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Tan M, Fang Y, Zhang Y, Qiang S. Assessment of Puccinia polliniicola as a potential biological control agent for Microstegium vimineum. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38787642 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus, commonly called stiltgrass, is a dominant weed in the United States and China. Although a lot of control approaches have been attempted, an economic, effective and practical measure has not been available to control the weed so far. RESULTS A serious rust disease of Microstegium vimineum was observed in three regions of Wenzhou city in China, from 2019 to 2021, with a disease incidence ranging from 82% to 97%. Typical rust disease symptoms on Microstegium vimineum were prominently visible during the early monsoon season (June-July), with chlorotic spots on the leaf surfaces. The morphological characterization of the strain WZ-1 which was isolated from the diseased leaves was consistent with Puccinia polliniicola. The virulence tests showed that the average disease index of Microstegium vimineum plants could reach 35% at 10 days post-inoculation. The host specificity of Puccinia polliniicola was tested on 64 plant species from 12 families and it did not cause any diseased symptoms on 24 major crops and 36 weeds, but slightly infected four gramineous weeds, Arthraxon hispidus, Polypogon fugax, Cynodon dactylon, and Microstegium ciliatum. However, newly-produced urediniospores were not observed on the slightly infected plants. The urediniospores of strain WZ-1 infected the Microstegium vimineum leaves by two main approaches: mycelium or appressorium invaded the stoma; and mycelium or appressorium directly invaded intercellular spaces. Field experiments showed that the rust disease naturally prevailed among Microstegium vimineum populations, causing severe rust disease symptoms on the leaf surface. The rust epidemic effectively controlled all of the target plants in the closed plot where the rust was released. CONCLUSION Puccinia polliniicola strain WZ-1 has great potential to be used as a classical biological control agent against Microstegium vimineum. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Tan
- Weeds Research Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanxia Fang
- Weeds Research Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanhe Zhang
- Weeds Research Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng Qiang
- Weeds Research Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Strauss AT, Hobbie SE, Reich PB, Seabloom EW, Borer ET. The effect of diversity on disease reverses from dilution to amplification in a 22-year biodiversity × N × CO 2 experiment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10938. [PMID: 38740878 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60725-z] [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: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant disease often increases with N, decreases with CO2, and increases as biodiversity is lost (i.e., the dilution effect). Additionally, all these factors can indirectly alter disease by changing host biomass and hence density-dependent disease transmission. Yet over long periods of time as communities undergo compositional changes, these biomass-mediated pathways might fade, intensify, or even reverse in direction. Using a field experiment that has manipulated N, CO2, and species richness for over 20 years, we compared severity of a specialist rust fungus (Puccinia andropogonis) on its grass host (Andropogon gerardii) shortly after the experiment began (1999) and twenty years later (2019). Between these two sampling periods, two decades apart, we found that disease severity consistently increased with N and decreased with CO2. However, the relationship between diversity and disease reversed from a dilution effect in 1999 (more severe disease in monocultures) to an amplification effect in 2019 (more severe disease in mixtures). The best explanation for this reversal centered on host density (i.e., aboveground biomass), which was initially highest in monoculture, but became highest in mixtures two decades later. Thus, the diversity-disease pattern reversed, but disease consistently increased with host biomass. These results highlight the consistency of N and CO2 as drivers of plant disease in the Anthropocene and emphasize the critical role of host biomass-despite potentially variable effects of diversity-for relationships between biodiversity and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Strauss
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Sarah E Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Eric W Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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Zhang P, Jiang H, Liu X. Diversity inhibits foliar fungal diseases in grasslands: Potential mechanisms and temperature dependence. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14435. [PMID: 38735857 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14435] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
A long-standing debate exists among ecologists as to how diversity regulates infectious diseases (i.e., the nature of diversity-disease relationships); a dilution effect refers to when increasing host diversity inhibits infectious diseases (i.e., negative diversity-disease relationships). However, the generality, strength, and potential mechanisms underlying negative diversity-disease relationships in natural ecosystems remain unclear. To this end, we conducted a large-scale survey of 63 grassland sites across China to explore diversity-disease relationships. We found widespread negative diversity-disease relationships that were temperature-dependent; non-random diversity loss played a fundamental role in driving these patterns. Our study provides field evidence for the generality and temperature dependence of negative diversity-disease relationships in grasslands, becoming stronger in colder regions, while also highlighting the role of non-random diversity loss as a mechanism. These findings have important implications for community ecology, disease ecology, and epidemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Hongying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
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4
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Saubin M, Tellier A, Stoeckel S, Andrieux A, Halkett F. Approximate Bayesian Computation applied to time series of population genetic data disentangles rapid genetic changes and demographic variations in a pathogen population. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e16965. [PMID: 37150947 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16965] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation can occur at remarkably short timescales in natural populations, leading to drastic changes in phenotypes and genotype frequencies over a few generations only. The inference of demographic parameters can allow understanding how evolutionary forces interact and shape the genetic trajectories of populations during rapid adaptation. Here we propose a new Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) framework that couples a forward and individual-based model with temporal genetic data to disentangle genetic changes and demographic variations in a case of rapid adaptation. We test the accuracy of our inferential framework and evaluate the benefit of considering a dense versus sparse sampling. Theoretical investigations demonstrate high accuracy in both model and parameter estimations, even if a strong thinning is applied to time series data. Then, we apply our ABC inferential framework to empirical data describing the population genetic changes of the poplar rust pathogen following a major event of resistance overcoming. We successfully estimate key demographic and genetic parameters, including the proportion of resistant hosts deployed in the landscape and the level of standing genetic variation from which selection occurred. Inferred values are in accordance with our empirical knowledge of this biological system. This new inferential framework, which contrasts with coalescent-based ABC analyses, is promising for a better understanding of evolutionary trajectories of populations subjected to rapid adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Méline Saubin
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, IAM, Nancy, France
- Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Aurélien Tellier
- Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Solenn Stoeckel
- INRAE, Agrocampus Ouest, Université de Rennes, IGEPP, Le Rheu, France
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Lee JS, Kakishima M, Park JH, Shin HD, Choi YJ. Unraveling the Life Cycle of Nyssopsora cedrelae: A Study of Rust Diseases on Aralia elata and Toona sinensis. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:239. [PMID: 38667910 PMCID: PMC11051367 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040239] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Rust disease poses a major threat to global agriculture and forestry. It is caused by types of Pucciniales, which often require alternate hosts for their life cycles. Nyssopsora cedrelae was previously identified as a rust pathogen on Toona sinensis in East and Southeast Asia. Although this species had been reported to be autoecious, completing its life cycle solely on T. sinensis, we hypothesized that it has a heteroecious life cycle, requiring an alternate host, since the spermogonial and aecial stages on Aralia elata, a plant native to East Asia, are frequently observed around the same area where N. cedrelae causes rust disease on T. sinensis. Upon collecting rust samples from both A. elata and T. sinensis, we confirmed that the rust species from both tree species exhibited matching internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit (LSU) rDNA, and cytochrome oxidase subunit III (CO3) mtDNA sequences. Through cross-inoculations, we verified that aeciospores from A. elata produced a uredinial stage on T. sinensis. This study is the first report to clarify A. elata as an alternate host for N. cedrelae, thus providing initial evidence that the Nyssopsora species exhibits a heteroecious life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Sung Lee
- Department of Biological Science, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, Republic of Korea;
| | - Makoto Kakishima
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan;
| | - Ji-Hyun Park
- Department of Forestry, Environment and Systems, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hyeon-Dong Shin
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
| | - Young-Joon Choi
- Department of Biological Science, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, Republic of Korea;
- Center for Convergent Agrobioengineering, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, Republic of Korea
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Lubega J, Figueroa M, Dodds PN, Kanyuka K. Comparative Analysis of the Avirulence Effectors Produced by the Fungal Stem Rust Pathogen of Wheat. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2024; 37:171-178. [PMID: 38170736 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-10-23-0169-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Crops are constantly exposed to pathogenic microbes. Rust fungi are examples of these harmful microorganisms, which have a major economic impact on wheat production. To protect themselves from pathogens like rust fungi, plants employ a multilayered immune system that includes immunoreceptors encoded by resistance genes. Significant efforts have led to the isolation of numerous resistance genes against rust fungi in cereals, especially in wheat. However, the evolution of virulence of rust fungi hinders the durability of resistance genes as a strategy for crop protection. Rust fungi, like other biotrophic pathogens, secrete an arsenal of effectors to facilitate infection, and these are the molecules that plant immunoreceptors target for pathogen recognition and mounting defense responses. When recognized, these effector proteins are referred to as avirulence (Avr) effectors. Despite the many predicted effectors in wheat rust fungi, only five Avr genes have been identified, all from wheat stem rust. Knowledge of the Avr genes and their variation in the fungal population will inform deployment of the most appropriate wheat disease-resistance genes for breeding and farming. The review provides an overview of methodologies as well as the validation techniques that have been used to characterize Avr effectors from wheat stem rust. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jibril Lubega
- National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), Cambridge CB3 0LE, U.K
| | - Melania Figueroa
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Peter N Dodds
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Agriculture and Food, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Kostya Kanyuka
- National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), Cambridge CB3 0LE, U.K
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Panthi U, McCallum B, Kovalchuk I, Rampitsch C, Badea A, Yao Z, Bilichak A. Foliar application of plant-derived peptides decreases the severity of leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) infection in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2024; 22:100357. [PMID: 38494271 PMCID: PMC10903759 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2024.100357] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Screening and developing novel antifungal agents with minimal environmental impact are needed to maintain and increase crop production, which is constantly threatened by various pathogens. Small peptides with antimicrobial and antifungal activities have been known to play an important role in plant defense both at the pathogen level by suppressing its growth and proliferation as well as at the host level through activation or priming of the plant's immune system for a faster, more robust response against fungi. Rust fungi (Pucciniales) are plant pathogens that can infect key crops and overcome resistance genes introduced in elite wheat cultivars. RESULTS We performed an in vitro screening of 18 peptides predominantly of plant origin with antifungal or antimicrobial activity for their ability to inhibit leaf rust (Puccinia triticina, CCDS-96-14-1 isolate) urediniospore germination. Nine peptides demonstrated significant fungicidal properties compared to the control. Foliar application of the top three candidates, β-purothionin, Purothionin-α2 and Defensin-2, decreased the severity of leaf rust infection in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. Additionally, increased pathogen resistance was paralleled by elevated expression of defense-related genes. CONCLUSIONS Identified antifungal peptides could potentially be engineered in the wheat genome to provide an alternative source of genetic resistance to leaf rust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urbashi Panthi
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden Research and Development Centre, 101 Rte 100 #100, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, Canada
| | - Brent McCallum
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden Research and Development Centre, 101 Rte 100 #100, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, Canada
| | - Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Christof Rampitsch
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden Research and Development Centre, 101 Rte 100 #100, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, Canada
| | - Ana Badea
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon Research and Development Centre, 2701 Grand Valley Road, P.O. Box 1000A, Brandon, MB R7A 5Y3, Canada
| | - Zhen Yao
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden Research and Development Centre, 101 Rte 100 #100, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, Canada
| | - Andriy Bilichak
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden Research and Development Centre, 101 Rte 100 #100, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, Canada.
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8
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Letanneur C, Brisson A, Bisaillon M, Devèze T, Plourde MB, Schattat M, Duplessis S, Germain H. Host-Specific and Homologous Pairs of Melampsora larici-populina Effectors Unveil Novel Nicotiana benthamiana Stromule Induction Factors. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2024; 37:277-289. [PMID: 38148279 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-23-0148-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
The poplar rust fungus Melampsora larici-populina is part of one of the most devastating group of fungi (Pucciniales) and causes important economic losses to the poplar industry. Because M. larici-populina is a heteroecious obligate biotroph, its spread depends on its ability to carry out its reproductive cycle through larch and then poplar parasitism. Genomic approaches have identified more than 1,000 candidate secreted effector proteins (CSEPs) from the predicted secretome of M. larici-populina that are potentially implicated in the infection process. In this study, we selected CSEP pairs (and one triplet) among CSEP gene families that share high sequence homology but display specific gene expression profiles among the two distinct hosts. We determined their subcellular localization by confocal microscopy through expression in the heterologous plant system Nicotiana benthamiana. Five out of nine showed partial or complete chloroplastic localization. We also screened for potential protein interactors from larch and poplar by yeast two-hybrid assays. One pair of CSEPs and the triplet shared common interactors, whereas the members of the two other pairs did not have common targets from either host. Finally, stromule induction quantification revealed that two pairs and the triplet of CSEPs induced stromules when transiently expressed in N. benthamiana. The use of N. benthamiana eds1 and nrg1 knockout lines showed that CSEPs can induce stromules through an eds1-independent mechanism. However, CSEP homologs shared the same impact on stromule induction and contributed to discovering a new stromule induction cascade that can be partially and/or fully independent of eds1. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Letanneur
- Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Department, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Alexandre Brisson
- Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Department, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Mathias Bisaillon
- Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Department, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Théo Devèze
- Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Department, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Mélodie B Plourde
- Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Department, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G8Z 4M3, Canada
| | - Martin Schattat
- Plant Physiology Department, Martin Luther University, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | | | - Hugo Germain
- Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics Department, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G8Z 4M3, Canada
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Hewitt TC, Henningsen EC, Pereira D, McElroy K, Nazareno ES, Dugyala S, Nguyen-Phuc H, Li F, Miller ME, Visser B, Pretorius ZA, Boshoff WHP, Sperschneider J, Stukenbrock EH, Kianian SF, Dodds PN, Figueroa M. Genome-Enabled Analysis of Population Dynamics and Virulence-Associated Loci in the Oat Crown Rust Fungus Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2024; 37:290-303. [PMID: 37955552 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-23-0126-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca) is an important fungal pathogen causing crown rust that impacts oat production worldwide. Genetic resistance for crop protection against Pca is often overcome by the rapid virulence evolution of the pathogen. This study investigated the factors shaping adaptive evolution of Pca using pathogen populations from distinct geographic regions within the United States and South Africa. Phenotypic and genome-wide sequencing data of these diverse Pca collections, including 217 isolates, uncovered phylogenetic relationships and established distinct genetic composition between populations from northern and southern regions from the United States and South Africa. The population dynamics of Pca involve a bidirectional movement of inoculum between northern and southern regions of the United States and contributions from clonality and sexuality. The population from South Africa is solely clonal. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) employing a haplotype-resolved Pca reference genome was used to define 11 virulence-associated loci corresponding to 25 oat differential lines. These regions were screened to determine candidate Avr effector genes. Overall, the GWAS results allowed us to identify the underlying genetic factors controlling pathogen recognition in an oat differential set used in the United States to assign pathogen races (pathotypes). Key GWAS findings support complex genetic interactions in several oat lines, suggesting allelism among resistance genes or redundancy of genes included in the differential set, multiple resistance genes recognizing genetically linked Avr effector genes, or potentially epistatic relationships. A careful evaluation of the composition of the oat differential set accompanied by the development or implementation of molecular markers is recommended. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim C Hewitt
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Eva C Henningsen
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Danilo Pereira
- Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Kerensa McElroy
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Eric S Nazareno
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Sheshanka Dugyala
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Hoa Nguyen-Phuc
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Marisa E Miller
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Botma Visser
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Zacharias A Pretorius
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Willem H P Boshoff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Jana Sperschneider
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Eva H Stukenbrock
- Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Shahryar F Kianian
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
- USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, St. Paul, MN 55108, U.S.A
| | - Peter N Dodds
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Melania Figueroa
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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Liu M, Wang H, Lin Z, Ke J, Zhang P, Zhang F, Ru D, Zhang L, Xiao Y, Liu X. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inhibit necrotrophic, but not biotrophic, aboveground plant pathogens: a meta-analysis and experimental study. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:1308-1320. [PMID: 37964601 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19392] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Microbial mutualists can profoundly modify host species ecology and evolution, by extension altering interactions with other microbial species, including pathogens. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may moderate infections by pathogens, but the direction and strength of these effects can be idiosyncratic. To assess how the introduction of AMF impacts the incidence and severity of aboveground plant diseases (i.e. 'disease impact'), we conducted a meta-analysis of 130 comparisons derived from 69 published studies. To elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the influence of AMF on pathogens, we conducted three glasshouse experiments involving six non-woody plant species, yielded crucial data on leaf nutrient composition, plant defense compounds, and transcriptomes. Our meta-analysis revealed that the inoculation of AMF lead to a reduction in disease impact. More precisely, AMF inoculation was associated with a decrease in necrotrophic diseases, while no significant impact on biotrophic diseases. Chemical and transcriptome analyses suggested that these effects may be driven by AMF regulation of jasmonic acid and salicylic acid signaling pathways in glasshouse experiments. However, changes in plant nutritional status and secondary chemicals may also regulate disease impact. These results emphasize the importance of incorporating pathogen life history when predicting how microbial mutualisms affect disease impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Hongqian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ziyuan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Junsheng Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Dafu Ru
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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11
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Meng F, Tian C. Gene Family Expansion during the Adaptation of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides to Woody Plants. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1185. [PMID: 38132786 PMCID: PMC10744947 DOI: 10.3390/jof9121185] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene gains/losses during evolution are critical for the adaptation of organisms to new environments or hosts. However, it remains unknown whether gene family expansions facilitated the adaptation of phytopathogenic fungi to woody plants. In this study, we compared the newly sequenced genome of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides strain CFCC80308 with the genomes of two other C. gloeosporioides strains, Cg-14 and Lc-1, isolated from Persea americana and Liriodendron leaves, respectively. The genes in the expanded families, which were associated with plant surface signal recognition, encoded various proteins, including glycosyde hydrolases (GHs) and cytochrome P450. Interestingly, there was a substantial increase in the number of GH family genes in CFCC80308. Specifically, there were 368 enriched genes in the GH families (e.g., GH1, GH3, GH10, GH12, GH15, GH16, GH17, GH18, GH25, GH32, GH53, GH61, GH76, and GH81); the expression levels of these genes were highly up-regulated during the infection of poplar trees. Additionally, the GH17 family was larger in CFCC80308 than in C. gloeosporioides strains Cg-14 and Lc-1. Furthermore, the expansion of the MP65-encoding gene family during the adaptation of Colletotrichum species to woody plants was consistent with the importance of gene gains/losses for the adaptation of organisms to their environments. This study has clarified how C. gloeosporioides adapted to woody plants during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanli Meng
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chengming Tian
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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12
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Ettinger CL, Ostovar T, Yacoub M, Ahrendt S, Hice RH, Federici BA, Stajich JE. Genomes and transcriptomes help unravel the complex life cycle of the blastoclad fungus, Coelomomyces lativittatus, an obligate parasite of mosquitoes and microcrustaceans. Mycologia 2023; 115:630-647. [PMID: 37494633 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2023.2228182] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Species of the phylum Blastocladiomycota, early-diverging zoosporic (flagellated) lineages of fungi, are vastly understudied. This phylum includes the genus Coelomomyces, which consists of more than 80 fungal species that are obligate parasites of arthropods. Known Coelomomyces species lack a complete asexual life cycle, instead surviving through an obligate heterecious alternation of generations life cycle. Despite their global distribution and interesting life cycle, little is known about the genomics of any Coelomomyces species. To address this, we generated three draft-level genomes and annotations for C. lativittatus representing its haploid meiospore, orange gamete, and amber gamete life stages. These draft genome assemblies ranged in size from 5002 to 5799 contigs, with a total length of 19.8-22.8 Mb and a mean of 7416 protein-coding genes. We then demonstrated the utility of these genomes by combining the draft annotations as a reference for analysis of C. lativittatus transcriptomes. We analyzed transcriptomes from across host-associated life stages, including infected larvae and excised mature sporangia from the mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus. We identified differentially expressed genes and enriched GO terms both across and within life stages and used these to make hypotheses about C. lativittatus biology. Generally, we found the C. lativittatus transcriptome to be a complex and dynamic expression landscape; GO terms related to metabolism and transport processes were enriched during infection and terms related to dispersal were enriched during sporulation. We further identified five high mobility group (HMG)-box genes in C. lativittatus, three belonging to clades with mating type (MAT) loci from other fungi, as well as four ortholog expansions in C. lativittatus compared with other fungi. The C. lativittatus genomes and transcriptomes reported here are a valuable resource and may be leveraged toward furthering understanding of the biology of these and other early-diverging fungal lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Ettinger
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Talieh Ostovar
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
- UCR/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182
| | - Mark Yacoub
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Steven Ahrendt
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Robert H Hice
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Brian A Federici
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
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13
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Osuna-Caballero S, Olivoto T, Jiménez-Vaquero MA, Rubiales D, Rispail N. RGB image-based method for phenotyping rust disease progress in pea leaves using R. PLANT METHODS 2023; 19:86. [PMID: 37605206 PMCID: PMC10440949 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-023-01069-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rust is a damaging disease affecting vital crops, including pea, and identifying highly resistant genotypes remains a challenge. Accurate measurement of infection levels in large germplasm collections is crucial for finding new resistance sources. Current evaluation methods rely on visual estimation of disease severity and infection type under field or controlled conditions. While they identify some resistance sources, they are error-prone and time-consuming. An image analysis system proves useful, providing an easy-to-use and affordable way to quickly count and measure rust-induced pustules on pea samples. This study aimed to develop an automated image analysis pipeline for accurately calculating rust disease progression parameters under controlled conditions, ensuring reliable data collection. RESULTS A highly efficient and automatic image-based method for assessing rust disease in pea leaves was developed using R. The method's optimization and validation involved testing different segmentation indices and image resolutions on 600 pea leaflets with rust symptoms. The approach allows automatic estimation of parameters like pustule number, pustule size, leaf area, and percentage of pustule coverage. It reconstructs time series data for each leaf and integrates daily estimates into disease progression parameters, including latency period and area under the disease progression curve. Significant variation in disease responses was observed between genotypes using both visual ratings and image-based analysis. Among assessed segmentation indices, the Normalized Green Red Difference Index (NGRDI) proved fastest, analysing 600 leaflets at 60% resolution in 62 s with parallel processing. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient between image-based and visual pustule counting showed over 0.98 accuracy at full resolution. While lower resolution slightly reduced accuracy, differences were statistically insignificant for most disease progression parameters, significantly reducing processing time and storage space. NGRDI was optimal at all time points, providing highly accurate estimations with minimal accumulated error. CONCLUSIONS A new image-based method for monitoring pea rust disease in detached leaves, using RGB spectral indices segmentation and pixel value thresholding, improves resolution and precision. It rapidly analyses hundreds of images with accuracy comparable to visual methods and higher than other image-based approaches. This method evaluates rust progression in pea, eliminating rater-induced errors from traditional methods. Implementing this approach to evaluate large germplasm collections will improve our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions and aid future breeding for novel pea cultivars with increased rust resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tiago Olivoto
- Department of Plant Science, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88034-000, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Diego Rubiales
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, CSIC, Av. Menéndez Pidal s/n 14004, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Nicolas Rispail
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, CSIC, Av. Menéndez Pidal s/n 14004, Córdoba, Spain
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Zhan G, Guo J, Tian Y, Ji F, Bai X, Zhao J, Guo J, Kang Z. High-throughput RNA sequencing reveals differences between the transcriptomes of the five spore forms of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, the wheat stripe rust pathogen. STRESS BIOLOGY 2023; 3:29. [PMID: 37676525 PMCID: PMC10441873 DOI: 10.1007/s44154-023-00107-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
The devastating wheat stripe (yellow) rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a macrocyclic and heteroecious fungus. Pst produces urediniospores and teliospores on its primary host, wheat, and pycniospores and aeciospores are produced on its alternate hosts, barberry (Berberis spp.) or mahonia (Mahonia spp.). Basidiospores are developed from teliospores and infect alternate hosts. These five spore forms play distinct roles in Pst infection, disease development, and fungal survival, etc. However, the specific genes and mechanisms underlying these functional differences are largely unknown. In this study, we performed, for the first time in rust fungi, the deep RNA sequencing to examine the transcriptomic shift among all five Pst spore forms. Among a total of 29,591 identified transcripts, 951 were specifically expressed in basidiospores, whereas 920, 761, 266, and 110 were specific for teliospores, pycniospores, aeciospores, and urediniospores, respectively. Additionally, transcriptomes of sexual spores, namely pycniospores and basidiospores, showed significant differences from those of asexual spores (urediniospores, teliospores, and aeciospores), and transcriptomes of urediniospores and aeciospores were more similar to each other than to the three other spore forms. Especially, the basidiospores and pycniospores which infected the berberis shows wide differences in the cell wall degrading-enzymes and mating and pheromone response genes. Besides, we also found that there are 6234 differential expressed genes between the urediniospores and pycniospores, while only have 3 genes have alternative splicing enents, suggesting that differential genes expression may make more contribution than AS. This comprehensive transcriptome profiling can substantially improve our understanding of the developmental biology of the wheat stripe rust fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gangming Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Jia Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
- School of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, P.R. China
| | - Fan Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Xingxuan Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Jing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Jun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China.
| | - Zhensheng Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China.
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Inoue Y, Phuong Vy TT, Singkaravanit-Ogawa S, Zhang R, Yamada K, Ogawa T, Ishizuka J, Narusaka Y, Takano Y. Selective deployment of virulence effectors correlates with host specificity in a fungal plant pathogen. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:1578-1592. [PMID: 36939621 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The hemibiotrophic fungal plant pathogen Colletotrichum orbiculare is predicted to secrete hundreds of effector proteins when the pathogen infects cucurbit crops, such as cucumber and melon, and tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana), a distantly related Solanaceae species. Here, we report the identification of sets of C. orbiculare effector genes that are differentially required for fungal virulence to two phylogenetically distant host species. Through targeted gene knockout screening of C. orbiculare 'core' effector candidates defined based on in planta gene expression, we identified: four host-specific virulence effectors (named effector proteins for cucurbit infection, or EPCs) that are required for full virulence of C. orbiculare to cucurbit hosts, but not to the Solanaceae host N. benthamiana; and five host-nonspecific virulence effectors, which collectively contribute to fungal virulence to both hosts. During host infection, only a small subset of genes, including the host-specific EPC effector genes, showed preferential expression on one of the hosts, while gene expression profiles of the majority of other genes, including the five host-nonspecific effector genes, were common to both hosts. This work suggests that C. orbiculare adopts a host-specific effector deployment strategy, in addition to general host-blind virulence mechanisms, for adaptation to cucurbit hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Inoue
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | | | | | - Ru Zhang
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kohji Yamada
- Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, 770-8513, Japan
| | - Taiki Ogawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Junya Ishizuka
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Narusaka
- Research Institute for Biological Sciences, Okayama Prefectural Technology Center for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Okayama, 716-1241, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Takano
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
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Shao C, Tao S, Liang Y. Comparative transcriptome analysis of juniper branches infected by Gymnosporangium spp. highlights their different infection strategies associated with cytokinins. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:173. [PMID: 37020280 PMCID: PMC10077639 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09276-7] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gymnosporangium asiaticum and G. yamadae can share Juniperus chinensis as the telial host, but the symptoms are completely different. The infection of G. yamadae causes the enlargement of the phloem and cortex of young branches as a gall, but not for G. asiaticum, suggesting that different molecular interaction mechanisms exist the two Gymnosporangium species with junipers. RESULTS Comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to investigate genes regulation of juniper in responses to the infections of G. asiaticum and G. yamadae at different stages. Functional enrichment analysis showed that genes related to transport, catabolism and transcription pathways were up-regulated, while genes related to energy metabolism and photosynthesis were down-regulated in juniper branch tissues after infection with G. asiaticum and G. yamadae. The transcript profiling of G. yamadae-induced gall tissues revealed that more genes involved in photosynthesis, sugar metabolism, plant hormones and defense-related pathways were up-regulated in the vigorous development stage of gall compared to the initial stage, and were eventually repressed overall. Furthermore, the concentration of cytokinins (CKs) in the galls tissue and the telia of G. yamadae was significantly higher than in healthy branch tissues of juniper. As well, tRNA-isopentenyltransferase (tRNA-IPT) was identified in G. yamadae with highly expression levels during the gall development stages. CONCLUSIONS In general, our study provided new insights into the host-specific mechanisms by which G. asiaticum and G. yamadae differentially utilize CKs and specific adaptations on juniper during their co-evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Shao
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Siqi Tao
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yingmei Liang
- Museum of Beijing Forestry University, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35, Qinghua Eastern Road, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Dias MG, Spósito MB, Tessmer MA, Appezzato-da-Glória B. Investigating Biochemical and Histopathological Responses between Raspberries and Aculeastrum americanum. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9030337. [PMID: 36983505 PMCID: PMC10054533 DOI: 10.3390/jof9030337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Late leaf rust is a fungal disease in raspberries caused by Aculeastrum americanum (Farl.) M. Scholler U. Braun (syn. Thekopsora americana (Farl.) Aime McTaggart) leading to early defoliation and yield losses. Red raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) are susceptible to this pathogen, although this susceptibility varies among cultivars. In contrast, black raspberries were previously reported to be more resistant (Rubus occidentalis L.) and immune (Rubus niveus Thunb.) to this pathogen, raising their importance in plant breeding programs. However, what features make them respond differently to the same pathogen? In this study, we characterize for the first time the pre- and post-formed structural and biochemical defense mechanisms of R. idaeus cv. Autumn Bliss, R. occidentalis and R. niveus. Ultrastructural and histopathological analyses were used to uncover the interactions between these raspberries and A. americanum. The ultrastructural results indicate that the pathogen germinates on both leaf surfaces but can only form appressoria on the stomata. Although the three raspberry species were infected and colonized by A. americanum, a clear difference in susceptibility was observed between them. A compact mesophyll, pre- and post-formed phenolic compounds, and post-formed pectic compounds were the main plant defense mechanisms against fungal colonization. These findings provide new information about raspberries’ defense mechanisms in response to A. americanum and elucidate the interactions occurring in these pathosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcia Gonçalves Dias
- Biological Sciences Department, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcel Bellato Spósito
- Crop Science Department, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Magda Andréia Tessmer
- Biological Sciences Department, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Appezzato-da-Glória
- Biological Sciences Department, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Guerillot P, Salamov A, Louet C, Morin E, Frey P, Grigoriev IV, Duplessis S. A Remarkable Expansion of Oligopeptide Transporter Genes in Rust Fungi (Pucciniales) Suggests a Specialization in Nutrient Acquisition for Obligate Biotrophy. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 113:252-264. [PMID: 36044359 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-04-22-0128-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient acquisition by rust fungi during their biotrophic growth has been assigned to a few transporters expressed in haustorial infection structures. We performed a comparative genomic analysis of all transporter genes (hereafter termed transportome) classified according to the Transporter Classification Database, focusing specifically on rust fungi (order Pucciniales) versus other species in the Dikarya. We also surveyed expression of transporter genes in the poplar rust fungus for which transcriptomics data are available across the whole life cycle. Despite a significant increase in gene number, rust fungi presented a reduced transportome compared with most fungi in the Dikarya. However, a few transporter families in the subclass Porters showed significant expansions. Notably, three metal transport-related families involved in the import, export, and sequestration of metals were expanded in Pucciniales and expressed at various stages of the rust life cycle, suggesting a tight regulation of metal homeostasis. The most remarkable gene expansion in the Pucciniales was observed for the oligopeptide transporter (OPT) family, with 25 genes on average compared with seven to 14 genes in the other surveyed taxonomical ranks. A phylogenetic analysis showed several specific expansion events at the root of the order Pucciniales with subsequent expansions in rust taxonomical families. The OPT genes showed dynamic expression patterns along the rust life cycle and more particularly during infection of the poplar host tree, suggesting a possible specialization for the acquisition of nitrogen and sulfur through the transport of oligopeptides from the host during biotrophic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Guerillot
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR 1136 IAM, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Asaf Salamov
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A
| | - Clémentine Louet
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR 1136 IAM, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Emmanuelle Morin
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR 1136 IAM, 54000 Nancy, France
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A
| | - Pascal Frey
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR 1136 IAM, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Igor V Grigoriev
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A
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Petre B, Duplessis S. A decade after the first Pucciniales genomes: A bibliometric snapshot of (post) genomics studies in three model rust fungi. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:989580. [PMID: 36187960 PMCID: PMC9515648 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.989580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pucciniales (rust fungi) are one of the largest fungal order of plant pathogens. They collectively infect key crops such as wheat and soybean, and threaten global food security. In the early 2010s, the genome sequences of three rust fungi were released: Melampsora larici-populina (the poplar leaf rust fungus), Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (the wheat stem rust fungus), and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. triciti (the wheat stripe rust or wheat yellow rust fungus). The availability of those genomes has forwarded rust biology into the post-genomic era, sparking a series of genomics, transcriptomics, in silico, and functional studies. Here, we snapshot the last 10 years of post-genomics studies addressing M. larici-populina, P. graminis f. sp. tritici, and/or P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. This mini-review notably reveals the model species-centered structure of the research community, and highlights the drastic increase of the number of functional studies focused on effectors since 2014, which notably revealed chloroplasts as a central host compartment targeted by rust fungi. This mini-review also discusses genomics-facilitated studies in other rust species, and emerging post-genomic research trends related to fully-phased rust genomes.
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Xia C, Qiu A, Wang M, Liu T, Chen W, Chen X. Current Status and Future Perspectives of Genomics Research in the Rust Fungi. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179629. [PMID: 36077025 PMCID: PMC9456177 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rust fungi in Pucciniales have caused destructive plant epidemics, have become more aggressive with new virulence, rapidly adapt to new environments, and continually threaten global agriculture. With the rapid advancement of genome sequencing technologies and data analysis tools, genomics research on many of the devastating rust fungi has generated unprecedented insights into various aspects of rust biology. In this review, we first present a summary of the main findings in the genomics of rust fungi related to variations in genome size and gene composition between and within species. Then we show how the genomics of rust fungi has promoted our understanding of the pathogen virulence and population dynamics. Even with great progress, many questions still need to be answered. Therefore, we introduce important perspectives with emphasis on the genome evolution and host adaptation of rust fungi. We believe that the comparative genomics and population genomics of rust fungi will provide a further understanding of the rapid evolution of virulence and will contribute to monitoring the population dynamics for disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongjing Xia
- Wheat Research Institute, School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: (C.X.); (X.C.); Tel.: +86-13880134318 (C.X.); +1-509-335-8086 (X.C.)
| | - Age Qiu
- Wheat Research Institute, School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
| | - Meinan Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6430, USA
| | - Taiguo Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wanquan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xianming Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6430, USA
- Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164-6430, USA
- Correspondence: (C.X.); (X.C.); Tel.: +86-13880134318 (C.X.); +1-509-335-8086 (X.C.)
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21
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Shao C, Lao W, Liang Y. Reference Genes Selection of Gymnosporangium yamadae during the Interaction with Apple Leaves. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080830. [PMID: 36012818 PMCID: PMC9409963 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Apple rust disease caused by Gymnosporangium yamadae is the one of the major threats to the development of the apple industry in China, but the pathogenic molecular mechanism of the disease remains unclear. It is imperative to screen out appropriate reference genes during the interaction between G. yamadae and apple leaves to analyze the gene expression patterns during the pathogenesis of G. yamadae. ACT, EF1, EF2, GAPDH, 40S, 60S, α-TUB, β-TUB and UBCE3 were selected as candidate reference genes based on the transcriptomic dataset of G. yamadae. The expression levels were tested by real-time quantitative PCR during time-course infection of apple leaves and the expression stabilities were evaluated by △Ct method as well as by three software (NormFinder, geNorm and BestKeeper) and one web-based analysis software (RefFinder). The expression stability of the candidate reference genes was further validated by using the effector candidate gene Cluster-3395.48660 as the target gene in RT-qPCR. According to the results by △Ct and BestKeeper, 40S, EF2 and EF1 were the most stable reference genes, while EF1, EF2 and GAPDH were the most stable reference genes based on the NormFinder analysis result. The geNorm recommended the most stable genes EF1, EF2 and α-TUB as reference genes. Comprehensive analysis results of the RefFinder indicated EF1, EF2 and α-TUB were the most suitable genes. Based on these results, EF1, EF2 and α-TUB were considered as reference genes for analyzing the gene expression profiles of Cluster-3395.48660 in different infection stages, and the results were consistent with the transcriptome data. All the results suggest that the combination of EF1, EF2 and α-TUB proved to be acceptable reference genes during the interaction between G. yamadae and apple leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Shao
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Wenhao Lao
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yingmei Liang
- Museum of Beijing Forestry University, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Correspondence:
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22
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Comparative Genome Analyses of Plant Rust Pathogen Genomes Reveal a Confluence of Pathogenicity Factors to Quell Host Plant Defense Responses. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11151962. [PMID: 35956440 PMCID: PMC9370660 DOI: 10.3390/plants11151962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Switchgrass rust caused by Puccinia novopanici (P. novopanici) has the ability to significantly affect the biomass yield of switchgrass, an important biofuel crop in the United States. A comparative genome analysis of P. novopanici with rust pathogen genomes infecting monocot cereal crops wheat, barley, oats, maize and sorghum revealed the presence of larger structural variations contributing to their genome sizes. A comparative alignment of the rust pathogen genomes resulted in the identification of collinear and syntenic relationships between P. novopanici and P. sorghi; P. graminis tritici 21–0 (Pgt 21) and P. graminis tritici Ug99 (Pgt Ug99) and between Pgt 21 and P. triticina (Pt). Repeat element analysis indicated a strong presence of retro elements among different Puccinia genomes, contributing to the genome size variation between ~1 and 3%. A comparative look at the enriched protein families of Puccinia spp. revealed a predominant role of restriction of telomere capping proteins (RTC), disulfide isomerases, polysaccharide deacetylases, glycoside hydrolases, superoxide dismutases and multi-copper oxidases (MCOs). All the proteomes of Puccinia spp. share in common a repertoire of 75 secretory and 24 effector proteins, including glycoside hydrolases cellobiohydrolases, peptidyl-propyl isomerases, polysaccharide deacetylases and protein disulfide-isomerases, that remain central to their pathogenicity. Comparison of the predicted effector proteins from Puccinia spp. genomes to the validated proteins from the Pathogen–Host Interactions database (PHI-base) resulted in the identification of validated effector proteins PgtSR1 (PGTG_09586) from P. graminis and Mlp124478 from Melampsora laricis across all the rust pathogen genomes.
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23
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Louet C, Blot C, Shelest E, Guerillot P, Zannini F, Pétrowski J, Frey P, Duplessis S. Annotation survey and life-cycle transcriptomics of transcription factors in rust fungi (Pucciniales) identify a possible role for cold shock proteins in dormancy exit. Fungal Genet Biol 2022; 161:103698. [PMID: 35483517 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103698] [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: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fungi of the order Pucciniales are obligate plant biotrophs causing rust diseases. They exhibit a complex life cycle with the production of up to five spore types, infection of two unrelated hosts and an overwintering stage. Transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators of gene expression in eukaryote cells. In order to better understand genetic programs expressed during major transitions of the rust life cycle, we surveyed the complement of TFs in fungal genomes with an emphasis on Pucciniales. We found that despite their large gene numbers, rust genomes have a reduced repertoire of TFs compared to other fungi. The proportions of C2H2 and Zinc cluster -two of the most represented TF families in fungi- indicate differences in their evolutionary relationships in Pucciniales and other fungal taxa. The regulatory gene family encoding cold shock protein (CSP) showed a striking expansion in Pucciniomycotina with specific duplications in the order Pucciniales. The survey of expression profiles collected by transcriptomics along the life cycle of the poplar rust fungus revealed TF genes related to major biological transitions, e.g. response to environmental cues and host infection. Particularly, poplar rust CSPs were strongly expressed in basidia produced after the overwintering stage suggesting a possible role in dormancy exit. Expression during transition from dormant telia to basidia confirmed the specific expression of the three poplar rust CSP genes. Their heterologous expression in yeast improved cell growth after cold stress exposure, suggesting a probable regulatory function when the poplar rust fungus exits dormancy. This study addresses for the first time TF and regulatory genes involved in developmental transition in the rust life cycle opening perspectives to further explore molecular regulation in the biology of the Pucciniales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carla Blot
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, IAM, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Ekaterina Shelest
- School of biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry 1 Street, PO1 D2Y, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Pascal Frey
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, IAM, F-54000 Nancy, France
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24
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van Dijk LJA, Ehrlén J, Tack AJM. The relationship between pathogen life-history traits and metapopulation dynamics. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:2585-2598. [PMID: 34997974 PMCID: PMC9306763 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plant pathogen traits, such as transmission mode and overwintering strategy, may have important effects on dispersal and persistence, and drive disease dynamics. Still, we lack insights into how life-history traits influence spatiotemporal disease dynamics. We adopted a multifaceted approach, combining experimental assays, theory and field surveys, to investigate whether information about two pathogen life-history traits - infectivity and overwintering strategy - can predict pathogen metapopulation dynamics in natural systems. For this, we focused on four fungal pathogens (two rust fungi, one chytrid fungus and one smut fungus) on the forest herb Anemone nemorosa. Pathogens infecting new plants mostly via spores (the chytrid and smut fungi) had higher patch occupancies and colonization rates than pathogens causing mainly systemic infections and overwintering in the rhizomes (the two rust fungi). Although the rust fungi more often occupied well-connected plant patches, the chytrid and smut fungi were equally or more common in isolated patches. Host patch size was positively related to patch occupancy and colonization rates for all pathogens. Predicting disease dynamics is crucial for understanding the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of host-pathogen interactions, and to prevent disease outbreaks. Our study shows that combining experiments, theory and field observations is a useful way to predict disease dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. A. van Dijk
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversitySE‐106 91StockholmSweden
| | - Johan Ehrlén
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversitySE‐106 91StockholmSweden
| | - Ayco J. M. Tack
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversitySE‐106 91StockholmSweden
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25
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Louet C, Saubin M, Andrieux A, Persoons A, Gorse M, Pétrowski J, Fabre B, De Mita S, Duplessis S, Frey P, Halkett F. A point mutation and large deletion at the candidate avirulence locus AvrMlp7 in the poplar rust fungus correlate with poplar RMlp7 resistance breakdown. Mol Ecol 2021; 32:2472-2483. [PMID: 34843142 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The deployment of plant varieties carrying resistance genes (R) exerts strong selection pressure on pathogen populations. Rapidly evolving avirulence genes (Avr) allow pathogens to escape R-mediated plant immunity through a variety of mechanisms, leading to virulence. The poplar rust fungus Melampsora larici-populina is a damaging pathogen of poplars in Europe. It underwent a major adaptive event in 1994, with the breakdown of the poplar RMlp7 resistance gene. Population genomics studies identified a locus in the genome of M. larici-populina that probably corresponds to the candidate avirulence gene AvrMlp7. Here, to further characterize this effector, we used a population genetics approach on a comprehensive set of 281 individuals recovered throughout a 28-year period encompassing the resistance breakdown event. Using two dedicated molecular tools, genotyping at the candidate locus highlighted two different alterations of a predominant allele found mainly before the resistance breakdown: a nonsynonymous mutation and a complete deletion of this locus. This results in six diploid genotypes: three genotypes related to the avirulent phenotype and three related to the virulent phenotype. The temporal survey of the candidate locus revealed that both alterations were found in association during the resistance breakdown event. They pre-existed before the breakdown in a heterozygous state with the predominant allele cited above. Altogether, these results suggest that the association of both alterations at the candidate locus AvrMlp7 drove the poplar rust adaptation to RMlp7-mediated immunity. This study demonstrates for the first time a case of adaptation from standing genetic variation in rust fungi during a qualitative resistance breakdown.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Pascal Frey
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, IAM, Nancy, France
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26
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Balotf S, Wilson R, Tegg RS, Nichols DS, Wilson CR. In Planta Transcriptome and Proteome Profiles of Spongospora subterranea in Resistant and Susceptible Host Environments Illuminates Regulatory Principles Underlying Host-Pathogen Interaction. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10090840. [PMID: 34571717 PMCID: PMC8471823 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Infections of potato tubers and roots by Spongospora subterranea result in powdery scab and root diseases. Losses due to infections with S. subterranea are substantial in most potato-growing regions of the world with no fully effective treatments available. Understanding the gene regulation of pathogens in their host is dependent on multidimensional datasets. In this study, we profiled the transcriptome and proteome of S. subterranea within the susceptible and resistant host. Enzyme activity and nucleic acid metabolism appear to be important to the virulence of S. subterranea. Our results provide a good resource for future functional studies of powdery scab and might be useful in S. subterranea inoculum management. Abstract Spongospora subterranea is an obligate biotrophic pathogen, causing substantial economic loss to potato industries globally. Currently, there are no fully effective management strategies for the control of potato diseases caused by S. subterranea. To further our understanding of S. subterranea biology during infection, we characterized the transcriptome and proteome of the pathogen during the invasion of roots of a susceptible and a resistant potato cultivar. A total of 7650 transcripts from S. subterranea were identified in the transcriptome analysis in which 1377 transcripts were differentially expressed between two cultivars. In proteome analysis, we identified 117 proteins with 42 proteins significantly changed in comparisons between resistant and susceptible cultivars. The functional annotation of transcriptome data indicated that the gene ontology terms related to the transportation and actin processes were induced in the resistant cultivar. The downregulation of enzyme activity and nucleic acid metabolism in the resistant cultivar suggests a probable influence of these processes in the virulence of S. subterranea. The protein analysis results indicated that the majority of differentially expressed proteins were related to the metabolic processes and transporter activity. The present study provides a comprehensive molecular insight into the multiple layers of gene regulation that contribute to S. subterranea infection and development in planta and illuminates the role of host immunity in affecting pathogen responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadegh Balotf
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, New Town Research Laboratories, University of Tasmania, New Town, TAS 7008, Australia; (S.B.); (R.S.T.)
| | - Richard Wilson
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia; (R.W.); (D.S.N.)
| | - Robert S. Tegg
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, New Town Research Laboratories, University of Tasmania, New Town, TAS 7008, Australia; (S.B.); (R.S.T.)
| | - David S. Nichols
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia; (R.W.); (D.S.N.)
| | - Calum R. Wilson
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, New Town Research Laboratories, University of Tasmania, New Town, TAS 7008, Australia; (S.B.); (R.S.T.)
- Correspondence:
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