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Pant P, Kaur J. Control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum via an RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated targeting of SsPac1 and SsSmk1. PLANTA 2024; 259:153. [PMID: 38744752 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04430-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION The study evaluates the potential of Spray-Induced Gene Silencing and Host-Induced Gene Silencing for sustainable crop protection against the broad-spectrum necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, an aggressive ascomycete fungus causes white rot or cottony rot on a broad range of crops including Brassica juncea. The lack of sustainable control measures has necessitated biotechnological interventions such as RNA interference (RNAi) for effective pathogen control. Here we adopted two RNAi-based strategies-Spray-Induced Gene Silencing (SIGS) and Host-Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) to control S. sclerotiorum. SIGS was successful in controlling white rot on Nicotiana benthamiana and B. juncea by targeting SsPac1, a pH-responsive transcription factor and SsSmk1, a MAP kinase involved in fungal development and pathogenesis. Topical application of dsRNA targeting SsPac1 and SsSmk1 delayed infection initiation and progression on B. juncea. Further, altered hyphal morphology and reduced radial growth were also observed following dsRNA application. We also explored the impact of stable dsRNA expression in A. thaliana against S. sclerotiorum. In this report, we highlight the utility of RNAi as a biofungicide and a tool for preliminary functional genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratibha Pant
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Jagreet Kaur
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi, 110021, India.
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2
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Cohen AB, Cai G, Price DC, Molnar TJ, Zhang N, Hillman BI. The massive 340 megabase genome of Anisogramma anomala, a biotrophic ascomycete that causes eastern filbert blight of hazelnut. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:347. [PMID: 38580927 PMCID: PMC10998396 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10198-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ascomycete fungus Anisogramma anomala causes Eastern Filbert Blight (EFB) on hazelnut (Corylus spp.) trees. It is a minor disease on its native host, the American hazelnut (C. americana), but is highly destructive on the commercially important European hazelnut (C. avellana). In North America, EFB has historically limited commercial production of hazelnut to west of the Rocky Mountains. A. anomala is an obligately biotrophic fungus that has not been grown in continuous culture, rendering its study challenging. There is a 15-month latency before symptoms appear on infected hazelnut trees, and only a sexual reproductive stage has been observed. Here we report the sequencing, annotation, and characterization of its genome. RESULTS The genome of A. anomala was assembled into 108 scaffolds totaling 342,498,352 nt with a GC content of 34.46%. Scaffold N50 was 33.3 Mb and L50 was 5. Nineteen scaffolds with lengths over 1 Mb constituted 99% of the assembly. Telomere sequences were identified on both ends of two scaffolds and on one end of another 10 scaffolds. Flow cytometry estimated the genome size of A. anomala at 370 Mb. The genome exhibits two-speed evolution, with 93% of the assembly as AT-rich regions (32.9% GC) and the other 7% as GC-rich (57.1% GC). The AT-rich regions consist predominantly of repeats with low gene content, while 90% of predicted protein coding genes were identified in GC-rich regions. Copia-like retrotransposons accounted for more than half of the genome. Evidence of repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) was identified throughout the AT-rich regions, and two copies of the rid gene and one of dim-2, the key genes in the RIP mutation pathway, were identified in the genome. Consistent with its homothallic sexual reproduction cycle, both MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs were found. We identified a large suite of genes likely involved in pathogenicity, including 614 carbohydrate active enzymes, 762 secreted proteins and 165 effectors. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals the genomic structure, composition, and putative gene function of the important pathogen A. anomala. It provides insight into the molecular basis of the pathogen's life cycle and a solid foundation for studying EFB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alanna B Cohen
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Graduate Program in Microbial Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Guohong Cai
- Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit, USDA-ARS, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Dana C Price
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Thomas J Molnar
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Ning Zhang
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Graduate Program in Microbial Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Bradley I Hillman
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
- Graduate Program in Microbial Biology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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3
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Albert D, Zboralski A, Ciotola M, Cadieux M, Biessy A, Blom J, Beaulieu C, Filion M. Identification and genomic characterization of Pseudomonas spp. displaying biocontrol activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in lettuce. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1304682. [PMID: 38516010 PMCID: PMC10955138 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1304682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Lettuce is an economically major leafy vegetable that is affected by numerous diseases. One of the most devastating diseases of lettuce is white mold caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Control methods for this fungus are limited due to the development of genetic resistance to commonly used fungicides, the large number of hosts and the long-term survival of sclerotia in soil. To elaborate a new and more sustainable approach to contain this pathogen, 1,210 Pseudomonas strains previously isolated from agricultural soils in Canada were screened for their antagonistic activity against S. sclerotiorum. Nine Pseudomonas strains showed strong in vitro inhibition in dual-culture confrontational assays. Whole genome sequencing of these strains revealed their affiliation with four phylogenomic subgroups within the Pseudomonas fluorescens group, namely Pseudomonas corrugata, Pseudomonas asplenii, Pseudomonas mandelii, and Pseudomonas protegens. The antagonistic strains harbor several genes and gene clusters involved in the production of secondary metabolites, including mycin-type and peptin-type lipopeptides, and antibiotics such as brabantamide, which may be involved in the inhibitory activity observed against S. sclerotiorum. Three strains also demonstrated significant in planta biocontrol abilities against the pathogen when either inoculated on lettuce leaves or in the growing substrate of lettuce plants grown in pots. They however did not impact S. sclerotiorum populations in the rhizosphere, suggesting that they protect lettuce plants by altering the fitness and the virulence of the pathogen rather than by directly impeding its growth. These results mark a step forward in the development of biocontrol products against S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphné Albert
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Antoine Zboralski
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Ciotola
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada
| | - Mélanie Cadieux
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada
| | - Adrien Biessy
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada
| | - Jochen Blom
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Carole Beaulieu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Filion
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada
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Liu X, Zhao H, Xie J, Fu Y, Li B, Yu X, Chen T, Lin Y, Jiang D, Cheng J. A Glycosyl Hydrolase 5 Family Protein Is Essential for Virulence of Necrotrophic Fungi and Can Suppress Plant Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2693. [PMID: 38473940 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Phytopathogenic fungi normally secrete large amounts of CWDEs to enhance infection of plants. In this study, we identified and characterized a secreted glycosyl hydrolase 5 family member in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (SsGH5, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Glycosyl Hydrolase 5). SsGH5 was significantly upregulated during the early stages of infection. Knocking out SsGH5 did not affect the growth and acid production of S. sclerotiorum but resulted in decreased glucan utilization and significantly reduced virulence. In addition, Arabidopsis thaliana expressing SsGH5 became more susceptible to necrotrophic pathogens and basal immune responses were inhibited in these plants. Remarkably, the lost virulence of the ΔSsGH5 mutants was restored after inoculating onto SsGH5 transgenic Arabidopsis. In summary, these results highlight that S. sclerotiorum suppresses the immune responses of Arabidopsis through secreting SsGH5, and thus exerts full virulence for successful infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Huihui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiatao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yanping Fu
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- The Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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5
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Shang Q, Jiang D, Xie J, Cheng J, Xiao X. The schizotrophic lifestyle of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2024; 25:e13423. [PMID: 38407560 PMCID: PMC10895550 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a cosmopolitan and typical necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that infects hundreds of plant species. Because no cultivars highly resistant to S. sclerotiorum are available, managing Sclerotinia disease caused by S. sclerotiorum is still challenging. However, recent studies have demonstrated that S. sclerotiorum has a beneficial effect and can live mutualistically as an endophyte in graminaceous plants, protecting the plants against major fungal diseases. An in-depth understanding of the schizotrophic lifestyle of S. sclerotiorum during interactions with plants under different environmental conditions will provide new strategies for controlling fungal disease. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis mechanisms of S. sclerotiorum during its attack of host plants as a destructive pathogen and discuss its lifestyle as a beneficial endophytic fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingna Shang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Daohong Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiatao Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Xueqiong Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural MicrobiologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and TechnologyHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
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6
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Ruan R, Huang K, Luo H, Zhang C, Xi D, Pei J, Liu H. Occurrence and Characterization of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Causing Fruit Rot on Sweet Cherry in Southern China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:4165. [PMID: 38140492 PMCID: PMC10747181 DOI: 10.3390/plants12244165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is widely planted in northern China due to its high economic value, and its cultivation has gradually spread south to warm regions. However, fruit rot, observed on the young fruits, poses a considerable threat to the development of sweet cherry. To determine the causal agent, morphological observation, molecular identification, and pathogenicity tests were performed on isolates obtained from diseased fruits. As a result, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was identified as the pathogen. Pathogenicity tests on different sweet cherry cultivars indicated that 'Summit' was highly sensitive to S. sclerotiorum, whereas 'Hongmi' showed significant resistance. Besides sweet cherry, S. sclerotiorum could also infect other vegetable crops we tested, such as cowpea, soybean, tomato, and chili. Fungicide sensitivity and efficacy assays showed that both fludioxonil and pyraclostrobin can effectively inhibit the mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum and decrease disease incidences on the young fruits of sweet cherry. Furthermore, genome sequencing resulted in a 37.8 Mb assembly of S. sclerotiorum strain ScSs1, showing abundant SNPs, InDels, and SVs with the genome of S. sclerotiorum reference strain 1980 UF-70. The above results provide an important basis for controlling the fruit rot of sweet cherry caused by S. sclerotiorum in China.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Horticulture, Hangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (R.R.)
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7
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Tian B, Chen Z, Yu Y, Yang Y, Fang A, Bi C, Qu Z, Fu Y, Mehmood MA, Zhou C, Jiang D. Transcriptional plasticity of schizotrophic Sclerotinia sclerotiorum responds to symptomatic rapeseed and endophytic wheat hosts. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0261223. [PMID: 37905914 PMCID: PMC10714719 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02612-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The broad host range of fungi with differential fungal responses leads to either a pathogenic or an endophytic lifestyle in various host plants. Yet, the molecular basis of schizotrophic fungal responses to different plant hosts remains unexplored. Here, we observed a general increase in the gene expression of S. sclerotiorum associated with pathogenicity in symptomatic rapeseed, including small protein secretion, appressorial formation, and oxalic acid toxin production. Conversely, in wheat, many carbohydrate metabolism and transport-associated genes were induced, indicating a general increase in processes associated with carbohydrate acquisition. Appressorium is required for S. sclerotiorum during colonization in symptomatic hosts but not in endophytic wheat. These findings provide new clues for understanding schizotrophic fungi, fungal evolution, and the emergence pathways of new plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binnian Tian
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziyang Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Yu
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuheng Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Anfei Fang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chaowei Bi
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zheng Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanping Fu
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mirza Abid Mehmood
- Plant Pathology, Institute of Plant Protection, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Changyong Zhou
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- The Provincial Key Lab of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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8
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Yu PL, Fulton JC, Hudson OH, Huguet-Tapia JC, Brawner JT. Next-generation fungal identification using target enrichment and Nanopore sequencing. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:581. [PMID: 37784013 PMCID: PMC10544392 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09691-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rapid and accurate pathogen identification is required for disease management. Compared to sequencing entire genomes, targeted sequencing may be used to direct sequencing resources to genes of interest for microbe identification and mitigate the low resolution that single-locus molecular identification provides. This work describes a broad-spectrum fungal identification tool developed to focus high-throughput Nanopore sequencing on genes commonly employed for disease diagnostics and phylogenetic inference. RESULTS Orthologs of targeted genes were extracted from 386 reference genomes of fungal species spanning six phyla to identify homologous regions that were used to design the baits used for enrichment. To reduce the cost of producing probes without diminishing the phylogenetic power, DNA sequences were first clustered, and then consensus sequences within each cluster were identified to produce 26,000 probes that targeted 114 genes. To test the efficacy of our probes, we applied the technique to three species representing Ascomycota and Basidiomycota fungi. The efficiency of enrichment, quantified as mean target coverage over the mean genome-wide coverage, ranged from 200 to 300. Furthermore, enrichment of long reads increased the depth of coverage across the targeted genes and into non-coding flanking sequence. The assemblies generated from enriched samples provided well-resolved phylogenetic trees for taxonomic assignment and molecular identification. CONCLUSIONS Our work provides data to support the utility of targeted Nanopore sequencing for fungal identification and provides a platform that may be extended for use with other phytopathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Ling Yu
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - James C Fulton
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA
| | - Owen H Hudson
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jose C Huguet-Tapia
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jeremy T Brawner
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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9
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Regmi R, Newman TE, Khentry Y, Kamphuis LG, Derbyshire MC. Genome-wide identification of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum small RNAs and their endogenous targets. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:582. [PMID: 37784009 PMCID: PMC10544508 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09686-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several phytopathogens produce small non-coding RNAs of approximately 18-30 nucleotides (nt) which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Commonly called small RNAs (sRNAs), these small molecules were also reported to be present in the necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. S. sclerotiorum causes diseases in more than 400 plant species, including the important oilseed crop Brassica napus. sRNAs can further be classified as microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Certain miRNAs can activate loci that produce further sRNAs; these secondary sRNA-producing loci are called 'phased siRNA' (PHAS) loci and have only been described in plants. To date, very few studies have characterized sRNAs and their endogenous targets in S. sclerotiorum. RESULTS We used Illumina sequencing to characterize sRNAs from fungal mycelial mats of S. sclerotiorum spread over B. napus leaves. In total, eight sRNA libraries were prepared from in vitro, 12 h post-inoculation (HPI), and 24 HPI mycelial mat samples. Cluster analysis identified 354 abundant sRNA clusters with reads of more than 100 Reads Per Million (RPM). Differential expression analysis revealed upregulation of 34 and 57 loci at 12 and 24 HPI, respectively, in comparison to in vitro samples. Among these, 25 loci were commonly upregulated. Altogether, 343 endogenous targets were identified from the major RNAs of 25 loci. Almost 88% of these targets were annotated as repeat element genes, while the remaining targets were non-repeat element genes. Fungal degradome reads confirmed cleavage of two transposable elements by one upregulated sRNA. Altogether, 24 milRNA loci were predicted with both mature and milRNA* (star) sequences; these are both criteria associated previously with experimentally verified miRNAs. Degradome sequencing data confirmed the cleavage of 14 targets. These targets were related to repeat element genes, phosphate acetyltransferases, RNA-binding factor, and exchange factor. A PHAS gene prediction tool identified 26 possible phased interfering loci with 147 phasiRNAs from the S. sclerotiorum genome, suggesting this pathogen might produce sRNAs that function similarly to miRNAs in higher eukaryotes. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide new insights into sRNA populations and add a new resource for the study of sRNAs in S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Regmi
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia
- Present address: Microbiome for One Systems Health, CSIRO, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia
| | - Toby E Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Yuphin Khentry
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Lars G Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia
| | - Mark C Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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10
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Yu M, Fan Y, Li X, Chen X, Yu S, Wei S, Li S, Chang W, Qu C, Li J, Lu K. LESION MIMIC MUTANT 1 confers basal resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in rapeseed via a salicylic acid-dependent pathway. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:5620-5634. [PMID: 37480841 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is a major edible oilseed crop consumed worldwide. However, its yield is seriously affected by infection from the broad-spectrum non-obligate pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum due to a lack of highly resistant germplasm. Here, we identified a Sclerotinia-resistant and light-dependent lesion mimic mutant from an ethyl methanesulfonate-mutagenized population of the rapeseed inbred Zhongshuang 11 (ZS11) named lesion mimic mutant 1 (lmm1). The phenotype of lmm1 is controlled by a single recessive gene, named LESION MIMIC MUTANT 1 (LMM1), which mapped onto chromosome C04 by bulked segregant analysis within a 2.71-Mb interval. Histochemical analysis indicated that H2O2 strongly accumulated and cell death occurred around the lesion mimic spots. Among 877 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ZS11 and lmm1 leaves, 188 DEGs were enriched in the defense response, including 95 DEGs involved in systemic acquired resistance, which is consistent with the higher salicylic acid levels in lmm1. Combining bulked segregant analysis and transcriptome analysis, we identified a significantly up-regulated gene, BnaC4.PR2, which encodes β-1,3-glucanase, as the candidate gene for LMM1. Overexpression of BnaC4.PR2 may induce a reactive oxygen species burst to trigger partial cell death and systemic acquired resistance. Our study provides a new genetic resource for S. sclerotiorum resistance as well as new insights into disease resistance breeding in B. napus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengna Yu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yonghai Fan
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xingyu Chen
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shijie Yu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Siyu Wei
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shengting Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Wei Chang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Cunmin Qu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiana Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Kun Lu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China
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11
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Poudel RS, Belay K, Nelson B, Brueggeman R, Underwood W. Population and genome-wide association studies of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates collected from diverse host plants throughout the United States. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1251003. [PMID: 37829452 PMCID: PMC10566370 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1251003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen causing disease and economic loss on numerous crop plants. This fungus has a broad host range and can infect over 400 plant species, including important oilseed crops such as soybean, canola, and sunflower. S. sclerotiorum isolates vary in aggressiveness of lesion formation on plant tissues. However, the genetic basis for this variation remains to be determined. The aims of this study were to evaluate a diverse collection of S. sclerotiorum isolates collected from numerous hosts and U.S. states for aggressiveness of stem lesion formation on sunflower, to evaluate the population characteristics, and to identify loci associated with isolate aggressiveness using genome-wide association mapping. Methods A total of 219 S. sclerotiorum isolates were evaluated for stem lesion formation on two sunflower inbred lines and genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing. DNA markers were used to assess population differentiation across hosts, regions, and climatic conditions and to perform a genome-wide association study of isolate aggressiveness. Results and discussion We observed a broad range of aggressiveness for lesion formation on sunflower stems, and only a moderate correlation between aggressiveness on the two lines. Population genetic evaluations revealed differentiation between populations from warmer climate regions compared to cooler regions. Finally, a genome-wide association study of isolate aggressiveness identified three loci significantly associated with aggressiveness on sunflower. Functional characterization of candidate genes at these loci will likely improve our understanding of the virulence strategies used by this pathogen to cause disease on a wide array of agriculturally important host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Sharma Poudel
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Kassaye Belay
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Berlin Nelson
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Robert Brueggeman
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - William Underwood
- Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fargo, ND, United States
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12
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Newman TE, Kim H, Khentry Y, Sohn KH, Derbyshire MC, Kamphuis LG. The broad host range pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum produces multiple effector proteins that induce host cell death intracellularly. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:866-881. [PMID: 37038612 PMCID: PMC10346375 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a broad host range necrotrophic fungal pathogen, which causes disease on many economically important crop species. S. sclerotiorum has been shown to secrete small effector proteins to kill host cells and acquire nutrients. We set out to discover novel necrosis-inducing effectors and characterize their activity using transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Five intracellular necrosis-inducing effectors were identified with differing host subcellular localization patterns, which were named intracellular necrosis-inducing effector 1-5 (SsINE1-5). We show for the first time a broad host range pathogen effector, SsINE1, that uses an RxLR-like motif to enter host cells. Furthermore, we provide preliminary evidence that SsINE5 induces necrosis via an NLR protein. All five of the identified effectors are highly conserved in globally sourced S. sclerotiorum isolates. Taken together, these results advance our understanding of the virulence mechanisms employed by S. sclerotiorum and reveal potential avenues for enhancing genetic resistance to this damaging fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby E. Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Haseong Kim
- Plant Immunity Research CenterSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
| | - Yuphin Khentry
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kee Hoon Sohn
- Plant Immunity Research CenterSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologySeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoul08826Republic of Korea
| | - Mark C. Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Lars G. Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
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13
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Bulasag AS, Camagna M, Kuroyanagi T, Ashida A, Ito K, Tanaka A, Sato I, Chiba S, Ojika M, Takemoto D. Botrytis cinerea tolerates phytoalexins produced by Solanaceae and Fabaceae plants through an efflux transporter BcatrB and metabolizing enzymes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1177060. [PMID: 37332725 PMCID: PMC10273015 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1177060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea, a plant pathogenic fungus with a wide host range, has reduced sensitivity to fungicides as well as phytoalexins, threatening cultivation of economically important fruits and vegetable crops worldwide. B. cinerea tolerates a wide array of phytoalexins, through efflux and/or enzymatic detoxification. Previously, we provided evidence that a distinctive set of genes were induced in B. cinerea when treated with different phytoalexins such as rishitin (produced by tomato and potato), capsidiol (tobacco and bell pepper) and resveratrol (grape and blueberry). In this study, we focused on the functional analyses of B. cinerea genes implicated in rishitin tolerance. LC/MS profiling revealed that B. cinerea can metabolize/detoxify rishitin into at least 4 oxidized forms. Heterologous expression of Bcin08g04910 and Bcin16g01490, two B. cinerea oxidoreductases upregulated by rishitin, in a plant symbiotic fungus Epichloë festucae revealed that these rishitin-induced enzymes are involved in the oxidation of rishitin. Expression of BcatrB, encoding an exporter of structurally unrelated phytoalexins and fungicides, was significantly upregulated by rishitin but not by capsidiol and was thus expected to be involved in the rishitin tolerance. Conidia of BcatrB KO (ΔbcatrB) showed enhanced sensitivity to rishitin, but not to capsidiol, despite their structural similarity. ΔbcatrB showed reduced virulence on tomato, but maintained full virulence on bell pepper, indicating that B. cinerea activates BcatrB by recognizing appropriate phytoalexins to utilize it in tolerance. Surveying 26 plant species across 13 families revealed that the BcatrB promoter is mainly activated during the infection of B. cinerea in plants belonging to the Solanaceae, Fabaceae and Brassicaceae. The BcatrB promoter was also activated by in vitro treatments of phytoalexins produced by members of these plant families, namely rishitin (Solanaceae), medicarpin and glyceollin (Fabaceae), as well as camalexin and brassinin (Brassicaceae). Consistently, ΔbcatrB showed reduced virulence on red clover, which produces medicarpin. These results suggest that B. cinerea distinguishes phytoalexins and induces differential expression of appropriate genes during the infection. Likewise, BcatrB plays a critical role in the strategy employed by B. cinerea to bypass the plant innate immune responses in a wide variety of important crops belonging to the Solanaceae, Brassicaceae and Fabaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abriel Salaria Bulasag
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Maurizio Camagna
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Teruhiko Kuroyanagi
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akira Ashida
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kento Ito
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Aiko Tanaka
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ikuo Sato
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sotaro Chiba
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Makoto Ojika
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Daigo Takemoto
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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14
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de Jong GW, Adams KL. Subgenome-dominant expression and alternative splicing in response to Sclerotinia infection in polyploid Brassica napus and progenitors. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:142-158. [PMID: 36710652 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Polyploidy has played an extensive role in the evolution of flowering plants. Allopolyploids, with subgenomes containing duplicated gene pairs called homeologs, can show rapid transcriptome changes including novel alternative splicing (AS) patterns. The extent to which abiotic stress modulates AS of homeologs is a nascent topic in polyploidy research. We subjected both resynthesized and natural lines of polyploid Brassica napus, along with the progenitors Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea, to infection with the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. RNA-sequencing analyses revealed widespread divergence between polyploid subgenomes in both gene expression and AS patterns. Resynthesized B. napus displayed significantly more A and C subgenome biased homeologs under pathogen infection than during uninfected growth. Differential AS (DAS) in response to infection was highest in natural B. napus (12 709 DAS events) and lower in resynthesized B. napus (8863 DAS events). Natural B. napus had more upregulated events and fewer downregulated events. There was a global expression bias towards the B. oleracea-derived (C) subgenome in both resynthesized and natural B. napus, enhanced by widespread non-parental downregulation of the B. rapa-derived (A) homeolog. In the resynthesized B. napus, this resulted in a disproportionate C subgenome contribution to the pathogen defense response, characterized by biases in both transcript expression levels and the proportion of induced genes. Our results elucidate the complex ways in which Sclerotinia infection affects expression and AS of homeologous genes in resynthesized and natural B. napus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant W de Jong
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Keith L Adams
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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15
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Hossain MM, Sultana F, Li W, Tran LSP, Mostofa MG. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary: Insights into the Pathogenomic Features of a Global Pathogen. Cells 2023; 12:cells12071063. [PMID: 37048136 PMCID: PMC10093061 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a broad host-range fungus that infects an inclusive array of plant species and afflicts significant yield losses globally. Despite being a notorious pathogen, it has an uncomplicated life cycle consisting of either basal infection from myceliogenically germinated sclerotia or aerial infection from ascospores of carpogenically germinated sclerotia. This fungus is unique among necrotrophic pathogens in that it inevitably colonizes aging tissues to initiate an infection, where a saprophytic stage follows the pathogenic phase. The release of cell wall-degrading enzymes, oxalic acid, and effector proteins are considered critical virulence factors necessary for the effective pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum. Nevertheless, the molecular basis of S. sclerotiorum pathogenesis is still imprecise and remains a topic of continuing research. Previous comprehensive sequencing of the S. sclerotiorum genome has revealed new insights into its genome organization and provided a deeper comprehension of the sophisticated processes involved in its growth, development, and virulence. This review focuses on the genetic and genomic aspects of fungal biology and molecular pathogenicity to summarize current knowledge of the processes utilized by S. sclerotiorum to parasitize its hosts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating the infection process of S. sclerotiorum will contribute to devising strategies for preventing infections caused by this destructive pathogen.
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16
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Amas JC, Thomas WJW, Zhang Y, Edwards D, Batley J. Key Advances in the New Era of Genomics-Assisted Disease Resistance Improvement of Brassica Species. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023:PHYTO08220289FI. [PMID: 36324059 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-08-22-0289-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Disease resistance improvement remains a major focus in breeding programs as diseases continue to devastate Brassica production systems due to intensive cultivation and climate change. Genomics has paved the way to understand the complex genomes of Brassicas, which has been pivotal in the dissection of the genetic underpinnings of agronomic traits driving the development of superior cultivars. The new era of genomics-assisted disease resistance breeding has been marked by the development of high-quality genome references, accelerating the identification of disease resistance genes controlling both qualitative (major) gene and quantitative resistance. This facilitates the development of molecular markers for marker assisted selection and enables genome editing approaches for targeted gene manipulation to enhance the genetic value of disease resistance traits. This review summarizes the key advances in the development of genomic resources for Brassica species, focusing on improved genome references, based on long-read sequencing technologies and pangenome assemblies. This is further supported by the advances in pathogen genomics, which have resulted in the discovery of pathogenicity factors, complementing the mining of disease resistance genes in the host. Recognizing the co-evolutionary arms race between the host and pathogen, it is critical to identify novel resistance genes using crop wild relatives and synthetic cultivars or through genetic manipulation via genome-editing to sustain the development of superior cultivars. Integrating these key advances with new breeding techniques and improved phenotyping using advanced data analysis platforms will make disease resistance improvement in Brassica species more efficient and responsive to current and future demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junrey C Amas
- School of Biological Sciences and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia 6001
| | - William J W Thomas
- School of Biological Sciences and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia 6001
| | - Yueqi Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia 6001
| | - David Edwards
- School of Biological Sciences and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia 6001
| | - Jacqueline Batley
- School of Biological Sciences and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia 6001
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17
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Xiao K, Qiao K, Cui W, Xu X, Pan H, Wang F, Wang S, Yang F, Xuan Y, Li A, Han X, Song Z, Liu J. Comparative transcriptome profiling reveals the importance of GmSWEET15 in soybean susceptibility to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1119016. [PMID: 36778863 PMCID: PMC9909833 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1119016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Soybean sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) is a disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum that causes incalculable losses in soybean yield each year. Considering the lack of effective resistance resources and the elusive resistance mechanisms, we are urged to develop resistance genes and explore their molecular mechanisms. Here, we found that loss of GmSWEET15 enhanced the resistance to S. sclerotiorum, and we explored the molecular mechanisms by which gmsweet15 mutant exhibit enhanced resistance to S. sclerotiorum by comparing transcriptome. At the early stage of inoculation, the wild type (WT) showed moderate defense response, whereas gmsweet15 mutant exhibited more extensive and intense transcription reprogramming. The gmsweet15 mutant enriched more biological processes, including the secretory pathway and tetrapyrrole metabolism, and it showed stronger changes in defense response, protein ubiquitination, MAPK signaling pathway-plant, plant-pathogen interaction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and photosynthesis. The more intense and abundant transcriptional reprogramming of gmsweet15 mutant may explain how it effectively delayed colonization by S. sclerotiorum. In addition, we identified common and specific differentially expressed genes between WT and gmsweet15 mutant after inoculation with S. sclerotiorum, and gene sets and genes related to gmsweet15_24 h were identified through Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Moreover, we constructed the protein-protein interaction network and gene co-expression networks and identified several groups of regulatory networks of gmsweet15 mutant in response to S. sclerotiorum, which will be helpful for the discovery of candidate functional genes. Taken together, our results elucidate molecular mechanisms of delayed colonization by S. sclerotiorum after loss of GmSWEET15 in soybean, and we propose novel resources for improving resistance to SSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunqin Xiao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Kaibin Qiao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wenjing Cui
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xun Xu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyu Pan
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Fengting Wang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shoudong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Feng Yang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuanhu Xuan
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Anmo Li
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiao Han
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhuojian Song
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jinliang Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China,*Correspondence: Jinliang Liu,
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18
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Characterization of a Fungal Virus Representing a Novel Genus in the Family Alphaflexiviridae. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020339. [PMID: 36851552 PMCID: PMC9967154 DOI: 10.3390/v15020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an ascomycetous fungus and hosts various mycoviruses. In this study, a novel fungal alphaflexivirus with a special genomic structure, named Sclerotinia sclerotiorum alphaflexivirus 1 (SsAFV1), was cloned from a hypovirulent strain, AHS31. Strain AHS31 was also co-infected with two botourmiaviruses and two mitoviruses. The complete genome of SsAFV1 comprised 6939 bases with four open reading frames (ORFs), a conserved 5'-untranslated region (UTR), and a poly(A) tail in the 3' terminal; the ORF1 and ORF3 encoded a replicase and a coat protein (CP), respectively, while the function of the proteins encoded by ORF2 and ORF4 was unknown. The virion of SsAFV1 was flexuous filamentous 480-510 nm in length and 9-10 nm in diameter. The results of the alignment and the phylogenetic analysis showed that SsAFV1 is related to allexivirus and botrexvirus, such as Garlic virus X of the genus Allexivirus and Botrytis virus X of the genus Botrevirus, both with 44% amino-acid (aa) identity of replicase. Thus, SsAFV1 is a novel virus and a new genus, Sclerotexvirus, is proposed to accommodate this novel alphaflexivirus.
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19
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Lan C, Qiao L, Niu D. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Protoplast Preparation and Transformation. Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4581. [PMID: 36789087 PMCID: PMC9901464 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes white mold, leading to substantial losses on a wide variety of hosts around the world. Many genes encoding effector proteins play important roles in the pathogenesis of S. sclerotiorum. Therefore, establishment of a transformation system for the exploration of gene function is necessarily significant. Here, we introduce a modified protocol to acquire protoplasts for transformation and generate knockout strains, which completements the transformation system of S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Lan
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Lulu Qiao
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210095, China,State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Dongdong Niu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210095, China,*For correspondence:
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20
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Becerra S, Baroncelli R, Boufleur TR, Sukno SA, Thon MR. Chromosome-level analysis of the Colletotrichum graminicola genome reveals the unique characteristics of core and minichromosomes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1129319. [PMID: 37032845 PMCID: PMC10076810 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1129319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola causes the anthracnose of maize (Zea mays) and is responsible for significant yield losses worldwide. The genome of C. graminicola was sequenced in 2012 using Sanger sequencing, 454 pyrosequencing, and an optical map to obtain an assembly of 13 pseudochromosomes. We re-sequenced the genome using a combination of short-read (Illumina) and long-read (PacBio) technologies to obtain a chromosome-level assembly. The new version of the genome sequence has 13 chromosomes with a total length of 57.43 Mb. We detected 66 (23.62 Mb) structural rearrangements in the new assembly with respect to the previous version, consisting of 61 (21.98 Mb) translocations, 1 (1.41 Mb) inversion, and 4 (221 Kb) duplications. We annotated the genome and obtained 15,118 predicted genes and 3,614 new gene models compared to the previous version of the assembly. We show that 25.88% of the new assembly is composed of repetitive DNA elements (13.68% more than the previous assembly version), which are mostly found in gene-sparse regions. We describe genomic compartmentalization consisting of repeat-rich and gene-poor regions vs. repeat-poor and gene-rich regions. A total of 1,140 secreted proteins were found mainly in repeat-rich regions. We also found that ~75% of the three smallest chromosomes (minichromosomes, between 730 and 551 Kb) are strongly affected by repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) compared with 28% of the larger chromosomes. The gene content of the minichromosomes (MCs) comprises 121 genes, of which 83.6% are hypothetical proteins with no predicted function, while the mean percentage of Chr1-Chr10 is 36.5%. No predicted secreted proteins are present in the MCs. Interestingly, only 2% of the genes in Chr11 have homologs in other strains of C. graminicola, while Chr12 and 13 have 58 and 57%, respectively, raising the question as to whether Chrs12 and 13 are dispensable. The core chromosomes (Chr1-Chr10) are very different with respect to the MCs (Chr11-Chr13) in terms of the content and sequence features. We hypothesize that the higher density of repetitive elements and RIPs in the MCs may be linked to the adaptation and/or host co-evolution of this pathogenic fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sioly Becerra
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute for Agrobiotechnology Research (CIALE), University of Salamanca, Villamayor, Spain
| | - Riccardo Baroncelli
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute for Agrobiotechnology Research (CIALE), University of Salamanca, Villamayor, Spain
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Thaís R. Boufleur
- Department of Plant Pathology and Nematology, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Serenella A. Sukno
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute for Agrobiotechnology Research (CIALE), University of Salamanca, Villamayor, Spain
- *Correspondence: Serenella A. Sukno
| | - Michael R. Thon
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, Institute for Agrobiotechnology Research (CIALE), University of Salamanca, Villamayor, Spain
- Michael R. Thon
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21
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Gupta NC, Yadav S, Arora S, Mishra DC, Budhlakoti N, Gaikwad K, Rao M, Prasad L, Rai PK, Sharma P. Draft genome sequencing and secretome profiling of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum revealed effector repertoire diversity and allied broad-host range necrotrophy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21855. [PMID: 36528657 PMCID: PMC9759525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22028-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
White mold commonly known as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes stem rot disease and has emerged as one of the major fungal pathogens of oilseed Brassica across the world. In the present study, consistently virulent S. sclerotiorum isolate "ESR-01" was sequenced and an assembly size of ~ 41 Mb with 328 scaffolds having N50 of 447,128 was obtained. Additionally, 27,450 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from 155 scaffolds against S. sclerotiorum 1980 isolate, with an average SNP density of ~ 1.5 per kb genome. 667 repetitive elements were identified and approximately comprised 7% of the total annotated genes. The DDE_1 with 454 in numbers was found to be the most abundant and accounts for 68% of the total predicted repetitive elements. In total, 3844 simple sequence repeats are identified in the 328 scaffolds. A total of 9469 protein-coding genes were predicted from the whole genome assembly with an average gene length of 1587 bp and their distribution as 230.95 genes per Mb in the genome. Out of 9469 predicted protein-coding genes, 529 genes were observed encoding the CAZymes (Carbohydrate-Active enzymes) capable of degradation of the complex polysaccharides. Glycosyltransferase (GT) families were most abundant (49.71%) among the predicted CAZymes and GT2 (23%), GT4 (20%), and glycoside hydrolase (GH) 23% with GH18 (11%) were the prominent cell wall degrading enzyme families in the ESR-01 secretome. Besides this, 156 genes essential for the pathogen-host interactions were also identified. The effector analysis in the whole genome proteomics dataset revealed a total of 57 effector candidates (ECs) and 27 of them were having their analogs whereas the remaining 30 were novel ones. Eleven selected ECs were validated experimentally by analyzing the expression profile of the ESR-01 isolate of S. sclerotiorum. Together, the present investigation offers a better understanding of the S. sclerotiorum genome, secretome, and its effector repertoire which will help in refining the present knowledge on S. sclerotiorum-Brassica interactions and necrotrophic lifestyle of the phytopathogen in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navin C. Gupta
- grid.418105.90000 0001 0643 7375ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Sunita Yadav
- grid.463150.50000 0001 2218 1322Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Shaweta Arora
- grid.418105.90000 0001 0643 7375ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Dwijesh C. Mishra
- grid.463150.50000 0001 2218 1322Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Neeraj Budhlakoti
- grid.463150.50000 0001 2218 1322Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Kishore Gaikwad
- grid.418105.90000 0001 0643 7375ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Mahesh Rao
- grid.418105.90000 0001 0643 7375ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Lakshman Prasad
- grid.418196.30000 0001 2172 0814ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, India
| | - Pramod K. Rai
- grid.505951.d0000 0004 1768 6555ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan India
| | - Pankaj Sharma
- grid.505951.d0000 0004 1768 6555ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan India
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22
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Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Coetzee MPA, Duong TA, Martin A, Pham NQ, van den Berg N, Wilken PM, Arun-Chinnappa KS, Barnes I, Buthelezi S, Dahanayaka BA, Durán A, Engelbrecht J, Feurtey A, Fourie A, Fourie G, Hartley J, Kabwe ENK, Maphosa M, Narh Mensah DL, Nsibo DL, Potgieter L, Poudel B, Stukenbrock EH, Thomas C, Vaghefi N, Welgemoed T, Wingfield MJ. IMA genome‑F17 : Draft genome sequences of an Armillaria species from Zimbabwe, Ceratocystis colombiana, Elsinoë necatrix, Rosellinia necatrix, two genomes of Sclerotinia minor, short‑read genome assemblies and annotations of four Pyrenophora teres isolates from barley grass, and a long-read genome assembly of Cercospora zeina. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:19. [PMID: 36411457 PMCID: PMC9677705 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00104-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brenda D. Wingfield
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Dave K. Berger
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
| | - Martin P. A. Coetzee
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tuan A. Duong
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Anke Martin
- grid.1048.d0000 0004 0473 0844Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Australia
| | - Nam Q. Pham
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
| | - Noelani van den Berg
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - P. Markus Wilken
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Kiruba Shankari Arun-Chinnappa
- grid.1048.d0000 0004 0473 0844Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Australia ,PerkinElmer Pty Ltd., Level 2, Building 5, Brandon Business Park, 530‑540, Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, VIC 3150 Australia
| | - Irene Barnes
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sikelela Buthelezi
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Alvaro Durán
- Plant Health Program, Research and Development, Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd. (APRIL), Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau 28300 Indonesia
| | - Juanita Engelbrecht
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Alice Feurtey
- grid.419520.b0000 0001 2222 4708Environmental Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany ,grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Arista Fourie
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Gerda Fourie
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jesse Hartley
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Eugene N. K. Kabwe
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mkhululi Maphosa
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Deborah L. Narh Mensah
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa ,grid.423756.10000 0004 1764 1672CSIR, Food Research Institute, Accra, Ghana
| | - David L. Nsibo
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
| | - Lizel Potgieter
- grid.419520.b0000 0001 2222 4708Environmental Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany ,grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Barsha Poudel
- grid.1048.d0000 0004 0473 0844Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Australia
| | - Eva H. Stukenbrock
- grid.419520.b0000 0001 2222 4708Environmental Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany ,grid.9764.c0000 0001 2153 9986Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Chanel Thomas
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Niloofar Vaghefi
- grid.1048.d0000 0004 0473 0844Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XSchool of Agriculture and Food, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Tanya Welgemoed
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michael J. Wingfield
- grid.49697.350000 0001 2107 2298Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
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23
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Zhu Q, Lin Y, Lyu X, Qu Z, Lu Z, Fu Y, Cheng J, Xie J, Chen T, Li B, Cheng H, Chen W, Jiang D. Fungal Strains with Identical Genomes Were Found at a Distance of 2000 Kilometers after 40 Years. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:1212. [PMID: 36422033 PMCID: PMC9697809 DOI: 10.3390/jof8111212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Heredity and variation are inherent characteristics of species and are mainly reflected in the stability and variation of the genome; the former is relative, while the latter is continuous. However, whether life has both stable genomes and extremely diverse genomes at the same time is unknown. In this study, we isolated Sclerotinia sclerotiorum strains from sclerotium samples in Quincy, Washington State, USA, and found that four single-sclerotium-isolation strains (PB4, PB273, PB615, and PB623) had almost identical genomes to the reference strain 1980 isolated in the west of Nebraska 40 years ago. The genome of strain PB4 sequenced by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) and Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) sequencing carried only 135 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 18 structural variations (SVs) compared with the genome of strain 1980 and 48 SNPs were distributed on Contig_20. Based on data generated by NGS, three other strains, PB273, PB615, and PB623, had 256, 275, and 262 SNPs, respectively, against strain 1980, which were much less than in strain PB4 (532 SNPs) and none of them occurred on Contig_20, suggesting much closer genomes to strain 1980 than to strain PB4. All other strains from America and China are rich in SNPs with a range of 34,391-77,618 when compared with strain 1980. We also found that there were 39-79 SNPs between strain PB4 and its sexual offspring, 53.1% of which also occurred on Contig_20. Our discoveries show that there are two types of genomes in S. sclerotiorum, one is very stable and the other tends to change constantly. Investigating the mechanism of such genome stability will enhance our understanding of heredity and variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qili Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yang Lin
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xueliang Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zheng Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ziyang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yanping Fu
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiatao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hui Cheng
- Xinyang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Weidong Chen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Daohong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
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24
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Cheng X, Zhao C, Gao L, Zeng L, Xu Y, Liu F, Huang J, Liu L, Liu S, Zhang X. Alternative splicing reprogramming in fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum at different infection stages on Brassica napus. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1008665. [PMID: 36311105 PMCID: PMC9597501 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1008665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is an important post-transcriptional mechanism promoting the diversity of transcripts and proteins to regulate various life processes in eukaryotes. Sclerotinia stem rot is a major disease of Brassica napus caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which causes severe yield loss in B. napus production worldwide. Although many transcriptome studies have been carried out on the growth, development, and infection of S. sclerotiorum, the genome-wide AS events of S. sclerotiorum remain poorly understood, particularly at the infection stage. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was performed to systematically explore the genome-scale AS events of S. sclerotiorum at five important infection stages on a susceptible oilseed rape cultivar. A total of 130 genes were predicted to be involved in AS from the S. sclerotiorum genome, among which 98 genes were differentially expressed and may be responsible for AS reprogramming for its successful infection. In addition, 641 differential alternative splicing genes (DASGs) were identified during S. sclerotiorum infection, accounting for 5.76% of all annotated S. sclerotiorum genes, and 71 DASGs were commonly found at all the five infection stages. The most dominant AS type of S. sclerotiorum was found to be retained introns or alternative 3' splice sites. Furthermore, the resultant AS isoforms of 21 DASGs became pseudogenes, and 60 DASGs encoded different putative proteins with different domains. More importantly, 16 DASGs of S. sclerotiorum were found to have signal peptides and possibly encode putative effectors to facilitate the infection of S. sclerotiorum. Finally, about 69.27% of DASGs were found to be non-differentially expressed genes, indicating that AS serves as another important way to regulate the infection of S. sclerotiorum on plants besides the gene expression level. Taken together, this study provides a genome-wide landscape for the AS of S. sclerotiorum during infection as well as an important resource for further elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of S. sclerotiorum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuanji Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingyi Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Xu
- Hebei Provincial Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Junyan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lijiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
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25
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Proteomics analysis of the phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum: a narrative review. JOURNAL OF BIO-X RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1097/jbr.0000000000000130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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26
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Wytinck N, Ziegler DJ, Walker PL, Sullivan DS, Biggar KT, Khan D, Sakariyahu SK, Wilkins O, Whyard S, Belmonte MF. Host induced gene silencing of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ABHYDROLASE-3 gene reduces disease severity in Brassica napus. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261102. [PMID: 36018839 PMCID: PMC9417021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a pathogenic fungus that infects hundreds of crop species, causing extensive yield loss every year. Chemical fungicides are used to control this phytopathogen, but with concerns about increasing resistance and impacts on non-target species, there is a need to develop alternative control measures. In the present study, we engineered Brassica napus to constitutively express a hairpin (hp)RNA molecule to silence ABHYRDOLASE-3 in S. sclerotiorum. We demonstrate the potential for Host Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS) to protect B. napus from S. sclerotiorum using leaf, stem and whole plant infection assays. The interaction between the transgenic host plant and invading pathogen was further characterized at the molecular level using dual-RNA sequencing and at the anatomical level through microscopy to understand the processes and possible mechanisms leading to increased tolerance to this damaging necrotroph. We observed significant shifts in the expression of genes relating to plant defense as well as cellular differences in the form of structural barriers around the site of infection in the HIGS-protected plants. Our results provide proof-of-concept that HIGS is an effective means of limiting damage caused by S. sclerotiorum to the plant and demonstrates the utility of this biotechnology in the development of resistance against fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Wytinck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Dylan J. Ziegler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Philip L. Walker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Daniel S. Sullivan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kirsten T. Biggar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Deirdre Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Solihu K. Sakariyahu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Olivia Wilkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Steve Whyard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Mark F. Belmonte
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- * E-mail:
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27
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Gao X, Dang X, Yan F, Li Y, Xu J, Tian S, Li Y, Huang K, Lin W, Lin D, Wang Z, Wang A. ANGUSTIFOLIA negatively regulates resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum via modulation of PTI and JA signalling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2022; 23:1091-1106. [PMID: 35426480 PMCID: PMC9276947 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating pathogen that infects a broad range of host plants. The mechanism underlying plant defence against fungal invasion is still not well characterized. Here, we report that ANGUSTIFOLIA (AN), a CtBP family member, plays a role in the defence against S. sclerotiorum attack. Arabidopsis an mutants exhibited stronger resistance to S. sclerotiorum at the early stage of infection than wild-type plants. Accordingly, an mutants exhibited stronger activation of pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) responses, including mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, reactive oxygen species accumulation, callose deposition, and the expression of PTI-responsive genes, upon treatment with PAMPs/microbe-associated molecular patterns. Moreover, Arabidopsis lines overexpressing AN were more susceptible to S. sclerotiorum and showed defective PTI responses. Our luminometry, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, coimmunoprecipitation, and in vitro pull-down assays indicate that AN interacts with allene oxide cyclases (AOC), essential enzymes involved in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis, negatively regulating JA biosynthesis in response to S. sclerotiorum infection. This work reveals AN is a negative regulator of the AOC-mediated JA signalling pathway and PTI activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqin Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Xie Dang
- Haixia Institute of Science and TechnologyFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Fengting Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Yuhua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Shifu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Yaling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Kun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Wenwei Lin
- Haixia Institute of Science and TechnologyFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Deshu Lin
- Haixia Institute of Science and TechnologyFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Zonghua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
- Marine and Agricultural Biotechnology CenterInstitute of OceanographyMinjiang UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Airong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan CropsCollege of Plant ProtectionFujian Agriculture and Forestry UniversityFuzhouChina
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Pink H, Talbot A, Graceson A, Graham J, Higgins G, Taylor A, Jackson AC, Truco M, Michelmore R, Yao C, Gawthrop F, Pink D, Hand P, Clarkson JP, Denby K. Identification of genetic loci in lettuce mediating quantitative resistance to fungal pathogens. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:2481-2500. [PMID: 35674778 PMCID: PMC9271113 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04129-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE We demonstrate genetic variation for quantitative resistance against important fungal pathogens in lettuce and its wild relatives, map loci conferring resistance and predict key molecular mechanisms using transcriptome profiling. Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce) is an important leafy vegetable crop grown and consumed globally. Chemicals are routinely used to control major pathogens, including the causal agents of grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and lettuce drop (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum). With increasing prevalence of pathogen resistance to fungicides and environmental concerns, there is an urgent need to identify sources of genetic resistance to B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum in lettuce. We demonstrated genetic variation for quantitative resistance to B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum in a set of 97 diverse lettuce and wild relative accessions, and between the parents of lettuce mapping populations. Transcriptome profiling across multiple lettuce accessions enabled us to identify genes with expression correlated with resistance, predicting the importance of post-transcriptional gene regulation in the lettuce defence response. We identified five genetic loci influencing quantitative resistance in a F6 mapping population derived from a Lactuca serriola (wild relative) × lettuce cross, which each explained 5-10% of the variation. Differential gene expression analysis between the parent lines, and integration of data on correlation of gene expression and resistance in the diversity set, highlighted potential causal genes underlying the quantitative trait loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Pink
- Biology Department, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Adam Talbot
- Biology Department, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Abi Graceson
- Department of Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, UK
| | - Juliane Graham
- Department of Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, UK
| | - Gill Higgins
- Biology Department, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Andrew Taylor
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne Campus, Warwick, CV35 9EF, UK
| | - Alison C Jackson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne Campus, Warwick, CV35 9EF, UK
| | - Maria Truco
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Richard Michelmore
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Chenyi Yao
- A. L. Tozer Ltd., Pyports, Downside Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 3EH, UK
| | - Frances Gawthrop
- A. L. Tozer Ltd., Pyports, Downside Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 3EH, UK
| | - David Pink
- Department of Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, UK
| | - Paul Hand
- Department of Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, UK
| | - John P Clarkson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne Campus, Warwick, CV35 9EF, UK
| | - Katherine Denby
- Biology Department, Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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Wei W, Xu L, Peng H, Zhu W, Tanaka K, Cheng J, Sanguinet KA, Vandemark G, Chen W. A fungal extracellular effector inactivates plant polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2213. [PMID: 35468894 PMCID: PMC9038911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29788-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant pathogens degrade cell wall through secreted polygalacturonases (PGs) during infection. Plants counteract the PGs by producing PG-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) for protection, reversibly binding fungal PGs, and mitigating their hydrolytic activities. To date, how fungal pathogens specifically overcome PGIP inhibition is unknown. Here, we report an effector, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum PGIP-INactivating Effector 1 (SsPINE1), which directly interacts with and functionally inactivates PGIP. S. sclerotiorum is a necrotrophic fungus that causes stem rot diseases on more than 600 plant species with tissue maceration being the most prominent symptom. SsPINE1 enhances S. sclerotiorum necrotrophic virulence by specifically interacting with host PGIPs to negate their polygalacturonase-inhibiting function via enhanced dissociation of PGIPs from PGs. Targeted deletion of SsPINE1 reduces the fungal virulence. Ectopic expression of SsPINE1 in plant reduces its resistance against S. sclerotiorum. Functional and genomic analyses reveal a conserved virulence mechanism of cognate PINE1 proteins in broad host range necrotrophic fungal pathogens. Plants produce polygalacuturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) to counteract cell wall degradation by pathogenic microbes. Here the authors show that Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungal pathogen that causes stem rot disease, secretes a PGIP-inactivating effector to diminish plant resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Liangsheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwestern A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hao Peng
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Wenjun Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430023, China
| | - Kiwamu Tanaka
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.,Molecular Plant Science Program, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Jiasen Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Karen A Sanguinet
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.,Molecular Plant Science Program, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - George Vandemark
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.,USDA Agricultural Research Service, Grain Legume Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Weidong Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA. .,Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA. .,Molecular Plant Science Program, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA. .,USDA Agricultural Research Service, Grain Legume Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
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De Miccolis Angelini RM, Landi L, Raguseo C, Pollastro S, Faretra F, Romanazzi G. Tracking of Diversity and Evolution in the Brown Rot Fungi Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia fructigena, and Monilinia laxa. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:854852. [PMID: 35356516 PMCID: PMC8959702 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.854852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Monilinia species are among the most devastating fungi worldwide as they cause brown rot and blossom blight on fruit trees. To understand the molecular bases of their pathogenic lifestyles, we compared the newly assembled genomes of single strains of Monilinia fructicola, M. fructigena and M. laxa, with those of Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, as the closest species within Sclerotiniaceae. Phylogenomic analysis of orthologous proteins and syntenic investigation suggest that M. laxa is closer to M. fructigena than M. fructicola, and is closest to the other investigated Sclerotiniaceae species. This indicates that M. laxa was the earliest result of the speciation process. Distinct evolutionary profiles were observed for transposable elements (TEs). M. fructicola and M. laxa showed older bursts of TE insertions, which were affected (mainly in M. fructicola) by repeat-induced point (RIP) mutation gene silencing mechanisms. These suggested frequent occurrence of the sexual process in M. fructicola. More recent TE expansion linked with low RIP action was observed in M. fructigena, with very little in S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea. The detection of active non-syntenic TEs is indicative of horizontal gene transfer and has resulted in alterations in specific gene functions. Analysis of candidate effectors, biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites and carbohydrate-active enzymes, indicated that Monilinia genus has multiple virulence mechanisms to infect host plants, including toxins, cell-death elicitor, putative virulence factors and cell-wall-degrading enzymes. Some species-specific pathogenic factors might explain differences in terms of host plant and organ preferences between M. fructigena and the other two Monilinia species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucia Landi
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Celeste Raguseo
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Pollastro
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Faretra
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Romanazzi
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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31
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Schroeteria decaisneana, S. poeltii, and Ciboria ploettneriana (Sclerotiniaceae, Helotiales, Ascomycota), three parasites on Veronica seeds: first report of teleomorphs in Schroeteria. Mycol Prog 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01742-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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32
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Escobar E, Oladzad A, Simons K, Miklas P, Lee RK, Schroder S, Bandillo N, Wunsch M, McClean PE, Osorno JM. New genomic regions associated with white mold resistance in dry bean using a MAGIC population. THE PLANT GENOME 2022; 15:e20190. [PMID: 35106945 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production in many regions is threatened by white mold (WM) [Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary]. Seed yield losses can be up to 100% under conditions favorable for the pathogen. The low heritability, polygenic inheritance, and cumbersome screening protocols make it difficult to breed for improved genetic resistance. Some progress in understanding genetic resistance and germplasm improvement has been accomplished, but cultivars with high levels of resistance are yet to be released. A WM multiparent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population (n = 1060) was developed to facilitate mapping and breeding efforts. A seedling straw test screening method provided a quick assay to phenotype the population for response to WM isolate 1980. Nineteen MAGIC lines were identified with improved resistance. For genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the data was transformed into three phenotypic distributions-quantitative, polynomial, and binomial-and coupled with ∼52,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The three phenotypic distributions identified 30 significant genomic intervals [-log10 (P value) ≥ 3.0]. However, across distributions, four new genomic regions as well as two regions previously reported were found to be associated with resistance. Cumulative R2 values were 57% for binomial distribution using 13 genomic intervals, 41% for polynomial using eight intervals, and 40% for quantitative using 11 intervals. New resistant germplasm as well as new genomic regions associated with resistance are now available for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Escobar
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
| | - Atena Oladzad
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
| | - Kristin Simons
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
| | - Phillip Miklas
- Grain Legume Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Prosser, WA, 99350, USA
| | - Rian K Lee
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
| | - Stephan Schroder
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
- Breeding Technology, Hazera, Netherlands
| | - Nonoy Bandillo
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
| | - Michael Wunsch
- Carrington Research and Extension Center, North Dakota State Univ, Carrington, ND, 58421-0219, USA
| | - Phillip E McClean
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
| | - Juan M Osorno
- Dep. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, 50108-6050, USA
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Yang D, Luo T, Wei J, Cao C, Li G, Yang L. High-Quality Genome Resource of the Phytopathogenic Fungus Sclerotinia minor LC41, the Causal Agent of Sclerotinia Blight on Lettuce in China. PLANT DISEASE 2022; 106:1042-1044. [PMID: 35262377 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-10-21-2150-a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yang
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Tao Luo
- The State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jinfeng Wei
- The State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Chunxia Cao
- Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Long Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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34
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Maximiano M, Santos L, Santos C, Aragão F, Dias S, Franco O, Mehta A. Host induced gene silencing of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum effector genes for the control of white mold. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2022.102302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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35
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Transcriptional response to host chemical cues underpins the expansion of host range in a fungal plant pathogen lineage. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:138-148. [PMID: 34282282 PMCID: PMC8692328 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01058-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The host range of parasites is an important factor in assessing the dynamics of disease epidemics. The evolution of pathogens to accommodate new hosts may lead to host range expansion, a process the molecular bases of which are largely enigmatic. The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has been reported to parasitize more than 400 plant species from diverse eudicot families while its close relative, S. trifoliorum, is restricted to plants from the Fabaceae family. We analyzed S. sclerotiorum global transcriptome reprogramming on hosts from six botanical families and reveal a flexible, host-specific transcriptional program. We generated a chromosome-level genome assembly for S. trifoliorum and found near-complete gene space conservation in two representative strains of broad and narrow host range Sclerotinia species. However, S. trifoliorum showed increased sensitivity to the Brassicaceae defense compound camalexin. Comparative analyses revealed a lack of transcriptional response to camalexin in the S. trifoliorum strain and suggest that regulatory variation in detoxification and effector genes at the population level may associate with the genetic accommodation of Brassicaceae in the Sclerotinia host range. Our work proposes transcriptional plasticity and the co-existence of signatures for generalist and polyspecialist adaptive strategies in the genome of a plant pathogen.
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36
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Fan H, Yang W, Nie J, Lin C, Wu J, Wu D, Wang Y. Characterization of a Secretory YML079-like Cupin Protein That Contributes to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Pathogenicity. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2519. [PMID: 34946121 PMCID: PMC8704077 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes devastating diseases in many agriculturally important crops, including oilseed rape and sunflower. However, the mechanisms of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized a YML079-like cupin protein (SsYCP1) from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. We showed that SsYCP1 is strongly expressed and secreted during Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection was promoted by SsYCP1 overexpression and inhibited by silencing this gene with synthetic double-stranded RNA. These results collectively indicate SsYCP1 as a putative effector protein that contributes to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenicity. These findings extend our understanding of effector-mediated Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis and suggest a novel role for YML079-like cupin proteins in plant-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Fan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Wenwen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Jiayue Nie
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Chen Lin
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Jian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Dewei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Youping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (C.L.); (J.W.)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
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37
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Zhang X, Cheng X, Liu L, Liu S. Genome Sequence Resource for the Plant Pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum WH6 Isolated in China. PLANT DISEASE 2021; 105:3720-3722. [PMID: 33819105 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-01-21-0146-a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a notorious fungal pathogen that causes sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) on many important crops in China and worldwide. Here, we present a high-quality genome assembly of S. sclerotiorum strain WH6 using the PacBio SMRT cell platform. The assembled genome has a total size of 38.96 Mbp, with a contig N50 length of 1.90 Mbp, and encodes 10,512 predicted coding genes, including 685 secreted proteins and 65 effector candidates. This is the first report of a S. sclerotiorum genome sequence from China. The WH6 genome sequence provides a valuable resource for facilitating our understanding of S. sclerotiorum-host interactions and SSR control in China and the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiaohui Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Lijiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Shengyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of the PRC, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
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Oberti H, Spangenberg G, Cogan N, Reyno R, Feijoo M, Murchio S, Dalla-Rizza M. Genome-wide analysis of Claviceps paspali: insights into the secretome of the main species causing ergot disease in Paspalum spp. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:766. [PMID: 34702162 PMCID: PMC8549174 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08077-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The phytopatogen Claviceps paspali is the causal agent of Ergot disease in Paspalum spp., which includes highly productive forage grasses such as P. dilatatum. This disease impacts dairy and beef production by affecting seed quality and producing mycotoxins that can affect performance in feeding animals. The molecular basis of pathogenicity of C. paspali remains unknown, which makes it more difficult to find solutions for this problem. Secreted proteins are related to fungi virulence and can manipulate plant immunity acting on different subcellular localizations. Therefore, identifying and characterizing secreted proteins in phytopathogenic fungi will provide a better understanding of how they overcome host defense and cause disease. The aim of this work is to analyze the whole genome sequences of three C. paspali isolates to obtain a comparative genome characterization based on possible secreted proteins and pathogenicity factors present in their genome. In planta RNA-seq analysis at an early stage of the interaction of C. paspali with P. dilatatum stigmas was also conducted in order to determine possible secreted proteins expressed in the infection process. RESULTS C. paspali isolates had compact genomes and secretome which accounted for 4.6-4.9% of the predicted proteomes. More than 50% of the predicted secretome had no homology to known proteins. RNA-Seq revealed that three protein-coding genes predicted as secreted have mayor expression changes during 1 dpi vs 4 dpi. Also, three of the first 10 highly expressed genes in both time points were predicted as effector-like. CAZyme-like proteins were found in the predicted secretome and the most abundant family could be associated to pectine degradation. Based on this, pectine could be a main component affected by the cell wall degrading enzymes of C. paspali. CONCLUSIONS Based on predictions from DNA sequence and RNA-seq, unique probable secreted proteins and probable pathogenicity factors were identified in C. paspali isolates. This information opens new avenues in the study of the biology of this fungus and how it modulates the interaction with its host. Knowledge of the diversity of the secretome and putative pathogenicity genes should facilitate future research in disease management of Claviceps spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Oberti
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Unidad de Biotecnología. Estación Experimental INIA Las Brujas, Ruta 48 km, 10, Canelones, Uruguay
| | - G Spangenberg
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
| | - N Cogan
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
| | - R Reyno
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Programa Pasturas y Forrajes. Estación Experimental INIA Tacuarembó, Ruta 5 km, 386, Tacuarembó, Uruguay
| | - M Feijoo
- Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Polo de Desarrollo Universitario: Patogenicidad, toxicidad y genética en los ecosistemas pastoriles de la región Este de Uruguay, Ruta 8 km, 281, Treinta y Tres, Uruguay
| | - S Murchio
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Unidad de Biotecnología. Estación Experimental INIA Las Brujas, Ruta 48 km, 10, Canelones, Uruguay
| | - M Dalla-Rizza
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Unidad de Biotecnología. Estación Experimental INIA Las Brujas, Ruta 48 km, 10, Canelones, Uruguay.
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Duhan D, Gajbhiye S, Jaswal R, Singh RP, Sharma TR, Rajarammohan S. Functional Characterization of the Nep1-Like Protein Effectors of the Necrotrophic Pathogen - Alternaria brassicae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:738617. [PMID: 34764943 PMCID: PMC8576325 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.738617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternaria brassicae is an important necrotrophic pathogen that infects the Brassicaceae family. A. brassicae, like other necrotrophs, also secretes various proteinaceous effectors and metabolites that cause cell death to establish itself in the host. However, there has been no systematic study of A. brassicae effectors and their roles in pathogenesis. The availability of the genome sequence of A. brassicae in public domain has enabled the search for effectors and their functional characterization. Nep1-like proteins (NLPs) are a superfamily of proteins that induce necrosis and ethylene biosynthesis. They have been reported from a variety of microbes including bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. In this study, we identified two NLPs from A. brassicae viz. AbrNLP1 and AbrNLP2 and functionally characterized them. Although both AbrNLPs were found to be secretory in nature, they localized differentially inside the plant. AbrNLP2 was found to induce necrosis in both host and non-host species, while AbrNLP1 could not induce necrosis in both species. Additionally, AbrNLP2 was shown to induce pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity in both host and non-host species. Overall, our study indicates that AbrNLPs are functionally and spatially (subcellular location) distinct and may play different but important roles during the pathogenesis of A. brassicae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Duhan
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, India
| | - Shivani Gajbhiye
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, India
| | - Rajdeep Jaswal
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, India
| | - Ravindra Pal Singh
- Nutritional Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, India
| | - Tilak Raj Sharma
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Division of Crop Science, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi, India
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Xu B, Gong X, Chen S, Hu M, Zhang J, Peng Q. Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Complex Molecular Mechanisms of Brassica napus- Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Interactions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:716935. [PMID: 34691098 PMCID: PMC8531588 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.716935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sclerotinia stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating disease for many important crops worldwide, including Brassica napus. Although numerous studies have been performed on the gene expression changes in B. napus and S. sclerotiorum, knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of B. napus-S. sclerotiorum interactions is limited. Here, we revealed the changes in the gene expression and related pathways in both B. napus and S. sclerotiorum during the sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) infection process using transcriptome analyses. In total, 1,986, 2,217, and 16,079 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in B. napus at 6, 24, and 48 h post-inoculation, respectively, whereas 1,511, 1,208, and 2,051 DEGs, respectively, were identified in S. sclerotiorum. The gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses showed that most of the hormone-signaling pathways in B. napus were enriched, and thus, the hormone contents at four stages were measured. The DEGs and hormone contents revealed that salicylic acid was activated, while the jasmonic acid pathway was repressed at 24 h post-inoculation. Additionally, the expressional patterns of the cell wall-degrading enzyme-encoding genes in S. sclerotiorum and the hydrolytic enzymes in B. napus were consistent with the SSR infection process. The results contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between B. napus and S. sclerotiorum and the development of future preventive measures against SSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binjie Xu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xi Gong
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Song Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cotton and Rapeseed, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Maolong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cotton and Rapeseed, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiefu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cotton and Rapeseed, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi Peng
- Key Laboratory of Cotton and Rapeseed, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Jiangsu, China
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Fan H, Yang W, Nie J, Zhang W, Wu J, Wu D, Wang Y. A Novel Effector Protein SsERP1 Inhibits Plant Ethylene Signaling to Promote Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7100825. [PMID: 34682246 PMCID: PMC8537369 DOI: 10.3390/jof7100825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most devastating pathogens in Brassica napus and causes huge economic loss worldwide. Though around one hundred putative effectors have been predicted in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum genome, their functions are largely unknown. In this study, we cloned and characterized a novel effector, SsERP1 (ethylene pathway repressor protein 1), in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. SsERP1 is a secretory protein highly expressed at the early stages of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. Ectopic overexpression of SsERP1 in plant leaves promoted Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection, and the knockout mutants of SsERP1 showed reduced pathogenicity but retained normal mycelial growth and sclerotium formation, suggesting that SsERP1 specifically contributes to the pathogenesis of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Transcriptome analysis indicated that SsERP1 promotes Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection by inhibiting plant ethylene signaling pathway. Moreover, we showed that knocking down SsERP1 by in vitro synthesized double-strand RNAs was able to effectively inhibit Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection, which verifies the function of SsERP1 in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis and further suggests a potential strategy for Sclerotinia disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Fan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Wenwen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Jiayue Nie
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Wenjuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Jian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Dewei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
- Correspondence: (D.W.); (Y.W.)
| | - Youping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.F.); (W.Y.); (J.N.); (W.Z.); (J.W.)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Correspondence: (D.W.); (Y.W.)
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Rafael da Silva L, Pereira Costa Muniz PH, Henrique Silva Peixoto G, Gonçalves Dias Luccas BE, Tavares da Silva JB, Marques de Mello SC. Mycelial Inhibition of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by Trichoderma spp. Volatile Organic Compounds in Distinct Stages of Development. Pak J Biol Sci 2021; 24:527-536. [PMID: 34486312 DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2021.527.536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
<b>Background and Objective:</b> Fungi of the genus <i>Trichoderma </i>have high versatility in the control of different plant diseases. Among the main mechanisms of action of these fungi against phytopathogenic fungi, the production of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) is mentioned. These compounds are said to inhibit the mycelial growth of various fungal pathogens. The objective of this work was to evaluate the <i>in vitro</i> inhibition of the mycelial growth of <i>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum </i>by VOCs from six <i>Trichoderma </i>strains in different stages of development of the biocontrol agent. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> In this work, the <i>in vitro </i>evaluation of the mycelial growth of the phytopathogen <i>S. sclerotiorum </i>by VOCs from six <i>Trichoderma </i>strains was carried out: <i>T. koningiopsis </i>(CEN1386), <i>T. asperelloides </i>(CEN1397), <i>T. longibrachiatum </i>(CEN1399) <i>T. lentiforme </i>(CEN1416), <i>T</i>. <i>perbedyi</i> (CEN1389) and <i>T. azevedoi</i> (CEN1241). Observations were made at different stages of antagonist development: mycelial Growth Phase (GP), Sporulation Phase (SP) and paired with the Pathogen Phase (PP). Besides, the sporulation of the tested strains was quantified. <b>Conclusion:</b> In all experimental conditions, the VOCs produced by the CEN1241 strain showed a greater inhibitory effect, although the inhibition was less evident when the cultures of <i>S. sclerotiorum </i>were exposed in the GP phase of the antagonist. Greater sporulation was observed with <i>T. lentiforme</i> (CEN1416), a fact not related to a better ability to inhibit <i>S. sclerotiorum</i>, by VOCs.
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Regmi R, Newman TE, Kamphuis LG, Derbyshire MC. fIdentification of B. napus small RNAs responsive to infection by a necrotrophic pathogen. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:366. [PMID: 34380425 PMCID: PMC8356391 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03148-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Small RNAs are short non-coding RNAs that are key gene regulators controlling various biological processes in eukaryotes. Plants may regulate discrete sets of sRNAs in response to pathogen attack. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an economically important pathogen affecting hundreds of plant species, including the economically important oilseed B. napus. However, there are limited studies on how regulation of sRNAs occurs in the S. sclerotiorum and B. napus pathosystem. RESULTS We identified different classes of sRNAs from B. napus using high throughput sequencing of replicated mock and infected samples at 24 h post-inoculation (HPI). Overall, 3999 sRNA loci were highly expressed, of which 730 were significantly upregulated during infection. These 730 up-regulated sRNAs targeted 64 genes, including disease resistance proteins and transcriptional regulators. A total of 73 conserved miRNA families were identified in our dataset. Degradome sequencing identified 2124 cleaved mRNA products from these miRNAs from combined mock and infected samples. Among these, 50 genes were specific to infection. Altogether, 20 conserved miRNAs were differentially expressed and 8 transcripts were cleaved by the differentially expressed miRNAs miR159, miR5139, and miR390, suggesting they may have a role in the S. sclerotiorum response. A miR1885-triggered disease resistance gene-derived secondary sRNA locus was also identified and verified with degradome sequencing. We also found further evidence for silencing of a plant immunity related ethylene response factor gene by a novel sRNA using 5'-RACE and RT-qPCR. CONCLUSIONS The findings in this study expand the framework for understanding the molecular mechanisms of the S. sclerotiorum and B. napus pathosystem at the sRNA level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Regmi
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia.
| | - Toby E Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Lars G Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia
| | - Mark C Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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Lee RC, Farfan-Caceres L, Debler JW, Williams AH, Syme RA, Henares BM. Reference genome assembly for Australian Ascochyta lentis isolate Al4. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6114462. [PMID: 33604672 PMCID: PMC8022934 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ascochyta lentis causes ascochyta blight in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) and yield loss can be as high as 50%. With careful agronomic management practices, fungicide use, and advances in breeding resistant lentil varieties, disease severity and impact to farmers have been largely controlled. However, evidence from major lentil producing countries, Canada and Australia, suggests that A. lentis isolates can change their virulence profile and level of aggressiveness over time and under different selection pressures. In this paper, we describe the first genome assembly for A. lentis for the Australian isolate Al4, through the integration of data from Illumina and PacBio SMRT sequencing. The Al4 reference genome assembly is almost 42 Mb in size and encodes 11,638 predicted genes. The Al4 genome comprises 21 full-length and gapless chromosomal contigs and two partial chromosome contigs each with one telomere. We predicted 31 secondary metabolite clusters, and 38 putative protein effectors, many of which were classified as having an unknown function. Comparison of A. lentis genome features with the recently published reference assembly for closely related A. rabiei show that genome synteny between these species is highly conserved. However, there are several translocations and inversions of genome sequence. The location of secondary metabolite clusters near transposable element and repeat-rich genomic regions was common for A. lentis as has been reported for other fungal plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Lee
- Corresponding authors: Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia. (B.M.H.); (R.C.L.)
| | - Lina Farfan-Caceres
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Johannes W Debler
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Angela H Williams
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Robert A Syme
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Bernadette M Henares
- Corresponding authors: Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia. (B.M.H.); (R.C.L.)
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Yow AG, Zhang Y, Bansal K, Eacker SM, Sullivan S, Liachko I, Cubeta MA, Rollins JA, Ashrafi H. Genome sequence of Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi sheds light on mummy berry disease infection of blueberry and mating type. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6062400. [PMID: 33598705 PMCID: PMC8022979 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkaa052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mummy berry disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi (Mvc), is one of the most economically important diseases of blueberries in North America. Mvc is capable of inducing two separate blighting stages during its life cycle. Infected fruits are rendered mummified and unmarketable. Genomic data for this pathogen is lacking, but could be useful in understanding the reproductive biology of Mvc and the mechanisms it deploys to facilitate host infection. In this study, PacBio sequencing and Hi-C interaction data were utilized to create a chromosome-scale reference genome for Mvc. The genome comprises nine chromosomes with a total length of 30 Mb, an N50 length of 4.06 Mb, and an average 413X sequence coverage. A total of 9399 gene models were predicted and annotated, and BUSCO analysis revealed that 98% of 1,438 searched conserved eukaryotic genes were present in the predicted gene set. Potential effectors were identified, and the mating-type (MAT) locus was characterized. Biotrophic effectors allow the pathogen to avoid recognition by the host plant and evade or mitigate host defense responses during the early stages of fruit infection. Following locule colonization, necrotizing effectors promote the mummification of host tissues. Potential biotrophic effectors utilized by Mvc include chorismate mutase for reducing host salicylate and necrotrophic effectors include necrosis-inducing proteins and hydrolytic enzymes for macerating host tissue. The MAT locus sequences indicate the potential for homothallism in the reference genome, but a deletion allele of the MAT locus, characterized in a second isolate, indicates heterothallism. Further research is needed to verify the roles of individual effectors in virulence and to determine the role of the MAT locus in outcrossing and population genotypic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley G Yow
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Yucheng Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Kamaldeep Bansal
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | | | | | - Marc A Cubeta
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Center for Integrated Fungal Research, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Rollins
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Hamid Ashrafi
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Shao D, Smith DL, Kabbage M, Roth MG. Effectors of Plant Necrotrophic Fungi. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:687713. [PMID: 34149788 PMCID: PMC8213389 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.687713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Plant diseases caused by necrotrophic fungal pathogens result in large economic losses in field crop production worldwide. Effectors are important players of plant-pathogen interaction and deployed by pathogens to facilitate plant colonization and nutrient acquisition. Compared to biotrophic and hemibiotrophic fungal pathogens, effector biology is poorly understood for necrotrophic fungal pathogens. Recent bioinformatics advances have accelerated the prediction and discovery of effectors from necrotrophic fungi, and their functional context is currently being clarified. In this review we examine effectors utilized by necrotrophic fungi and hemibiotrophic fungi in the latter stages of disease development, including plant cell death manipulation. We define "effectors" as secreted proteins and other molecules that affect plant physiology in ways that contribute to disease establishment and progression. Studying and understanding the mechanisms of necrotrophic effectors is critical for identifying avenues of genetic intervention that could lead to improved resistance to these pathogens in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mitchell G. Roth
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Bertazzoni S, Jones DAB, Phan HT, Tan KC, Hane JK. Chromosome-level genome assembly and manually-curated proteome of model necrotroph Parastagonospora nodorum Sn15 reveals a genome-wide trove of candidate effector homologs, and redundancy of virulence-related functions within an accessory chromosome. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:382. [PMID: 34034667 PMCID: PMC8146201 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07699-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The fungus Parastagonospora nodorum causes septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and is a model species for necrotrophic plant pathogens. The genome assembly of reference isolate Sn15 was first reported in 2007. P. nodorum infection is promoted by its production of proteinaceous necrotrophic effectors, three of which are characterised – ToxA, Tox1 and Tox3. Results A chromosome-scale genome assembly of P. nodorum Australian reference isolate Sn15, which combined long read sequencing, optical mapping and manual curation, produced 23 chromosomes with 21 chromosomes possessing both telomeres. New transcriptome data were combined with fungal-specific gene prediction techniques and manual curation to produce a high-quality predicted gene annotation dataset, which comprises 13,869 high confidence genes, and an additional 2534 lower confidence genes retained to assist pathogenicity effector discovery. Comparison to a panel of 31 internationally-sourced isolates identified multiple hotspots within the Sn15 genome for mutation or presence-absence variation, which was used to enhance subsequent effector prediction. Effector prediction resulted in 257 candidates, of which 98 higher-ranked candidates were selected for in-depth analysis and revealed a wealth of functions related to pathogenicity. Additionally, 11 out of the 98 candidates also exhibited orthology conservation patterns that suggested lateral gene transfer with other cereal-pathogenic fungal species. Analysis of the pan-genome indicated the smallest chromosome of 0.4 Mbp length to be an accessory chromosome (AC23). AC23 was notably absent from an avirulent isolate and is predominated by mutation hotspots with an increase in non-synonymous mutations relative to other chromosomes. Surprisingly, AC23 was deficient in effector candidates, but contained several predicted genes with redundant pathogenicity-related functions. Conclusions We present an updated series of genomic resources for P. nodorum Sn15 – an important reference isolate and model necrotroph – with a comprehensive survey of its predicted pathogenicity content. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07699-8.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darcy A B Jones
- Centre for Crop & Disease Management, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Huyen T Phan
- Centre for Crop & Disease Management, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
| | - Kar-Chun Tan
- Centre for Crop & Disease Management, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
| | - James K Hane
- Centre for Crop & Disease Management, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. .,Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
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Rajarammohan S. Redefining Plant-Necrotroph Interactions: The Thin Line Between Hemibiotrophs and Necrotrophs. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:673518. [PMID: 33995337 PMCID: PMC8113614 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.673518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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Mwape VW, Mobegi FM, Regmi R, Newman TE, Kamphuis LG, Derbyshire MC. Analysis of differentially expressed Sclerotinia sclerotiorum genes during the interaction with moderately resistant and highly susceptible chickpea lines. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:333. [PMID: 33964897 PMCID: PMC8106195 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07655-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the cause of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR), is a host generalist necrotrophic fungus that can cause major yield losses in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) production. This study used RNA sequencing to conduct a time course transcriptional analysis of S. sclerotiorum gene expression during chickpea infection. It explores pathogenicity and developmental factors employed by S. sclerotiorum during interaction with chickpea. RESULTS During infection of moderately resistant (PBA HatTrick) and highly susceptible chickpea (Kyabra) lines, 9491 and 10,487 S. sclerotiorum genes, respectively, were significantly differentially expressed relative to in vitro. Analysis of the upregulated genes revealed enrichment of Gene Ontology biological processes, such as oxidation-reduction process, metabolic process, carbohydrate metabolic process, response to stimulus, and signal transduction. Several gene functional categories were upregulated in planta, including carbohydrate-active enzymes, secondary metabolite biosynthesis clusters, transcription factors and candidate secreted effectors. Differences in expression of four S. sclerotiorum genes on varieties with different levels of susceptibility were also observed. CONCLUSION These findings provide a framework for a better understanding of S. sclerotiorum interactions with hosts of varying susceptibility levels. Here, we report for the first time on the S. sclerotiorum transcriptome during chickpea infection, which could be important for further studies on this pathogen's molecular biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia W Mwape
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia. .,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, Australia.
| | - Fredrick M Mobegi
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Roshan Regmi
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, Australia
| | - Toby E Newman
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Lars G Kamphuis
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia. .,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA, Australia.
| | - Mark C Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
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Yan L, Wang Z, Song W, Fan P, Kang Y, Lei Y, Wan L, Huai D, Chen Y, Wang X, Sudini H, Liao B. Genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of highly and weakly aggressive strains of Sclerotium rolfsii, the causal agent of peanut stem rot. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:276. [PMID: 33863285 PMCID: PMC8052761 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07534-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is a very important soil-borne disease of peanut. S. rolfsii is a necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungus with an extensive host range and worldwide distribution. It can infect peanut stems, roots, pegs and pods, leading to varied yield losses. S. rolfsii strains GP3 and ZY collected from peanut in different provinces of China exhibited a significant difference in aggressiveness on peanut plants by artificial inoculation test. In this study, de-novo genome sequencing of these two distinct strains was performed aiming to reveal the genomic basis of difference in aggressiveness. RESULTS Scleotium rolfsii strains GP3 and ZY, with weak and high aggressiveness on peanut plants, exhibited similar growth rate and oxalic acid production in laboratory. The genomes of S. rolfsii strains GP3 and ZY were sequenced by Pacbio long read technology and exhibited 70.51 Mb and 70.61 Mb, with contigs of 27 and 23, and encoded 17,097 and 16,743 gene models, respectively. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the pathogenicity-related gene repertoires, which might be associated with aggressiveness, differed between GP3 and ZY. There were 58 and 45 unique pathogen-host interaction (PHI) genes in GP3 and ZY, respectively. The ZY strain had more carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) in its secretome than GP3, especially in the glycoside hydrolase family (GH), the carbohydrate esterase family (CBM), and the polysaccharide lyase family (PL). GP3 and ZY also had different effector candidates and putative secondary metabolite synthetic gene clusters. These results indicated that differences in PHI, secreted CAZymes, effectors and secondary metabolites may play important roles in aggressive difference between these two strains. CONCLUSIONS The data provided a further understanding of the S. rolfsii genome. Genomic comparison provided clues to the difference in aggressiveness of S. rolfsii strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liying Yan
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Zhihui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Wanduo Song
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Pengmin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Yanping Kang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Yong Lei
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Liyun Wan
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045 China
| | - Dongxin Huai
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Yuning Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Xin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Hari Sudini
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Telangana 502324 India
| | - Boshou Liao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062 China
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