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Wilson AM, Coetzee MPA, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Needles in fungal haystacks: Discovery of a putative a-factor pheromone and a unique mating strategy in the Leotiomycetes. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292619. [PMID: 37824487 PMCID: PMC10569646 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The Leotiomycetes is a hugely diverse group of fungi, accommodating a wide variety of important plant and animal pathogens, ericoid mycorrhizal fungi, as well as producers of antibiotics. Despite their importance, the genetics of these fungi remain relatively understudied, particularly as they don't include model taxa. For example, sexual reproduction and the genetic mechanisms that underly this process are poorly understood in the Leotiomycetes. We exploited publicly available genomic and transcriptomic resources to identify genes of the mating-type locus and pheromone response pathway in an effort to characterize the mating strategies and behaviors of 124 Leotiomycete species. Our analyses identified a putative a-factor mating pheromone in these species. This significant finding represents the first identification of this gene in Pezizomycotina species outside of the Sordariomycetes. A unique mating strategy was also discovered in Lachnellula species that appear to have lost the need for the primary MAT1-1-1 protein. Ancestral state reconstruction enabled the identification of numerous transitions between homothallism and heterothallism in the Leotiomycetes and suggests a heterothallic ancestor for this group. This comprehensive catalog of mating-related genes from such a large group of fungi provides a rich resource from which in-depth, functional studies can be conducted in these economically and ecologically important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi M. Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Martin P. A. Coetzee
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michael J. Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brenda D. Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Wilson AM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Structure and number of mating pheromone genes is closely linked to sexual reproductive strategy in Huntiella. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:261. [PMID: 37179314 PMCID: PMC10182648 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09355-9] [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: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntiella resides in the Ceratocystidaceae, a family of fungi that accommodates important plant pathogens and insect-associated saprotrophs. Species in the genus have either heterothallic or unisexual (a form of homothallism) mating systems, providing an opportunity to investigate the genetic mechanisms that enable transitions between reproductive strategies in related species. Two newly sequenced Huntiella genomes are introduced in this study and comparative genomics and transcriptomics tools are used to investigate the differences between heterothallism and unisexuality across the genus. RESULTS Heterothallic species harbored up to seven copies of the a-factor pheromone, each of which possessed numerous mature peptide repeats. In comparison, unisexual Huntiella species had only two or three copies of this gene, each with fewer repeats. Similarly, while the heterothallic species expressed up to 12 copies of the mature α-factor pheromone, unisexual species had up to six copies. These significant differences imply that unisexual Huntiella species do not rely on a mating partner recognition system in the same way that heterothallic fungi do. CONCLUSION While it is suspected that mating type-independent pheromone expression is the mechanism allowing for unisexual reproduction in Huntiella species, our results suggest that the transition to unisexuality may also have been associated with changes in the genes governing the pheromone pathway. While these results are specifically related to Huntiella, they provide clues leading to a better understanding of sexual reproduction and the fluidity of mating strategies in fungi more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi M Wilson
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Michael J Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Brenda D Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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Wilson AM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Truncation of MAT1-2-7 Deregulates Developmental Pathways Associated with Sexual Reproduction in Huntiella omanensis. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0142522. [PMID: 36154282 PMCID: PMC9602353 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01425-22] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 genes are thought to be the master regulators of sexual development in most ascomycete fungi, and they are often essential for this process. In contrast, it has been suggested that the secondary mating-type genes act to calibrate the sexual cycle and can be dispensable. Recent functional characterization of genes such as Aspergillus fumigatus MAT1-2-4, Huntiella omanensis MAT1-2-7, and Botrytis cinerea MAT1-1-5 has, however, shown that these secondary genes may play more central roles in the sexual pathway and are essential for the production of mature fruiting structures. We used a comparative transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) experiment to show that the truncation of MAT1-2-7 in the wood inhabiting H. omanensis residing in the Ceratocystidaceae is associated with the differential expression of approximately 25% of all the genes present in the genome, including the transcriptional regulators ste12, wc-2, sub1, VeA, HMG8, and pro1. This suggests that MAT1-2-7 may act as a transcription factor and that ΔMAT1-2-7 mutant sterility is the result of layered deregulation of a variety of signaling and developmental pathways. This study is one of only a few that details the functional characterization of a secondary MAT gene in a nonmodel species. Given that this gene is present in other Ceratocystidaceae species and that there are diverse secondary MAT genes present throughout the Pezizomycotina, further investigation into this gene and others like it will provide a clearer understanding of sexual development in these eukaryotes. IMPORTANCE Secondary mating-type genes are being described almost as quickly as new fungal genomes are being sequenced. Understanding the functions of these genes has lagged behind their description, in part due to limited taxonomic distribution, lack of conserved functional domains, and difficulties with regard to genetic manipulation protocols. This study aimed to address this by investigating a novel mating-type gene, MAT1-2-7, for which two independent mutant strains were generated in a previous study. We characterized the molecular response to the truncation of this gene in a nonmodel, wood-infecting fungus and showed that it resulted in widespread differential expression throughout the transcriptome of this fungus. This suggests that secondary MAT genes may play a more important role than previously thought. This study also emphasizes the need for further research into the life cycles of nonmodel fungi, which often exhibit unique features that are very different from the systems understood from model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Wilson
- Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - M. J. Wingfield
- Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - B. D. Wingfield
- Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Wingfield BD, De Vos L, Wilson AM, Duong TA, Vaghefi N, Botes A, Kharwar RN, Chand R, Poudel B, Aliyu H, Barbetti MJ, Chen S, de Maayer P, Liu F, Navathe S, Sinha S, Steenkamp ET, Suzuki H, Tshisekedi KA, van der Nest MA, Wingfield MJ. IMA Genome - F16 : Draft genome assemblies of Fusarium marasasianum, Huntiella abstrusa, two Immersiporthe knoxdaviesiana isolates, Macrophomina pseudophaseolina, Macrophomina phaseolina, Naganishia randhawae, and Pseudocercospora cruenta. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:3. [PMID: 35197126 PMCID: PMC8867778 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00089-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brenda D Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Lieschen De Vos
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Andi M Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Tuan A Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Niloofar Vaghefi
- Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
| | - Angela Botes
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ravindra Nath Kharwar
- Center of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Ramesh Chand
- Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Barsha Poudel
- Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
| | - Habibu Aliyu
- Institute of Process Engineering in Life Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Martin J Barbetti
- School of Agriculture and Environment and the UWA Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - ShuaiFei Chen
- China Eucalypt Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Pieter de Maayer
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - FeiFei Liu
- China Eucalypt Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China
| | | | - Shagun Sinha
- Center of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
- Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Emma T Steenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Kalonji A Tshisekedi
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Magriet A van der Nest
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
- Biotechnology Platform, Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michael J Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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Wilson AM, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. Genetic Networks That Govern Sexual Reproduction in the Pezizomycotina. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021; 85:e0002021. [PMID: 34585983 PMCID: PMC8485983 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00020-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual development in filamentous fungi is a complex process that relies on the precise control of and interaction between a variety of genetic networks and pathways. The mating-type (MAT) genes are the master regulators of this process and typically act as transcription factors, which control the expression of genes involved at all stages of the sexual cycle. In many fungi, the sexual cycle typically begins when the mating pheromones of one mating type are recognized by a compatible partner, followed by physical interaction and fertilization. Subsequently, highly specialized sexual structures are formed, within which the sexual spores develop after rounds of meiosis and mitosis. These spores are then released and germinate, forming new individuals that initiate new cycles of growth. This review provides an overview of the known genetic networks and pathways that are involved in each major stage of the sexual cycle in filamentous ascomycete fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi M. Wilson
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - P. Markus Wilken
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Michael J. Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Brenda D. Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
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van der Nest MA, Chávez R, De Vos L, Duong TA, Gil-Durán C, Ferreira MA, Lane FA, Levicán G, Santana QC, Steenkamp ET, Suzuki H, Tello M, Rakoma JR, Vaca I, Valdés N, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD. IMA genome - F14 : Draft genome sequences of Penicillium roqueforti, Fusarium sororula, Chrysoporthe puriensis, and Chalaropsis populi. IMA Fungus 2021; 12:5. [PMID: 33673862 PMCID: PMC7934431 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-021-00055-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Draft genomes of Penicillium roqueforti, Fusarium sororula, Chalaropsis populi, and Chrysoporthe puriensis are presented. Penicillium roqueforti is a model fungus for genetics, physiological and metabolic studies, as well as for biotechnological applications. Fusarium sororula and Chrysoporthe puriensis are important tree pathogens, and Chalaropsis populi is a soil-borne root-pathogen. The genome sequences presented here thus contribute towards a better understanding of both the pathogenicity and biotechnological potential of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magriet A van der Nest
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
- Biotechnology Platform, Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa
| | - Renato Chávez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Alameda 3363, Estación Central, 9170022, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Lieschen De Vos
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Tuan A Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Carlos Gil-Durán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Alameda 3363, Estación Central, 9170022, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maria Alves Ferreira
- Department of Plant Pathology, Universidade Federal de Lavras/UFLA, Lavras, MG, 37200-000, Brazil
| | - Frances A Lane
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Gloria Levicán
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Alameda 3363, Estación Central, 9170022, Santiago, Chile
| | - Quentin C Santana
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Emma T Steenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Mario Tello
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Alameda 3363, Estación Central, 9170022, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jostina R Rakoma
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Inmaculada Vaca
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
| | - Natalia Valdés
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Alameda 3363, Estación Central, 9170022, Santiago, Chile
| | - P Markus Wilken
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Michael J Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Brenda D Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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8
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Krämer D, Lane FA, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield BD, Wilken PM. Unidirectional mating-type switching confers self-fertility to Thielaviopsis cerberus, the only homothallic species in the genus. Fungal Biol 2021; 125:427-434. [PMID: 34024590 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is ubiquitous in nature, and nowhere is this more so than in the fungi. Heterothallic behaviour is observed when there is a strict requirement of contact between two individuals of opposite mating type for sexual reproduction to occur. In contrast, a homothallic species can complete the entire sexual cycle in isolation, although several genetic mechanisms underpin this self-fertility. These can be inferred by characterising the structure and gene-content of the mating-type locus, which contains genes that are involved in the regulation of sexual reproduction. In this study, the genetic basis of homothallism in Thielaviopsis cerberus was investigated, the only known self-fertile species within this genus. Using genome sequencing and conventional molecular techniques, two versions of the mating-type locus were identified in this species. This is typical of species that have a unidirectional mating-type switching reproductive strategy. The first version was a self-fertile locus that contained four known mating-type genes, while the second was a self-sterile version with a single mating-type gene. The conversion from a self-fertile to a self-sterile locus is likely mediated by a homologous recombination event at two direct repeats present in the self-fertile locus, resulting in the deletion of three mating-type genes and one of the repeats. Both locus versions were present in isolates that were self-fertile, while self-sterility was caused by the presence of only a switched locus. This study provides a clear example of the architectural fluidity in the mating-type loci that is common among even closely related fungal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Krämer
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Frances A Lane
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Emma T Steenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Brenda D Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - P Markus Wilken
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology; Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa. http://
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Petters-Vandresen DAL, Rossi BJ, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW, Machado MA, Stukenbrock EH, Glienke C. Mating-type locus rearrangements and shifts in thallism states in Citrus-associated Phyllosticta species. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 144:103444. [PMID: 32822858 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Currently, eight Phyllosticta species are known to be associated with several Citrus hosts, incorporating diverse lifestyles: while some of them are endophytic (P. capitalensis and P. citribraziliensis), others are pathogenic (P. citriasiana, P. citricarpa, P. citrichinaensis and P. paracitricarpa). Sexual reproduction plays a key role in the interaction between these Phyllosticta species and their Citrus hosts, especially for the spread and persistence of the pathogenic species in the environment. Given this, differences in sexual reproduction strategies could be related to the differences in lifestyles. To evaluate this hypothesis, we characterized the mating-type loci of six Citrus-associated Phyllosticta species from whole genome assemblies. Mating-type genes in the Citrus-associated Phyllosticta species are highly variable in their sequence content, but the genomic locations and organization of the mating-type loci are conserved. Phyllosticta citriasiana, P. citribraziliensis, P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa are heterothallic, while P. capitalensis and P. citrichinaensis are homothallic. In addition, the P. citrichinaensis MAT1-2 idiomorph occurs in a separate location from the mating-type locus. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that homothallism is the ancestral thallism state in Phyllosticta, with a shift to heterothallism in Phyllosticta species that are pathogenic to Citrus. Moreover, the homothallic strategies of P. capitalensis and P. citrichinaensis result from independent evolutionary events, as P. capitalensis locus likely represents the ancestral state, and P. citrichinaensis homothallism has risen through a reversion in a heterothallic ancestor and underwent remodelling events. As the pathogenic species P. citriasiana, P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa are heterothallic and incapable of selfing, disease management practices focused in preventing the occurrence of sexual reproduction could assist in the control of Citrus Black Spot and Citrus Tan Spot diseases. This study emphasizes the importance of studying Citrus-Phyllosticta interactions under evolutionary and genomic perspectives, as these approaches can provide valuable information about the association between Phyllosticta species and their hosts, and also serve as guidance for the improvement of disease management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desirrê Alexia Lourenço Petters-Vandresen
- Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Genética Molecular de Microrganismos, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, 81531-990 Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil; Environmental Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Bruno Janoski Rossi
- Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Genética Molecular de Microrganismos, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, 81531-990 Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro W Crous
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Eva H Stukenbrock
- Environmental Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany; Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Chirlei Glienke
- Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Genética Molecular de Microrganismos, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, 81531-990 Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil.
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