biotrophy. Features of genome evolution include repeat-driven expansions, deletions, gene fusions, and horizontal gene transfer in a landscape organized into gene-dense and gene-sparse sectors and influenced by transposable elements. Gene expression profiles are also highly dynamic throughout oomycete life cycles, with transcriptional polymorphisms as well as differences in protein sequence contributing to variation. The genome projects have set the foundation for functional studies and should spur the sequencing of additional species, including more diverse pathogens and nonpathogens.

Genome-wide expression profiling shows transcriptional reprogramming in Fusarium graminearum by Fusarium graminearum virus 1-DK21 infection

BACKGROUND

Fusarium graminearum virus 1 strain-DK21 (FgV1-DK21) is a mycovirus that confers hypovirulence to F. graminearum, which is the primary phytopathogenic fungus that causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease in many cereals. Understanding the interaction between mycoviruses and plant pathogenic fungi is necessary for preventing damage caused by F. graminearum. Therefore, we investigated important cellular regulatory processes in a host containing FgV1-DK21 as compared to an uninfected parent using a transcriptional approach.

RESULTS

Using a 3'-tiling microarray covering all known F. graminearum genes, we carried out genome-wide expression analyses of F. graminearum at two different time points. At the early point of growth of an infected strain as compared to an uninfected strain, genes associated with protein synthesis, including ribosome assembly, nucleolus, and ribosomal RNA processing, were significantly up-regulated. In addition, genes required for transcription and signal transduction, including fungal-specific transcription factors and cAMP signaling, respectively, were actively up-regulated. In contrast, genes involved in various metabolic pathways, particularly in producing carboxylic acids, aromatic amino acids, nitrogen compounds, and polyamines, showed dramatic down-regulation at the early time point. Moreover, genes associated with transport systems localizing to transmembranes were down-regulated at both time points.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of global change in the prominent cellular pathways in the Fusarium host containing FgV1-DK21. The significant increase in transcripts for transcription and translation machinery in fungal host cells seems to be related to virus replication. In addition, significant down-regulation of genes required for metabolism and transporting systems in a fungal host containing the virus appears to be related to the host defense mechanism and fungal virulence. Taken together, our data aid in the understanding of how FgV1-DK21 regulates the transcriptional reprogramming of F. graminearum.

Genomic characterization of the conditionally dispensable chromosome in Alternaria arborescens provides evidence for horizontal gene transfer

BACKGROUND

Fungal plant pathogens cause serious agricultural losses worldwide. Alternaria arborescens is a major pathogen of tomato, with its virulence determined by the presence of a conditionally dispensable chromosome (CDC) carrying host-specific toxin genes. Genes encoding these toxins are well-studied, however the genomic content and organization of the CDC is not known.

RESULTS

To gain a richer understanding of the molecular determinants of virulence and the evolution of pathogenicity, we performed whole genome sequencing of A. arborescens. Here we present the de-novo assembly of the CDC and its predicted gene content. Also presented is hybridization data validating the CDC assembly. Predicted genes were functionally annotated through BLAST. Gene ontology terms were assigned, and conserved domains were identified. Differences in nucleotide usage were found between CDC genes and those on the essential chromosome (EC), including GC3-content, codon usage bias, and repeat region load. Genes carrying PKS and NRPS domains were identified in clusters on the CDC and evidence supporting the origin of the CDC through horizontal transfer from an unrelated fungus was found.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that the CDC in A. arborescens was acquired through horizontal transfer, likely from an unrelated fungus. We also identified several predicted CDC genes under positive selection that may serve as candidate virulence factors.

How do you find transcription factors? Computational approaches to compile and annotate repertoires of regulators for any genome

Transcription factors (TFs) play an important role in regulating gene expression. The availability of complete genome sequences and associated functional genomic data offer excellent opportunities to understand the transcriptional regulatory system of an entire organism. To do so, however, it is essential to compile a reliable dataset of regulatory components. Here, we review computational methods and publicly accessible resources that help identify TF-coding genes in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Since the regulatory functions of most TFs remain unknown, we also discuss approaches for combining diverse genomic datasets that will help elucidate their chromosomal organisation, expression, and evolutionary conservation. These analysis methods provide a solid foundation for further investigations of the transcriptional regulatory system.

A phenome-based functional analysis of transcription factors in the cereal head blight fungus, Fusarium graminearum

Fusarium graminearum is an important plant pathogen that causes head blight of major cereal crops. The fungus produces mycotoxins that are harmful to animal and human. In this study, a systematic analysis of 17 phenotypes of the mutants in 657 Fusarium graminearum genes encoding putative transcription factors (TFs) resulted in a database of over 11,000 phenotypes (phenome). This database provides comprehensive insights into how this cereal pathogen of global significance regulates traits important for growth, development, stress response, pathogenesis, and toxin production and how transcriptional regulations of these traits are interconnected. In-depth analysis of TFs involved in sexual development revealed that mutations causing defects in perithecia development frequently affect multiple other phenotypes, and the TFs associated with sexual development tend to be highly conserved in the fungal kingdom. Besides providing many new insights into understanding the function of F. graminearum TFs, this mutant library and phenome will be a valuable resource for characterizing the gene expression network in this fungus and serve as a reference for studying how different fungi have evolved to control various cellular processes at the transcriptional level.

Large collections of mutant lines allow for identification of gene functions. Here we constructed a mutant library of 657 putative transcription factors (TFs) through homologous recombination in the head blight fungus, Fusarium graminearum, providing a resource for understanding gene regulation in fungus. By screening these mutants in 17 phenotypic categories, we constructed a dataset of over 11,000 phenotypes. This study provides new insight into understanding multiple phenotypes caused by single TF as well as regulation of gene expression at the transcription level in F. graminearum. Furthermore, our TF mutant library will be a valuable resource for fungal studies through the distribution of mutants and easy access to our phenotypic and genetic data.

Cyber infrastructure for Fusarium: three integrated platforms supporting strain identification, phylogenetics, comparative genomics and knowledge sharing

The fungal genus Fusarium includes many plant and/or animal pathogenic species and produces diverse toxins. Although accurate species identification is critical for managing such threats, it is difficult to identify Fusarium morphologically. Fortunately, extensive molecular phylogenetic studies, founded on well-preserved culture collections, have established a robust foundation for Fusarium classification. Genomes of four Fusarium species have been published with more being currently sequenced. The Cyber infrastructure for Fusarium (CiF; http://www.fusariumdb.org/) was built to support archiving and utilization of rapidly increasing data and knowledge and consists of Fusarium-ID, Fusarium Comparative Genomics Platform (FCGP) and Fusarium Community Platform (FCP). The Fusarium-ID archives phylogenetic marker sequences from most known species along with information associated with characterized isolates and supports strain identification and phylogenetic analyses. The FCGP currently archives five genomes from four species. Besides supporting genome browsing and analysis, the FCGP presents computed characteristics of multiple gene families and functional groups. The Cart/Favorite function allows users to collect sequences from Fusarium-ID and the FCGP and analyze them later using multiple tools without requiring repeated copying-and-pasting of sequences. The FCP is designed to serve as an online community forum for sharing and preserving accumulated experience and knowledge to support future research and education.

Genomic repertoires of DNA-binding transcription factors across the tree of life

Sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) are important to genetic regulation in all organisms because they recognize and directly bind to regulatory regions on DNA. Here, we survey and summarize the TF resources available. We outline the organisms for which TF annotation is provided, and discuss the criteria and methods used to annotate TFs by different databases. By using genomic TF repertoires from ∼700 genomes across the tree of life, covering Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryota, we review TF abundance with respect to the number of genes, as well as their structural complexity in diverse lineages. While typical eukaryotic TFs are longer than the average eukaryotic proteins, the inverse is true for prokaryotes. Only in eukaryotes does the same family of DNA-binding domain (DBD) occur multiple times within one polypeptide chain. This potentially increases the length and diversity of DNA-recognition sequence by reusing DBDs from the same family. We examined the increase in TF abundance with the number of genes in genomes, using the largest set of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes to date. As pointed out before, prokaryotic TFs increase faster than linearly. We further observe a similar relationship in eukaryotic genomes with a slower increase in TFs.

Fungal secretome database: integrated platform for annotation of fungal secretomes

BACKGROUND

Fungi secrete various proteins that have diverse functions. Prediction of secretory proteins using only one program is unsatisfactory. To enhance prediction accuracy, we constructed Fungal Secretome Database (FSD).

DESCRIPTION

A three-layer hierarchical identification rule based on nine prediction programs was used to identify putative secretory proteins in 158 fungal/oomycete genomes (208,883 proteins, 15.21% of the total proteome). The presence of putative effectors containing known host targeting signals such as RXLX [EDQ] and RXLR was investigated, presenting the degree of bias along with the species. The FSD's user-friendly interface provides summaries of prediction results and diverse web-based analysis functions through Favorite, a personalized repository.

CONCLUSIONS

The FSD can serve as an integrated platform supporting researches on secretory proteins in the fungal kingdom. All data and functions described in this study can be accessed on the FSD web site at http://fsd.snu.ac.kr/.

Homeobox transcription factors are required for conidiation and appressorium development in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

The appropriate development of conidia and appressoria is critical in the disease cycle of many fungal pathogens, including Magnaporthe oryzae. A total of eight genes (MoHOX1 to MoHOX8) encoding putative homeobox transcription factors (TFs) were identified from the M. oryzae genome. Knockout mutants for each MoHOX gene were obtained via homology-dependent gene replacement. Two mutants, ΔMohox3 and ΔMohox5, exhibited no difference to wild-type in growth, conidiation, conidium size, conidial germination, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity. However, the ΔMohox1 showed a dramatic reduction in hyphal growth and increase in melanin pigmentation, compared to those in wild-type. ΔMohox4 and ΔMohox6 showed significantly reduced conidium size and hyphal growth, respectively. ΔMohox8 formed normal appressoria, but failed in pathogenicity, probably due to defects in the development of penetration peg and invasive growth. It is most notable that asexual reproduction was completely abolished in ΔMohox2, in which no conidia formed. ΔMohox2 was still pathogenic through hypha-driven appressoria in a manner similar to that of the wild-type. However, ΔMohox7 was unable to form appressoria either on conidial germ tubes, or at hyphal tips, being non-pathogenic. These factors indicate that M. oryzae is able to cause foliar disease via hyphal appressorium-mediated penetration, and MoHOX7 is mutually required to drive appressorium formation from hyphae and germ tubes. Transcriptional analyses suggest that the functioning of M. oryzae homeobox TFs is mediated through the regulation of gene expression and is affected by cAMP and Ca²⁺ signaling and/or MAPK pathways. The divergent roles of this gene set may help reveal how the genome and regulatory pathways evolved within the rice blast pathogen and close relatives.

Pathogens have evolved diverse strategies to cause disease. Magnaporthe oryzae is the fungal phytopathogen that causes rice blast and is considered an important model for understanding mechanisms in fungal development and pathogenicity. Asexual reproduction and infection-related development play key roles in M. oryzae disease development. The conidium of M. oryzae differentiates a specialized structure, an appressorium. The appressorium generates turgor pressure that allows penetration through the mechanical rupture of host cuticle layers. After colonizing host cells, the fungus produces massive conidia via conidiogenesis, serving as secondary propagules for the polycyclic disease. To elucidate molecular mechanisms in asexual reproduction and appressorium-mediated disease development, we identified eight homeobox transcription factors through a genome-wide in silico analysis. Characterization using deletion mutants revealed that each homeobox TF functions as a stage-specific regulator for conidial shape, hyphal growth, conidiation, appressorium development, and invasive growth during M. oryzae development. Notably, conidiation and appressorium development were entirely abolished in ΔMohox2 and ΔMohox7, respectively. This study also provides evidence that M. oryzae is able to cause rice blast by means of hypha-driven appressoria upon responses to host signaling factors. This study will aid in the understanding of regulatory networks associated with fungal development and pathogenicity.

In silico analysis of transcription factor repertoire and prediction of stress responsive transcription factors in soybean

Sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) are often termed as 'master regulators' which bind to DNA and either activate or repress gene transcription. We have computationally analysed the soybean genome sequence data and constructed a proper set of TFs based on the Hidden Markov Model profiles of DNA-binding domain families. Within the soybean genome, we identified 4342 loci encoding 5035 TF models which grouped into 61 families. We constructed a database named SoybeanTFDB (http://soybeantfdb.psc.riken.jp) containing the full compilation of soybean TFs and significant information such as: functional motifs, full-length cDNAs, domain alignments, promoter regions, genomic organization and putative regulatory functions based on annotations of gene ontology (GO) inferred by comparative analysis with Arabidopsis. With particular interest in abiotic stress signalling, we analysed the promoter regions for all of the TF encoding genes as a means to identify abiotic stress responsive cis-elements as well as all types of cis-motifs provided by the PLACE database. SoybeanTFDB enables scientists to easily access cis-element and GO annotations to aid in the prediction of TF function and selection of TFs with functions of interest. This study provides a basic framework and an important user-friendly public information resource which enables analyses of transcriptional regulation in soybean.

RNA translocation between parasitic plants and their hosts

Recent research indicates that RNA translocation occurs between certain parasitic plant species and their hosts. The movement of at least 27 mRNAs has been demonstrated between hosts and Cuscuta pentagona Engelm., with the largest proportion of these being regulatory genes. Movement of RNAi signals has been documented from hosts to the parasites Triphysaria versicolor (Frisch & CA Mey) and Orobanche aegyptiaca (Pers.), demonstrating that the regulation of genes in one species can be influenced by transfer of RNA signals through a parasitic association. This review considers the implications of these findings in light of present understanding of host-parasite connections and the growing body of evidence that RNAs are able to act as signal molecules that convey regulatory information in a cell- and tissue-specific manner. Together, this suggests that parasitic plants can exchange RNAs with their hosts, and that this may be part of the coordinated growth and development that occurs during the process of parasitism. This phenomenon offers promise for new insights into parasitic plants, and new opportunities for the control of parasitic weeds.

IMGD: an integrated platform supporting comparative genomics and phylogenetics of insect mitochondrial genomes

BACKGROUND

Sequences and organization of the mitochondrial genome have been used as markers to investigate evolutionary history and relationships in many taxonomic groups. The rapidly increasing mitochondrial genome sequences from diverse insects provide ample opportunities to explore various global evolutionary questions in the superclass Hexapoda. To adequately support such questions, it is imperative to establish an informatics platform that facilitates the retrieval and utilization of available mitochondrial genome sequence data.

RESULTS

The Insect Mitochondrial Genome Database (IMGD) is a new integrated platform that archives the mitochondrial genome sequences from 25,747 hexapod species, including 112 completely sequenced and 20 nearly completed genomes and 113,985 partially sequenced mitochondrial genomes. The Species-driven User Interface (SUI) of IMGD supports data retrieval and diverse analyses at multi-taxon levels. The Phyloviewer implemented in IMGD provides three methods for drawing phylogenetic trees and displays the resulting trees on the web. The SNP database incorporated to IMGD presents the distribution of SNPs and INDELs in the mitochondrial genomes of multiple isolates within eight species. A newly developed comparative SNU Genome Browser supports the graphical presentation and interactive interface for the identified SNPs/INDELs.

CONCLUSION

The IMGD provides a solid foundation for the comparative mitochondrial genomics and phylogenetics of insects. All data and functions described here are available at the web site (http://www.imgd.org/).

A census of human transcription factors: function, expression and evolution

Transcription factors are key cellular components that control gene expression: their activities determine how cells function and respond to the environment. Currently, there is great interest in research into human transcriptional regulation. However, surprisingly little is known about these regulators themselves. For example, how many transcription factors does the human genome contain? How are they expressed in different tissues? Are they evolutionarily conserved? Here, we present an analysis of 1,391 manually curated sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factors, their functions, genomic organization and evolutionary conservation. Much remains to be explored, but this study provides a solid foundation for future investigations to elucidate regulatory mechanisms underlying diverse mammalian biological processes.

SysPIMP: the web-based systematical platform for identifying human disease-related mutated sequences from mass spectrometry

Some mutations resulting in protein sequence change might be tightly related to certain human diseases by affecting its roles, such as sickle cell anemia. Until now several databases, such as PMD, OMIM and HGMD, have been developed, providing useful information about human disease-related mutation. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS) has been used for characterizing proteins in various conditions; however, there is no system in place for finding disease-related mutated proteins within the MS results. Here, a Systematical Platform for Identifying Mutated Proteins (SysPIMP; http://pimp.starflr.info/) was developed to efficiently identify human disease-related mutated proteins within MS results. SysPIMP comprises of three layers: (i) a standardized data warehouse, (ii) a pipeline layer for maintaining human disease databases and X!Tandem and BLAST and (iii) a web-based interface. From OMIM AV part, PMD and SwissProt databases, 35,497 non-redundant human disease-related mutated sequences were collected with disease information described by OMIM terms. With the interfaces to browse sequences archived in SysPIMP, X!Tandem, an open source database-search engine used to identify proteins within MS data, was integrated into SysPIMP to help support the detection of potential human disease-related mutants in MS results. In addition, together with non-redundant disease-related mutated sequences, original non-mutated sequences are also provided in SysPIMP for comparative research. Based on this system, SysPIMP will be the platform for efficiently and intensively studying human diseases caused by mutation.

SNUGB: a versatile genome browser supporting comparative and functional fungal genomics

Background

Since the full genome sequences of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were released in 1996, genome sequences of over 90 fungal species have become publicly available. The heterogeneous formats of genome sequences archived in different sequencing centers hampered the integration of the data for efficient and comprehensive comparative analyses. The Comparative Fungal Genomics Platform (CFGP) was developed to archive these data via a single standardized format that can support multifaceted and integrated analyses of the data. To facilitate efficient data visualization and utilization within and across species based on the architecture of CFGP and associated databases, a new genome browser was needed.

Results

The Seoul National University Genome Browser (SNUGB) integrates various types of genomic information derived from 98 fungal/oomycete (137 datasets) and 34 plant and animal (38 datasets) species, graphically presents germane features and properties of each genome, and supports comparison between genomes. The SNUGB provides three different forms of the data presentation interface, including diagram, table, and text, and six different display options to support visualization and utilization of the stored information. Information for individual species can be quickly accessed via a new tool named the taxonomy browser. In addition, SNUGB offers four useful data annotation/analysis functions, including 'BLAST annotation.' The modular design of SNUGB makes its adoption to support other comparative genomic platforms easy and facilitates continuous expansion.

Conclusion

The SNUGB serves as a powerful platform supporting comparative and functional genomics within the fungal kingdom and also across other kingdoms. All data and functions are available at the web site .

Fungal cytochrome P450 database

Background

Cytochrome P450 enzymes play critical roles in fungal biology and ecology. To support studies on the roles and evolution of cytochrome P450 enzymes in fungi based on rapidly accumulating genome sequences from diverse fungal species, an efficient bioinformatics platform specialized for this super family of proteins is highly desirable.

Results

The Fungal Cytochrome P450 Database (FCPD) archives genes encoding P450s in the genomes of 66 fungal and 4 oomycete species (4,538 in total) and supports analyses of their sequences, chromosomal distribution pattern, and evolutionary histories and relationships. The archived P450s were classified into 16 classes based on InterPro terms and clustered into 141 groups using tribe-MCL. The proportion of P450s in the total proteome and class distribution in individual species exhibited certain taxon-specific characteristics.

Conclusion

The FCPD will facilitate systematic identification and multifaceted analyses of P450s at multiple taxon levels via the web. All data and functions are available at the web site .