Horizontal transfer of supernumerary chromosomes in fungi

A pair of effectors encoded on a conditionally dispensable chromosome of Fusarium oxysporum suppress host-specific immunity

Many plant pathogenic fungi contain conditionally dispensable (CD) chromosomes that are associated with virulence, but not growth in vitro. Virulence-associated CD chromosomes carry genes encoding effectors and/or host-specific toxin biosynthesis enzymes that may contribute to determining host specificity. Fusarium oxysporum causes devastating diseases of more than 100 plant species. Among a large number of host-specific forms, F. oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans (Focn) can infect Brassicaceae plants including Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and cabbage. Here we show that Focn has multiple CD chromosomes. We identified specific CD chromosomes that are required for virulence on Arabidopsis, cabbage, or both, and describe a pair of effectors encoded on one of the CD chromosomes that is required for suppression of Arabidopsis-specific phytoalexin-based immunity. The effector pair is highly conserved in F. oxysporum isolates capable of infecting Arabidopsis, but not of other plants. This study provides insight into how host specificity of F. oxysporum may be determined by a pair of effector genes on a transmissible CD chromosome.

Yu Ayukawa, Shuta Asai, et al. report the genome sequence of a Fusarium oxysporum isolate and demonstrate that it contains different conditionally dispensable chromosomes which are important to confer virulence on specific hosts, like Arabidopsis thaliana or cabbage. Altogether, these results provide further insight into the mechanisms underlying F. oxysporum pathogenicity.

Partial pathogenicity chromosomes in Fusarium oxysporum are sufficient to cause disease and can be horizontally transferred

In Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, all effector genes reported so far - also called SIX genes - are located on a single accessory chromosome which is required for pathogenicity and can also be horizontally transferred to another strain. To narrow down the minimal region required for virulence, we selected partial pathogenicity chromosome deletion strains by fluorescence-assisted cell sorting of a strain in which the two arms of the pathogenicity chromosome were labelled with GFP and RFP respectively. By testing the virulence of these deletion mutants, we show that the complete long arm and part of the short arm of the pathogenicity chromosome are not required for virulence. In addition, we demonstrate that smaller versions of the pathogenicity chromosome can also be transferred to a non-pathogenic strain and they are sufficient to turn the non-pathogen into a pathogen. Surprisingly, originally non-pathogenic strains that had received a smaller version of the pathogenicity chromosome were much more aggressive than recipients with a complete pathogenicity chromosome. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed that partial deletions of the pathogenicity chromosome occurred mainly close to repeats, and that spontaneous duplication of sequences in accessory regions is frequent both in chromosome deletion strains and in horizontal transfer strains.

Fungal evolution: cellular, genomic and metabolic complexity

The question of how phenotypic and genomic complexity are inter-related and how they are shaped through evolution is a central question in biology that historically has been approached from the perspective of animals and plants. In recent years, however, fungi have emerged as a promising alternative system to address such questions. Key to their ecological success, fungi present a broad and diverse range of phenotypic traits. Fungal cells can adopt many different shapes, often within a single species, providing them with great adaptive potential. Fungal cellular organizations span from unicellular forms to complex, macroscopic multicellularity, with multiple transitions to higher or lower levels of cellular complexity occurring throughout the evolutionary history of fungi. Similarly, fungal genomes are very diverse in their architecture. Deep changes in genome organization can occur very quickly, and these phenomena are known to mediate rapid adaptations to environmental changes. Finally, the biochemical complexity of fungi is huge, particularly with regard to their secondary metabolites, chemical products that mediate many aspects of fungal biology, including ecological interactions. Herein, we explore how the interplay of these cellular, genomic and metabolic traits mediates the emergence of complex phenotypes, and how this complexity is shaped throughout the evolutionary history of Fungi.

Dual-PKS Cluster for Biosynthesis of a Light-Induced Secondary Metabolite Found from Genome Sequencing of Hyphodiscus hymeniophilus Fungus

Filamentous fungi are known producers of important secondary metabolites. In spite of this, the majority of these organisms have not been studied at the genome level, leaving many of the bioactive molecules they produce undiscovered. In this study, we explore the secondary metabolite potential of an understudied fungus, Hyphodiscus hymeniophilus. By sequencing and assembling the first genome from this genus, we show that this fungus has genes for at least 20 natural products and that many of these products are likely novel. One of these metabolites is identified: a new, red-pigmented member of the azaphilone class, hyphodiscorubrin. We show that this metabolite is only produced when the fungus is grown in the light. Furthermore, the biosynthetic gene cluster of hyphodiscorubrin is identified though homology to other known azaphilone producing clusters.

Fungal evolution: major ecological adaptations and evolutionary transitions

Fungi are a highly diverse group of heterotrophic eukaryotes characterized by the absence of phagotrophy and the presence of a chitinous cell wall. While unicellular fungi are far from rare, part of the evolutionary success of the group resides in their ability to grow indefinitely as a cylindrical multinucleated cell (hypha). Armed with these morphological traits and with an extremely high metabolical diversity, fungi have conquered numerous ecological niches and have shaped a whole world of interactions with other living organisms. Herein we survey the main evolutionary and ecological processes that have guided fungal diversity. We will first review the ecology and evolution of the zoosporic lineages and the process of terrestrialization, as one of the major evolutionary transitions in this kingdom. Several plausible scenarios have been proposed for fungal terrestralization and we here propose a new scenario, which considers icy environments as a transitory niche between water and emerged land. We then focus on exploring the main ecological relationships of Fungi with other organisms (other fungi, protozoans, animals and plants), as well as the origin of adaptations to certain specialized ecological niches within the group (lichens, black fungi and yeasts). Throughout this review we use an evolutionary and comparative-genomics perspective to understand fungal ecological diversity. Finally, we highlight the importance of genome-enabled inferences to envision plausible narratives and scenarios for important transitions.

A mobile pathogenicity chromosome in Fusarium oxysporum for infection of multiple cucurbit species

The genome of Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) consists of a set of eleven 'core' chromosomes, shared by most strains and responsible for housekeeping, and one or several accessory chromosomes. We sequenced a strain of Fo f.sp. radicis-cucumerinum (Forc) using PacBio SMRT sequencing. All but one of the core chromosomes were assembled into single contigs, and a chromosome that shows all the hallmarks of a pathogenicity chromosome comprised two contigs. A central part of this chromosome contains all identified candidate effector genes, including homologs of SIX6, SIX9, SIX11 and SIX 13. We show that SIX6 contributes to virulence of Forc. Through horizontal chromosome transfer (HCT) to a non-pathogenic strain, we also show that the accessory chromosome containing the SIX gene homologs is indeed a pathogenicity chromosome for cucurbit infection. Conversely, complete loss of virulence was observed in Forc016 strains that lost this chromosome. We conclude that also a non-wilt-inducing Fo pathogen relies on effector proteins for successful infection and that the Forc pathogenicity chromosome contains all the information necessary for causing root rot of cucurbits. Three out of nine HCT strains investigated have undergone large-scale chromosome alterations, reflecting the remarkable plasticity of Fo genomes.

Contribution of Multiple Inter-Kingdom Horizontal Gene Transfers to Evolution and Adaptation of Amphibian-Killing Chytrid, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Amphibian populations are experiencing catastrophic declines driven by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Although horizontal gene transfer (HGT) facilitates the evolution and adaptation in many fungi by conferring novel function genes to the recipient fungi, inter-kingdom HGT in Bd remains largely unexplored. In this study, our investigation detects 19 bacterial genes transferred to Bd, including metallo-beta-lactamase and arsenate reductase that play important roles in the resistance to antibiotics and arsenates. Moreover, three probable HGT gene families in Bd are from plants and one gene family coding the ankyrin repeat-containing protein appears to come from oomycetes. The observed multi-copy gene families associated with HGT are probably due to the independent transfer events or gene duplications. Five HGT genes with extracellular locations may relate to infection, and some other genes may participate in a variety of metabolic pathways, and in doing so add important metabolic traits to the recipient. The evolutionary analysis indicates that all the transferred genes evolved under purifying selection, suggesting that their functions in Bd are similar to those of the donors. Collectively, our results indicate that HGT from diverse donors may be an important evolutionary driver of Bd, and improve its adaptations for infecting and colonizing host amphibians.

Nuclear dynamics and genetic rearrangement in heterokaryotic colonies of Fusarium oxysporum

Recent studies have shown horizontal transfer of chromosomes to be a potential key contributor to genome plasticity in asexual fungal pathogens. However, the mechanisms behind horizontal chromosome transfer in eukaryotes are not well understood. Here we investigated the role of conidial anastomosis in heterokaryon formation between incompatible strains of Fusarium oxysporum and determined the importance of heterokaryons for horizontal chromosome transfer. Using live-cell imaging we demonstrate that conidial pairing of incompatible strains under carbon starvation can result in the formation of viable heterokaryotic hyphae in F. oxysporum. Nuclei of the parental lines presumably fuse at some stage as conidia with a single nucleus harboring both marker histones (GFP- and RFP-tagged) are produced. Upon colony formation, this hybrid offspring is subject to progressive and gradual genome rearrangement. The parental genomes appear to become spatially separated and RFP-tagged histones, deriving from one of the strains, Fol4287, are eventually lost. With a PCR-based method we showed that markers for most of the chromosomes of this strain are lost, indicating a lack of Fol4287 chromosomes. This leaves offspring with the genomic background of the other strain (Fo47), but in some cases together with one or two chromosomes from Fol4287, including the chromosome that confers pathogenicity towards tomato.

Fungal metabolic gene clusters-caravans traveling across genomes and environments

Metabolic gene clusters (MGCs), physically co-localized genes participating in the same metabolic pathway, are signature features of fungal genomes. MGCs are most often observed in specialized metabolism, having evolved in individual fungal lineages in response to specific ecological needs, such as the utilization of uncommon nutrients (e.g., galactose and allantoin) or the production of secondary metabolic antimicrobial compounds and virulence factors (e.g., aflatoxin and melanin). A flurry of recent studies has shown that several MGCs, whose functions are often associated with fungal virulence as well as with the evolutionary arms race between fungi and their competitors, have experienced horizontal gene transfer (HGT). In this review, after briefly introducing HGT as a source of gene innovation, we examine the evidence for HGT's involvement on the evolution of MGCs and, more generally of fungal metabolism, enumerate the molecular mechanisms that mediate such transfers and the ecological circumstances that favor them, as well as discuss the types of evidence required for inferring the presence of HGT in MGCs. The currently available examples indicate that transfers of entire MGCs have taken place between closely related fungal species as well as distant ones and that they sometimes involve large chromosomal segments. These results suggest that the HGT-mediated acquisition of novel metabolism is an ongoing and successful ecological strategy for many fungal species.

Conservation of the genes for HC-toxin biosynthesis in Alternaria jesenskae

Background

HC-toxin, a cyclic tetrapeptide, is a virulence determinant for the plant pathogenic fungus Cochliobolus carbonum. It was recently discovered that another fungus, Alternaria jesenskae, also produces HC-toxin.

Results

The major genes (collectively known as AjTOX2) involved in the biosynthesis of HC-toxin were identified from A. jesenskae by genomic sequencing. The encoded orthologous proteins share 75-85% amino acid identity, and the genes for HC-toxin biosynthesis are duplicated in both fungi. The genomic organization of the genes in the two fungi show a similar but not identical partial clustering arrangement. A set of representative housekeeping proteins show a similar high level of amino acid identity between C. carbonum and A. jesenskae, which is consistent with the close relatedness of these two genera within the family Pleosporaceae (Dothideomycetes).

Conclusions

This is the first report that the plant virulence factor HC-toxin is made by an organism other than C. carbonum. The genes may have moved by horizontal transfer between the two species, but it cannot be excluded that they were present in a common ancestor and lost from other species of Alternaria and Cochliobolus.

Multiple interkingdom horizontal gene transfers in Pyrenophora and closely related species and their contributions to phytopathogenic lifestyles

Many studies have reported horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events from eukaryotes, especially fungi. However, only a few investigations summarized multiple interkingdom HGTs involving important phytopathogenic species of Pyrenophora and few have investigated the genetic contributions of HGTs to fungi. We investigated HGT events in P. teres and P. tritici-repentis and discovered that both species harbored 14 HGT genes derived from bacteria and plants, including 12 HGT genes that occurred in both species. One gene coding a leucine-rich repeat protein was present in both species of Pyrenophora and it may have been transferred from a host plant. The transfer of genes from a host plant to pathogenic fungi has been reported rarely and we discovered the first evidence for this transfer in phytopathogenic Pyrenophora. Two HGTs in Pyrenophora underwent subsequent duplications. Some HGT genes had homologs in a few other fungi, indicating relatively ancient transfer events. Functional analyses indicated that half of the HGT genes encoded extracellular proteins and these may have facilitated the infection of plants by Pyrenophora via interference with plant defense-response and the degradation of plant cell walls. Some other HGT genes appeared to participate in carbohydrate metabolism. Together, these functions implied that HGTs may have led to highly efficient mechanisms of infection as well as the utilization of host carbohydrates. Evolutionary analyses indicated that HGT genes experienced amelioration, purifying selection, and accelerated evolution. These appeared to constitute adaptations to the background genome of the recipient. The discovery of multiple interkingdom HGTs in Pyrenophora, their significance to infection, and their adaptive evolution, provided valuable insights into the evolutionary significance of interkingdom HGTs from multiple donors.