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Liang X, Yu W, Meng Y, Shang S, Tian H, Zhang Z, Rollins JA, Zhang R, Sun G. Genome comparisons reveal accessory genes crucial for the evolution of apple Glomerella leaf spot pathogenicity in Colletotrichum fungi. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2024; 25:e13454. [PMID: 38619507 PMCID: PMC11018114 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Apple Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) is an emerging fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum fructicola and other Colletotrichum species. These species are polyphyletic and it is currently unknown how these pathogens convergently evolved to infect apple. We generated chromosome-level genome assemblies of a GLS-adapted isolate and a non-adapted isolate in C. fructicola using long-read sequencing. Additionally, we resequenced 17 C. fructicola and C. aenigma isolates varying in GLS pathogenicity using short-read sequencing. Genome comparisons revealed a conserved bipartite genome architecture involving minichromosomes (accessory chromosomes) shared by C. fructicola and other closely related species within the C. gloeosporioides species complex. Moreover, two repeat-rich genomic regions (1.61 Mb in total) were specifically conserved among GLS-pathogenic isolates in C. fructicola and C. aenigma. Single-gene deletion of 10 accessory genes within the GLS-specific regions of C. fructicola identified three that were essential for GLS pathogenicity. These genes encoded a putative non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, a flavin-binding monooxygenase and a small protein with unknown function. These results highlight the crucial role accessory genes play in the evolution of Colletotrichum pathogenicity and imply the significance of an unidentified secondary metabolite in GLS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Wei Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Yanan Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Shengping Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Huanhuan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Zhaohui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | | | - Rong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Guangyu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid AreasCollege of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
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Wei H, Zhong Z, Li Z, Zhang Y, Stukenbrock EH, Tang B, Yang N, Baroncelli R, Peng L, Liu Z, He X, Yang Y, Yuan Z. Loss of the accessory chromosome converts a pathogenic tree-root fungus into a mutualistic endophyte. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100672. [PMID: 37563834 PMCID: PMC10811371 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Some fungal accessory chromosomes (ACs) may contribute to virulence in plants. However, the mechanisms by which ACs determine specific traits associated with lifestyle transitions along a symbiotic continuum are not clear. Here we delineated the genetic divergence in two sympatric but considerably variable isolates (16B and 16W) of the poplar-associated fungus Stagonosporopsis rhizophilae. We identified a ∼0.6-Mb horizontally acquired AC in 16W that resulted in a mildly parasitic lifestyle in plants. Complete deletion of the AC (Δ16W) significantly altered the fungal phenotype. Specifically, Δ16W was morphologically more similar to 16B, showed enhanced melanization, and established beneficial interactions with poplar plants, thereby acting as a dark septate endophyte. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis showed that AC loss induced the upregulation of genes related to root colonization and biosynthesis of indole acetic acid and melanin. We observed that the AC maintained a more open status of chromatin across the genome, indicating an impressive remodeling of cis-regulatory elements upon AC loss, which potentially enhanced symbiotic effectiveness. We demonstrated that the symbiotic capacities were non-host-specific through comparable experiments on Triticum- and Arabidopsis-fungus associations. Furthermore, the three isolates generated symbiotic interactions with a nonvascular liverwort. In summary, our study suggests that the AC is a suppressor of symbiosis and provides insights into the underlying mechanisms of mutualism with vascular plants in the absence of traits encoded by the AC. We speculate that AC-situated effectors and other potential secreted molecules may have evolved to specifically target vascular plants and promote mild virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanshen Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Zhenhui Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhongfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Eva H Stukenbrock
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University, 24118 Kiel, Germany; Max Planck Fellow Group Environmental Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany.
| | - Boping Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, School of Wetlands, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224002, China
| | - Ningning Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Riccardo Baroncelli
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Long Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Xinghua He
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Yuzhan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Zhilin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China.
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Wang H, Huang R, Ren J, Tang L, Huang S, Chen X, Fan J, Li B, Wang Q, Hsiang T, Liu H, Li Q. The evolution of mini-chromosomes in the fungal genus Colletotrichum. mBio 2023; 14:e0062923. [PMID: 37283539 PMCID: PMC10470602 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00629-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthracnose diseases caused by Colletotrichum species are among the most common fungal diseases. These symptoms typically manifest as dark, sunken lesions on leaves, stems, and fruit. In China, mango anthracnose seriously affects fruit yield and quality. Genome sequencing of several species shows the presence of mini-chromosomes. These are thought to contribute to virulence, but their formation and activity remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we assembled 17 Colletotrichum genomes (16 isolated from mango plus one from persimmon) through PacBio long-read sequencing. Half of the assembled scaffolds had telomeric repeats at both ends indicating full-length chromosomes. Based on comparative genomics analysis at interspecies and intraspecies levels, we identified extensive chromosomal rearrangements events. We analyzed mini-chromosomes of Colletotrichum spp. and found large variation among close relatives. In C. fructicola, homology between core chromosomes and mini-chromosomes suggested that some mini-chromosomes were generated by recombination of core chromosomes. In C. musae GZ23-3, we found 26 horizontally transferred genes arranged in clusters on mini-chromosomes. In C. asianum FJ11-1, several potential pathogenesis-related genes on mini-chromosomes were upregulated, especially in strains with highly pathogenic phenotypes. Mutants of these upregulated genes showed obvious defects in virulence. Our findings provide insights into the evolution and potential relationships to virulence associated with mini-chromosomes. IMPORTANCE Colletotrichum is a cosmopolitan fungal genus that seriously affects fruit yield and quality of many plant species. Mini-chromosomes have been found to be related to virulence in Colletotrichum. Further examination of mini-chromosomes can help us elucidate some pathogenic mechanisms of Colletotrichum. In this study, we generated novel assemblies of several Colletotrichum strains. Comparative genomic analyses within and between Colletotrichum species were conducted. We then identified mini-chromosomes in our sequenced strains systematically. The characteristics and generation of mini-chromosomes were investigated. Transcriptome analysis and gene knockout revealed pathogenesis-related genes located on mini-chromosomes of C. asianum FJ11-1. This study represents the most comprehensive investigation of chromosome evolution and potential pathogenicity of mini-chromosomes in the Colletotrichum genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rong Huang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biology for Crop Diseases and Insect Pests, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jingyi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lihua Tang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biology for Crop Diseases and Insect Pests, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Suiping Huang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biology for Crop Diseases and Insect Pests, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaolin Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biology for Crop Diseases and Insect Pests, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jun Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bintao Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qinhu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tom Hsiang
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Huiquan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qili Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biology for Crop Diseases and Insect Pests, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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Alkemade JA, Baroncelli R, Messmer MM, Hohmann P. Attack of the clones: Population genetics reveals clonality of Colletotrichum lupini, the causal agent of lupin anthracnose. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:616-627. [PMID: 37078402 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Colletotrichum lupini, the causative agent of lupin anthracnose, affects lupin cultivation worldwide. Understanding its population structure and evolutionary potential is crucial to design successful disease management strategies. The objective of this study was to employ population genetics to investigate the diversity, evolutionary dynamics, and molecular basis of the interaction of this notorious lupin pathogen with its host. A collection of globally representative C. lupini isolates was genotyped through triple digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, resulting in a data set of unparalleled resolution. Phylogenetic and structural analysis could distinguish four independent lineages (I-IV). The strong population structure and high overall standardized index of association (r̅d ) indicates that C. lupini reproduces clonally. Different morphologies and virulence patterns on white lupin (Lupinus albus) and Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) were observed between and within clonal lineages. Isolates belonging to lineage II were shown to have a minichromosome that was also partly present in lineage III and IV, but not in lineage I isolates. Variation in the presence of this minichromosome could imply a role in host-pathogen interaction. All four lineages were present in the South American Andes region, which is suggested to be the centre of origin of this species. Only members of lineage II have been found outside South America since the 1990s, indicating it as the current pandemic population. As a seedborne pathogen, C. lupini has mainly spread through infected but symptomless seeds, stressing the importance of phytosanitary measures to prevent future outbreaks of strains that are yet confined to South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris A Alkemade
- Department of Crop Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Riccardo Baroncelli
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Enviromental Technology, Università di Napoli Federico II, Portici, 80055, Italy
| | - Monika M Messmer
- Department of Crop Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Hohmann
- Department of Crop Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
- Bonaplanta, BioCrops Innovations SL, Manresa, Spain
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Hsieh DK, Chuang SC, Chen CY, Chao YT, Lu MYJ, Lee MH, Shih MC. Comparative Genomics of Three Colletotrichum scovillei Strains and Genetic Analysis Revealed Genes Involved in Fungal Growth and Virulence on Chili Pepper. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:818291. [PMID: 35154058 PMCID: PMC8828978 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.818291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colletotrichum scovillei causes anthracnose of chili pepper in many countries. Three strains of this pathogen, Coll-524, Coll-153, and Coll-365, show varied virulence on chili pepper. Among the three strains, Coll-365 showed significant defects in growth and virulence. To decipher the genetic variations among these strains and identify genes contributing to growth and virulence, comparative genomic analysis and gene transformation to show gene function were applied in this study. Compared to Coll-524, Coll-153, and Coll-365 had numerous gene losses including 32 candidate effector genes that are mainly exist in acutatum species complex. A cluster of 14 genes in a 34-kb genomic fragment was lost in Coll-365. Through gene transformation, three genes in the 34-kb fragment were identified to have functions in growth and/or virulence of C. scovillei. CsPLAA encoding a phospholipase A2-activating protein enhanced the growth of Coll-365. A combination of CsPLAA with one transcription factor CsBZTF and one C6 zinc finger domain-containing protein CsCZCP was found to enhance the pathogenicity of Coll-365. Introduction of CsGIP, which encodes a hypothetical protein, into Coll-365 caused a reduction in the germination rate of Coll-365. In conclusion, the highest virulent strain Coll-524 had more genes and encoded more pathogenicity related proteins and transposable elements than the other two strains, which may contribute to the high virulence of Coll-524. In addition, the absence of the 34-kb fragment plays a critical role in the defects of growth and virulence of strain Coll-365.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai-Keng Hsieh
- Ph.D. Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
- Advanced Plant Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Cheng Chuang
- Ph.D. Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yi Chen
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Chao
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yeh Jade Lu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Miin-Huey Lee
- Ph.D. Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
- Advanced Plant Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Miin-Huey Lee,
| | - Ming-Che Shih
- Ph.D. Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Ming-Che Shih,
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