Gene loss rather than gene gain is associated with a host jump from monocots to dicots in the Smut Fungus Melanopsichium pennsylvanicum

Immunity and starvation: new opportunities to elevate disease resistance in crops

Plants use multiple mechanisms to defend themselves against invading microbes. Besides using their immune system to surveil and eliminate pathogens, plants actively block the pathogens' access to nutrients as an alternative way to prevent colonization. In this review, we focus on immunity and starvation as major obstacles for pathogens' adaptation. We summarize the key mechanisms employed by pathogens to modulate host immunity and to guarantee sugar uptake. In contrast to genes that deal with the immune system and show high levels of plasticity, pathogen genes involved in sugar acquisition are highly conserved, and may not have adapted to co-evolving interactions with the host. We propose a model to assess the durability of different control strategies based on the ability of pathogens to deal with host immunity or starvation. This analysis opens new opportunities to elevate disease resistance in crops by reducing the likelihood of pathogen adaptation.

Further Support of Conspecificity of Oak and Mango Powdery Mildew and First Report of Erysiphe quercicola and Erysiphe alphitoides on Mango in Mainland Europe

Mango leaves and inflorescences infected by powdery mildew in southern Spain were analyzed using multigene sequencing (ITS + 4 single-copy coding genes) to identify the causal agent. Erysiphe quercicola was detected in 97% out of 140 samples, collected in six different orchards in the Malaga region. Among these, a small proportion also yielded E. alphitoides (8% of all samples) and E. alphitoides was found alone in 3% of samples. A phylogenetic approach was completed by cross inoculations between oak and mango, which led to typical symptoms, supporting the conspecificity of oak and mango powdery mildews. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. quercicola and E. alphitoides causing powdery mildew on mango trees in mainland Spain, and thus mainland Europe, based on unequivocal phylogenetic and biological evidence. Our study thus confirmed the broad host range of both E. quercicola and E. alphitoides. These results have practical implications in terms of the demonstrated ability for host range expansion in powdery mildews. They also open interesting prospects to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying the ability to infect single versus multiple and unrelated host plants since these two closely related powdery mildew species belong to a small clade with both generalist and specialist powdery mildews.

Asexual and sexual morphs of Moesziomyces revisited

Yeasts of the now unused asexually typified genus Pseudozyma belong to the smut fungi (Ustilaginales) and are mostly believed to be apathogenic asexual yeasts derived from smut fungi that have lost pathogenicity on plants. However, phylogenetic studies have shown that most Pseudozyma species are phylogenetically close to smut fungi parasitic to plants, suggesting that some of the species might represent adventitious isolations of the yeast morph of otherwise plant pathogenic smut fungi. However, there are some species, such as Moesziomyces aphidis (syn. Pseudozyma aphidis) that are isolated throughout the world and sometimes are also found in clinical samples and do not have a known plant pathogenic sexual morph. In this study, it is revealed by phylogenetic investigations that isolates of the biocontrol agent Moesziomyces aphidis are interspersed with M. bullatus sexual lineages, suggesting conspecificity. This raises doubts regarding the apathogenic nature of asexual morphs previously placed in Pseudozyma, but suggests that there might also be pathogenic sexual morph counterparts for those species known only from asexual morphs. The finding that several additional species currently only known from their yeast morphs are embedded within the genus Moesziomyces, suggests that the yeast morph might play a more dominant role in this genus as compared to other genera of Ustilaginaceae. In addition, phylogenetic reconstructions demonstrated that Moesziomyces bullatus has a narrow host range and that some previously described but not widely used species names should be applied for Moesziomyces on other host genera than Echinochloa.

Ustilago maydis effectors and their impact on virulence

Biotrophic fungal plant pathogens establish an intimate relationship with their host to support the infection process. Central to this strategy is the secretion of a range of protein effectors that enable the pathogen to evade plant immune defences and modulate host metabolism to meet its needs. In this Review, using the smut fungus Ustilago maydis as an example, we discuss new insights into the effector repertoire of smut fungi that have been gained from comparative genomics and discuss the molecular mechanisms by which U. maydis effectors change processes in the plant host. Finally, we examine how the expression of effector genes and effector secretion are coordinated with fungal development in the host.

Comparative analyses of secreted proteins in plant pathogenic smut fungi and related basidiomycetes

In the ten years since the genome sequence of the basidiomycete corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis was published, additional genomes of smut species infecting different hosts became available. In addition, the genomes of related Malassezia species causing skin diseases and of Pseudozyma species not known to infect plants were determined. As secreted proteins are critical virulence determinants in U. maydis we compare here the secretomes of 12 basidiomycete species to gain information about their composition and conservation. For this we classify secreted proteins into those with and without domains using InterPro scans. Homology among proteins is inferred by building clusters based on pairwise similarities and cluster presence is then assessed in the different species. We detect in particular a strong correspondence between the secretomes of Pseudozyma species and plant infecting smuts. Furthermore, we identify a high proportion of secreted proteins to be part of gene families and present an advancement of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology for simultaneous disruption of multiple genes in U. maydis using five genes of the eff1 family as example.

Characterization of ApB73, a virulence factor important for colonization of Zea mays by the smut Ustilago maydis

The biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis, the causal agent of corn smut disease, uses numerous small secreted effector proteins to suppress plant defence responses and reshape the host metabolism. However, the role of specific effectors remains poorly understood. Here, we describe the identification of ApB73 (Apathogenic in B73), an as yet uncharacterized protein essential for the successful colonization of maize by U. maydis. We show that apB73 is transcriptionally induced during the biotrophic stages of the fungal life cycle. The deletion of the apB73 gene results in cultivar-specific loss of gall formation in the host. The ApB73 protein is conserved among closely related smut fungi. However, using virulence assays, we show that only the orthologue of the maize-infecting head smut Sporisorium reilianum can complement the mutant phenotype of U. maydis. Although microscopy shows that ApB73 is secreted into the biotrophic interface, it seems to remain associated with fungal cell wall components or the fungal plasma membrane. Taken together, the results show that ApB73 is a conserved and important virulence factor of U. maydis that localizes to the interface between the pathogen and its host Zea mays.

A complete toolset for the study of Ustilago bromivora and Brachypodium sp. as a fungal-temperate grass pathosystem

Due to their economic relevance, the study of plant pathogen interactions is of importance. However, elucidating these interactions and their underlying molecular mechanisms remains challenging since both host and pathogen need to be fully genetically accessible organisms. Here we present milestones in the establishment of a new biotrophic model pathosystem: Ustilago bromivora and Brachypodium sp. We provide a complete toolset, including an annotated fungal genome and methods for genetic manipulation of the fungus and its host plant. This toolset will enable researchers to easily study biotrophic interactions at the molecular level on both the pathogen and the host side. Moreover, our research on the fungal life cycle revealed a mating type bias phenomenon. U. bromivora harbors a haplo-lethal allele that is linked to one mating type region. As a result, the identified mating type bias strongly promotes inbreeding, which we consider to be a potential speciation driver.

Analysis of gene gain and loss in the evolution of predatory bacteria

Predatory bacteria are ubiquitously distributed in nature in including in aquatic environments, sewage, intestinal tracts of animals and humans, rhizophere and, soils. However, our understanding of their evolutionary history is limited. Results of recent studies have shown that acquiring novel genes is a major force driving bacterial evolution. Therefore, to gain a better understanding of the impact of gene gain and loss in the evolution of bacterial predators, this study employed comparative genomic approaches to identify core-set gene families and species-specific gene families, and model gene gain and loss events among 11 genomes that represented diverse lineages. In total, 1977 gene families were classified. Of these 509 (pattern 11111111111) were present all of the 11 species. Among the non-core set gene families, 52 were present only in saltwater bacteria predators and had no ortholog in the other genomes. Similarly 109 and 44 were present only in the genomes of Micavibrio spp. and Bdellovibrio spp., respectively. In this study, the gain loss mapping engine GLOOME was selected to analyze and estimate the expectations and probabilities of both gain and loss events in the predatory bacteria. In total, 354 gene families were involved in significant gene gain events, and 407 gene families were classified into gene loss events with high supported value. Moreover, 18 families from the core set gene family were identified as putative genes under positive selection. The results of this study suggest that acquisition of particular genes that encode functional proteins in metabolism and cellular processes and signaling, especially ABC systems, may help bacterial predators adapt to surrounding environmental changes and present different predation strategies for survival in their habitats.

Resurgence of Less-Studied Smut Fungi as Models of Phytopathogenesis in the Omics Age

The smut fungi form a large, diverse, and nonmonophyletic group of plant pathogens that have long served as both important pests of human agriculture and, also, as fertile organisms of scientific investigation. As modern techniques of molecular genetic analysis became available, many previously studied species that proved refractive to these techniques fell by the wayside and were neglected. Now, as the advent of rapid and affordable next-generation sequencing provides genomic and transcriptomic resources for even these "forgotten" fungi, several species are making a comeback and retaking prominent places in phytopathogenic research. In this review, we highlight several of these smut fungi, with special emphasis on Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae, an anther smut whose molecular genetic tools have finally begun to catch up with its historical importance in classical genetics and now provide mechanistic insights for ecological studies, evolution of host-pathogen interaction, and investigations of emerging infectious disease.

The Evolution of Orphan Regions in Genomes of a Fungal Pathogen of Wheat

Fungal plant pathogens rapidly evolve virulence on resistant hosts through mutations in genes encoding proteins that modulate the host immune responses. The mutational spectrum likely includes chromosomal rearrangements responsible for gains or losses of entire genes. However, the mechanisms creating adaptive structural variation in fungal pathogen populations are poorly understood. We used complete genome assemblies to quantify structural variants segregating in the highly polymorphic fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici The genetic basis of virulence in Z. tritici is complex, and populations harbor significant genetic variation for virulence; hence, we aimed to identify whether structural variation led to functional differences. We combined single-molecule real-time sequencing, genetic maps, and transcriptomics data to generate a fully assembled and annotated genome of the highly virulent field isolate 3D7. Comparative genomics analyses against the complete reference genome IPO323 identified large chromosomal inversions and the complete gain or loss of transposable-element clusters, explaining the extensive chromosomal-length polymorphisms found in this species. Both the 3D7 and IPO323 genomes harbored long tracts of sequences exclusive to one of the two genomes. These orphan regions contained 296 genes unique to the 3D7 genome and not previously known for this species. These orphan genes tended to be organized in clusters and showed evidence of mutational decay. Moreover, the orphan genes were enriched in genes encoding putative effectors and included a gene that is one of the most upregulated putative effector genes during wheat infection. Our study showed that this pathogen species harbored extensive chromosomal structure polymorphism that may drive the evolution of virulence.

IMPORTANCE

Pathogen outbreak populations often harbor previously unknown genes conferring virulence. Hence, a key puzzle of rapid pathogen evolution is the origin of such evolutionary novelty in genomes. Chromosomal rearrangements and structural variation in pathogen populations likely play a key role. However, identifying such polymorphism is challenging, as most genome-sequencing approaches only yield information about point mutations. We combined long-read technology and genetic maps to assemble the complete genome of a strain of a highly polymorphic fungal pathogen of wheat. Comparisons against the reference genome of the species showed substantial variation in the chromosome structure and revealed large regions unique to each assembled genome. These regions were enriched in genes encoding likely effector proteins, which are important components of pathogenicity. Our study showed that pathogen populations harbor extensive polymorphism at the chromosome level and that this polymorphism can be a source of adaptive genetic variation in pathogen evolution.

A Gene Cluster for Biosynthesis of Mannosylerythritol Lipids Consisted of 4-O-β-D-Mannopyranosyl-(2R,3S)-Erythritol as the Sugar Moiety in a Basidiomycetous Yeast Pseudozyma tsukubaensis

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) belong to the glycolipid biosurfactants and are produced by various fungi. The basidiomycetous yeast Pseudozyma tsukubaensis produces diastereomer type of MEL-B, which contains 4-O-β-D-mannopyranosyl-(2R,3S)-erythritol (R-form) as the sugar moiety. In this respect it differs from conventional type of MELs, which contain 4-O-β-D-mannopyranosyl-(2S,3R)-erythritol (S-form) as the sugar moiety. While the biosynthetic gene cluster for conventional type of MELs has been previously identified in Ustilago maydis and Pseudozyma antarctica, the genetic basis for MEL biosynthesis in P. tsukubaensis is unknown. Here, we identified a gene cluster involved in MEL biosynthesis in P. tsukubaensis. Among these genes, PtEMT1, which encodes erythritol/mannose transferase, had greater than 69% identity with homologs from strains in the genera Ustilago, Melanopsichium, Sporisorium and Pseudozyma. However, phylogenetic analysis placed PtEMT1p in a separate clade from the other proteins. To investigate the function of PtEMT1, we introduced the gene into a P. antarctica mutant strain, ΔPaEMT1, which lacks MEL biosynthesis ability owing to the deletion of PaEMT1. Using NMR spectroscopy, we identified the biosynthetic product as MEL-A with altered sugar conformation. These results indicate that PtEMT1p catalyzes the sugar conformation of MELs. This is the first report of a gene cluster for the biosynthesis of diastereomer type of MEL.

Evolutionary relationships in Panicoid grasses based on plastome phylogenomics (Panicoideae; Poaceae)

BACKGROUND

Panicoideae are the second largest subfamily in Poaceae (grass family), with 212 genera and approximately 3316 species. Previous studies have begun to reveal relationships within the subfamily, but largely lack resolution and/or robust support for certain tribal and subtribal groups. This study aims to resolve these relationships, as well as characterize a putative mitochondrial insert in one linage.

RESULTS

35 newly sequenced Panicoideae plastomes were combined in a phylogenomic study with 37 other species: 15 Panicoideae and 22 from outgroups. A robust Panicoideae topology largely congruent with previous studies was obtained, but with some incongruences with previously reported subtribal relationships. A mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to plastid DNA (ptDNA) transfer was discovered in the Paspalum lineage.

CONCLUSIONS

The phylogenomic analysis returned a topology that largely supports previous studies. Five previously recognized subtribes appear on the topology to be non-monophyletic. Additionally, evidence for mtDNA to ptDNA transfer was identified in both Paspalum fimbriatum and P. dilatatum, and suggests a single rare event that took place in a common progenitor. Finally, the framework from this study can guide larger whole plastome sampling to discern the relationships in Cyperochloeae, Steyermarkochloeae, Gynerieae, and other incertae sedis taxa that are weakly supported or unresolved.

Genus-Wide Comparative Genome Analyses of Colletotrichum Species Reveal Specific Gene Family Losses and Gains during Adaptation to Specific Infection Lifestyles

Members from Colletotrichum genus adopt a diverse range of lifestyles during infection of plants and represent a group of agriculturally devastating pathogens. In this study, we present the draft genome of Colletotrichum incanum from the spaethianum clade of Colletotrichum and the comparative analyses with five other Colletotrichum species from distinct lineages. We show that the C. incanum strain, originally isolated from Japanese daikon radish, is able to infect both eudicot plants, such as certain ecotypes of the eudicot Arabidopsis, and monocot plants, such as lily. Being closely related to Colletotrichum species both in the graminicola clade, whose members are restricted strictly to monocot hosts, and to the destructivum clade, whose members are mostly associated with dicot infections, C. incanum provides an interesting model system for comparative genomics to study how fungal pathogens adapt to monocot and dicot hosts. Genus-wide comparative genome analyses reveal that Colletotrichum species have tailored profiles of their carbohydrate-degrading enzymes according to their infection lifestyles. In addition, we show evidence that positive selection acting on secreted and nuclear localized proteins that are highly conserved may be important in adaptation to specific hosts or ecological niches.

Host specialization of the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is associated with dynamic gain and loss of genes linked to transposable elements

Background

Magnaporthe oryzae (anamorph Pyricularia oryzae) is the causal agent of blast disease of Poaceae crops and their wild relatives. To understand the genetic mechanisms that drive host specialization of M. oryzae, we carried out whole genome resequencing of four M. oryzae isolates from rice (Oryza sativa), one from foxtail millet (Setaria italica), three from wild foxtail millet S. viridis, and one isolate each from finger millet (Eleusine coracana), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and oat (Avena sativa), in addition to an isolate of a sister species M. grisea, that infects the wild grass Digitaria sanguinalis.

Results

Whole genome sequence comparison confirmed that M. oryzae Oryza and Setaria isolates form a monophyletic and close to another monophyletic group consisting of isolates from Triticum and Avena. This supports previous phylogenetic analysis based on a small number of genes and molecular markers. When comparing the host specific subgroups, 1.2–3.5 % of genes showed presence/absence polymorphisms and 0–6.5 % showed an excess of non-synonymous substitutions. Most of these genes encoded proteins whose functional domains are present in multiple copies in each genome. Therefore, the deleterious effects of these mutations could potentially be compensated by functional redundancy. Unlike the accumulation of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions, gene loss appeared to be independent of divergence time. Interestingly, the loss and gain of genes in pathogens from the Oryza and Setaria infecting lineages occurred more frequently when compared to those infecting Triticum and Avena even though the genetic distance between Oryza and Setaria lineages was smaller than that between Triticum and Avena lineages. In addition, genes showing gain/loss and nucleotide polymorphisms are linked to transposable elements highlighting the relationship between genome position and gene evolution in this pathogen species.

Conclusion

Our comparative genomics analyses of host-specific M. oryzae isolates revealed gain and loss of genes as a major evolutionary mechanism driving specialization to Oryza and Setaria. Transposable elements appear to facilitate gene evolution possibly by enhancing chromosomal rearrangements and other forms of genetic variation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2690-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A Tale of Genome Compartmentalization: The Evolution of Virulence Clusters in Smut Fungi

Smut fungi are plant pathogens mostly parasitizing wild species of grasses as well as domesticated cereal crops. Genome analysis of several smut fungi including Ustilago maydis revealed a singular clustered organization of genes encoding secreted effectors. In U. maydis, many of these clusters have a role in virulence. Reconstructing the evolutionary history of clusters of effector genes is difficult because of their intrinsically fast evolution, which erodes the phylogenetic signal and homology relationships. Here, we describe the use of comparative evolutionary analyses of quality draft assemblies of genomes to study the mechanisms of this evolution. We report the genome sequence of a South African isolate of Sporisorium scitamineum, a smut fungus parasitizing sugar cane with a phylogenetic position intermediate to the two previously sequenced species U. maydis and Sporisorium reilianum. We show that the genome of S. scitamineum contains more and larger gene clusters encoding secreted effectors than any previously described species in this group. We trace back the origin of the clusters and find that their evolution is mainly driven by tandem gene duplication. In addition, transposable elements play a major role in the evolution of the clustered genes. Transposable elements are significantly associated with clusters of genes encoding fast evolving secreted effectors. This suggests that such clusters represent a case of genome compartmentalization that restrains the activity of transposable elements on genes under diversifying selection for which this activity is potentially beneficial, while protecting the rest of the genome from its deleterious effect.

Genome-Wide Analysis Indicates Lineage-Specific Gene Loss during Papilionoideae Evolution

Gene loss is the driving force for changes in genome and morphology; however, this particular evolutionary event has been poorly investigated in leguminous plants. Legumes (Fabaceae) have some lineage-specific and diagnostic characteristics that are distinct from other angiosperms. To understand the potential role of gene loss in the evolution of legumes, we compared six genome-sequenced legume species of Papilionoideae, the largest representative clade of Fabaceae, such as Glycine max, with 34 nonlegume plant species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed that the putative orthologs of the 34 Arabidopsis genes belonging to 29 gene families were absent in these legume species but these were conserved in the sequenced nonlegume angiosperm lineages. Further evolutionary analyses indicated that the orthologs of these genes were almost completely lost in the Papillionoideae ancestors, thus designated as the legume lost genes (LLGs), and these underwent purifying selection in nonlegume plants. Most LLGs were functionally unknown. In Arabidopsis, two LLGs were well-known genes that played a role in plant immunity such as HARMLESS TO OZONE LAYER 1 and HOPZ-ACTIVATED RESISTANCE 1, and 16 additional LLGs were predicted to participate in plant-pathogen interactions in in silico expression and protein-protein interaction network analyses. Most of these LLGs' orthologs in various plants were also found to be associated with biotic stress response, indicating the conserved role of these genes in plant defense. The evolutionary implication of LLGs during the development of the ability of symbiotic nitrogen fixation involving plant and bacterial interactions, which is a well-known characteristic of most legumes, is also discussed. Our work sheds light on the evolutionary implication of gene loss events in Papilionoideae evolution, as well as provides new insights into crop design to improve nitrogen fixation capacity.

Evolution, Diversity, and Taxonomy of the Peronosporaceae, with Focus on the Genus Peronospora

Downy mildews are a notorious group of oomycete plant pathogens, causing high economic losses in various crops and ornamentals. The most species-rich genus of oomycetes is the genus Peronospora. This review provides a wide overview of these pathogens, ranging from macro- and micro-evolutionary patterns, their biodiversity and ecology to short overviews for the currently economically most important pathogens and potential emerging diseases. In this overview, the taxonomy of economically relevant species is also discussed, as the application of the correct names and species concepts is a prerequisite for effective quarantine regulations and phytosanitary measures.

The two-speed genomes of filamentous pathogens: waltz with plants

Fungi and oomycetes include deep and diverse lineages of eukaryotic plant pathogens. The last 10 years have seen the sequencing of the genomes of a multitude of species of these so-called filamentous plant pathogens. Already, fundamental concepts have emerged. Filamentous plant pathogen genomes tend to harbor large repertoires of genes encoding virulence effectors that modulate host plant processes. Effector genes are not randomly distributed across the genomes but tend to be associated with compartments enriched in repetitive sequences and transposable elements. These findings have led to the 'two-speed genome' model in which filamentous pathogen genomes have a bipartite architecture with gene sparse, repeat rich compartments serving as a cradle for adaptive evolution. Here, we review this concept and discuss how plant pathogens are great model systems to study evolutionary adaptations at multiple time scales. We will also introduce the next phase of research on this topic.

Deciphering Genome Content and Evolutionary Relationships of Isolates from the Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae Attacking Different Host Plants

Deciphering the genetic bases of pathogen adaptation to its host is a key question in ecology and evolution. To understand how the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae adapts to different plants, we sequenced eight M. oryzae isolates differing in host specificity (rice, foxtail millet, wheat, and goosegrass), and one Magnaporthe grisea isolate specific of crabgrass. Analysis of Magnaporthe genomes revealed small variation in genome sizes (39–43 Mb) and gene content (12,283–14,781 genes) between isolates. The whole set of Magnaporthe genes comprised 14,966 shared families, 63% of which included genes present in all the nine M. oryzae genomes. The evolutionary relationships among Magnaporthe isolates were inferred using 6,878 single-copy orthologs. The resulting genealogy was mostly bifurcating among the different host-specific lineages, but was reticulate inside the rice lineage. We detected traces of introgression from a nonrice genome in the rice reference 70-15 genome. Among M. oryzae isolates and host-specific lineages, the genome composition in terms of frequencies of genes putatively involved in pathogenicity (effectors, secondary metabolism, cazome) was conserved. However, 529 shared families were found only in nonrice lineages, whereas the rice lineage possessed 86 specific families absent from the nonrice genomes. Our results confirmed that the host specificity of M. oryzae isolates was associated with a divergence between lineages without major gene flow and that, despite the strong conservation of gene families between lineages, adaptation to different hosts, especially to rice, was associated with the presence of a small number of specific gene families. All information was gathered in a public database (http://genome.jouy.inra.fr/gemo).

Genome analyses of the sunflower pathogen Plasmopara halstedii provide insights into effector evolution in downy mildews and Phytophthora

BACKGROUND

Downy mildews are the most speciose group of oomycetes and affect crops of great economic importance. So far, there is only a single deeply-sequenced downy mildew genome available, from Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. Further genomic resources for downy mildews are required to study their evolution, including pathogenicity effector proteins, such as RxLR effectors. Plasmopara halstedii is a devastating pathogen of sunflower and a potential pathosystem model to study downy mildews, as several Avr-genes and R-genes have been predicted and unlike Arabidopsis downy mildew, large quantities of almost contamination-free material can be obtained easily.

RESULTS

Here a high-quality draft genome of Plasmopara halstedii is reported and analysed with respect to various aspects, including genome organisation, secondary metabolism, effector proteins and comparative genomics with other sequenced oomycetes. Interestingly, the present analyses revealed further variation of the RxLR motif, suggesting an important role of the conservation of the dEER-motif. Orthology analyses revealed the conservation of 28 RxLR-like core effectors among Phytophthora species. Only six putative RxLR-like effectors were shared by the two sequenced downy mildews, highlighting the fast and largely independent evolution of two of the three major downy mildew lineages. This is seemingly supported by phylogenomic results, in which downy mildews did not appear to be monophyletic.

CONCLUSIONS

The genome resource will be useful for developing markers for monitoring the pathogen population and might provide the basis for new approaches to fight Phytophthora and downy mildew pathogens by targeting core pathogenicity effectors.

Comparative Genomics Including the Early-Diverging Smut Fungus Ceraceosorus bombacis Reveals Signatures of Parallel Evolution within Plant and Animal Pathogens of Fungi and Oomycetes

Ceraceosorus bombacis is an early-diverging lineage of smut fungi and a pathogen of cotton trees (Bombax ceiba). To study the evolutionary genomics of smut fungi in comparison with other fungal and oomycete pathogens, the genome of C. bombacis was sequenced and comparative genomic analyses were performed. The genome of 26.09 Mb encodes for 8,024 proteins, of which 576 are putative-secreted effector proteins (PSEPs). Orthology analysis revealed 30 ortholog PSEPs among six Ustilaginomycotina genomes, the largest groups of which are lytic enzymes, such as aspartic peptidase and glycoside hydrolase. Positive selection analyses revealed the highest percentage of positively selected PSEPs in C. bombacis compared with other Ustilaginomycotina genomes. Metabolic pathway analyses revealed the absence of genes encoding for nitrite and nitrate reductase in the genome of the human skin pathogen Malassezia globosa, but these enzymes are present in the sequenced plant pathogens in smut fungi. Interestingly, these genes are also absent in cultivable oomycete animal pathogens, while nitrate reductase has been lost in cultivable oomycete plant pathogens. Similar patterns were also observed for obligate biotrophic and hemi-biotrophic fungal and oomycete pathogens. Furthermore, it was found that both fungal and oomycete animal pathogen genomes are lacking cutinases and pectinesterases. Overall, these findings highlight the parallel evolution of certain genomic traits, revealing potential common evolutionary trajectories among fungal and oomycete pathogens, shaping the pathogen genomes according to their lifestyle.

Complete Genome Sequence of Sporisorium scitamineum and Biotrophic Interaction Transcriptome with Sugarcane

Sporisorium scitamineum is a biotrophic fungus responsible for the sugarcane smut, a worldwide spread disease. This study provides the complete sequence of individual chromosomes of S. scitamineum from telomere to telomere achieved by a combination of PacBio long reads and Illumina short reads sequence data, as well as a draft sequence of a second fungal strain. Comparative analysis to previous available sequences of another strain detected few polymorphisms among the three genomes. The novel complete sequence described herein allowed us to identify and annotate extended subtelomeric regions, repetitive elements and the mitochondrial DNA sequence. The genome comprises 19,979,571 bases, 6,677 genes encoding proteins, 111 tRNAs and 3 assembled copies of rDNA, out of our estimated number of copies as 130. Chromosomal reorganizations were detected when comparing to sequences of S. reilianum, the closest smut relative, potentially influenced by repeats of transposable elements. Repetitive elements may have also directed the linkage of the two mating-type loci. The fungal transcriptome profiling from in vitro and from interaction with sugarcane at two time points (early infection and whip emergence) revealed that 13.5% of the genes were differentially expressed in planta and particular to each developmental stage. Among them are plant cell wall degrading enzymes, proteases, lipases, chitin modification and lignin degradation enzymes, sugar transporters and transcriptional factors. The fungus also modulates transcription of genes related to surviving against reactive oxygen species and other toxic metabolites produced by the plant. Previously described effectors in smut/plant interactions were detected but some new candidates are proposed. Ten genomic islands harboring some of the candidate genes unique to S. scitamineum were expressed only in planta. RNAseq data was also used to reassure gene predictions.

Host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions in the evolution of obligate plant parasitism

Research on obligate biotrophic plant parasites, which reproduce only on living hosts, has revealed a broad diversity of filamentous microbes that have independently acquired complex morphological structures, such as haustoria. Genome studies have also demonstrated a concerted loss of genes for metabolism and lytic enzymes, and gain of diversity of genes coding for effectors involved in host defense suppression. So far, these traits converge in all known obligate biotrophic parasites, but unexpected genome plasticity remains. This plasticity is manifested as transposable element (TE)-driven increases in genome size, observed to be associated with the diversification of virulence genes under selection pressure. Genome expansion could result from the governing of the pathogen response to ecological selection pressures, such as host or nutrient availability, or to microbial interactions, such as competition, hyperparasitism and beneficial cooperations. Expansion is balanced by alternating sexual and asexual cycles, as well as selfing and outcrossing, which operate to control transposon activity in populations. In turn, the prevalence of these balancing mechanisms seems to be correlated with external biotic factors, suggesting a complex, interconnected evolutionary network in host-pathogen-microbe interactions. Therefore, the next phase of obligate biotrophic pathogen research will need to uncover how this network, including multitrophic interactions, shapes the evolution and diversity of pathogens.

The fungal core effector Pep1 is conserved across smuts of dicots and monocots

The secreted fungal effector Pep1 is essential for penetration of the host epidermis and establishment of biotrophy in the Ustilago maydis-maize pathosystem. Previously, Pep1 was found to be an inhibitor of apoplastic plant peroxidases, which suppresses the oxidative burst, a primary immune response of the host plant and enables fungal colonization. To investigate the conservation of Pep1 in other pathogens, genomes of related smut species were screened for pep1 orthologues. Pep1 proteins were produced in Escherichia coli for functional assays. The biological function of Pep1 was tested by heterologous expression in U. maydis and Hordeum vulgare. Pep1 orthologues revealed a remarkable degree of sequence conservation, indicating that this effector might play a fundamental role in virulence of biotrophic smut fungi. Pep1 function and its role in virulence are conserved in different pathogenic fungi, even across the monocot-dicot border of host plants. The findings described in this study classify Pep1 as a phylogenetically conserved fungal core effector. Furthermore, we documented the influence of Pep1 on the disease caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei which is a non-smut-related pathosystem.

The genome of the basal agaricomycete Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous provides insights into the organization of its acetyl-CoA derived pathways and the evolution of Agaricomycotina

Background

Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous is a basal agaricomycete with uncertain taxonomic placement, known for its unique ability to produce astaxanthin, a carotenoid with antioxidant properties. It was the aim of this study to elucidate the organization of its CoA-derived pathways and to use the genomic information of X. dendrorhous for a phylogenomic investigation of the Basidiomycota.

Results

The genome assembly of a haploid strain of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous revealed a genome of 19.50 Megabases with 6385 protein coding genes. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted including 48 fungal genomes. These revealed Ustilaginomycotina and Agaricomycotina as sister groups. In the latter a well-supported sister-group relationship of two major orders, Polyporales and Russulales, was inferred. Wallemia occupies a basal position within the Agaricomycotina and X. dendrorhous represents the basal lineage of the Tremellomycetes, highlighting that the typical tremelloid parenthesomes have either convergently evolved in Wallemia and the Tremellomycetes, or were lost in the Cystofilobasidiales lineage. A detailed characterization of the CoA-related pathways was done and all genes for fatty acid, sterol and carotenoid synthesis have been assigned.

Conclusions

The current study ascertains that Wallemia with tremelloid parenthesomes is the most basal agaricomycotinous lineage and that Cystofilobasidiales without tremelloid parenthesomes are deeply rooted within Tremellomycetes, suggesting that parenthesomes at septal pores might be the core synapomorphy for the Agaricomycotina. Apart from evolutionary insights the genome sequence of X. dendrorhous will facilitate genetic pathway engineering for optimized astaxanthin or oxidative alcohol production.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1380-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Fungal effectors and plant susceptibility

Plants can be colonized by fungi that have adopted highly diverse lifestyles, ranging from symbiotic to necrotrophic. Colonization is governed in all systems by hundreds of secreted fungal effector molecules. These effectors suppress plant defense responses and modulate plant physiology to accommodate fungal invaders and provide them with nutrients. Fungal effectors either function in the interaction zone between the fungal hyphae and host or are transferred to plant cells. This review describes the effector repertoires of 84 plant-colonizing fungi. We focus on the mechanisms that allow these fungal effectors to promote virulence or compatibility, discuss common plant nodes that are targeted by effectors, and provide recent insights into effector evolution. In addition, we address the issue of effector uptake in plant cells and highlight open questions and future challenges.

Conservation of the Ustilago maydis effector See1 in related smuts

Ustilago maydis is a biotrophic fungus that induces formation of tumors in maize (Zea mays L). In a recent study we identified See1 (Seedling efficient effector 1) as an U. maydis organ-specific effector required for tumor formation in leaves. See1 is required for U. maydis induced reactivation of plant DNA synthesis during leaf tumor progression. The protein is secreted from biotrophic hyphae and localizes to the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant cell. See1 interacts with maize SGT1, a cell cycle and immune regulator, interfering with its MAPK-triggered phosphorylation. Here, we present new data on the conservation of See1 in other closely related smuts and experimental data on the functionality of See1 ortholog in Ustilago hordei, the causal agent of barley covered smut disease.