Journal Article

Sex and parasites: genomic and transcriptomic analysis of Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae, the biotrophic and plant-castrating anther smut fungus

Zeng, Qiandong, Giraud, Tatiana, Chen, Zehua, Gabaldón, Toni, Badouin, Helene, Petit, Elsa, Fontanillas, Eric, Goldberg, Jonathan, Aguileta, Gabriela, Quesneville, Hadi, Toh, Su San, Amselem, Joelle, Duplessis, Sebastien, Henrissat, Bernard, Schultz, David J., Young, Sarah, Cuomo, Christina A., Perlin, Michael H, Andrews, Jared, Razeeq, Dominique, Hood, Michael E.

2015

Overview

Background The genus Microbotryum includes plant pathogenic fungi afflicting a wide variety of hosts with anther smut disease. Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae infects Silene latifolia and replaces host pollen with fungal spores, exhibiting biotrophy and necrosis associated with altering plant development. Results We determined the haploid genome sequence for M. lychnidis-dioicae and analyzed whole transcriptome data from plant infections and other stages of the fungal lifecycle, revealing the inventory and expression level of genes that facilitate pathogenic growth. Compared to related fungi, an expanded number of major facilitator superfamily transporters and secretory lipases were detected; lipase gene expression was found to be altered by exposure to lipid compounds, which signaled a switch to dikaryotic, pathogenic growth. In addition, while enzymes to digest cellulose, xylan, xyloglucan, and highly substituted forms of pectin were absent, along with depletion of peroxidases and superoxide dismutases that protect the fungus from oxidative stress, the repertoire of glycosyltransferases and of enzymes that could manipulate host development has expanded. A total of 14 % of the genome was categorized as repetitive sequences. Transposable elements have accumulated in mating-type chromosomal regions and were also associated across the genome with gene clusters of small secreted proteins, which may mediate host interactions. Conclusions The unique absence of enzyme classes for plant cell wall degradation and maintenance of enzymes that break down components of pollen tubes and flowers provides a striking example of biotrophic host adaptation.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd
• Subject: Analysis / Animal Genetics and Genomics / Animals / Anther smuts / Bioinformatics / Biomedical and Life Sciences / CAZyme / Chromosome Mapping - methods / Computer Science / Desenvolupament / Eukaryote microbial genomics / Flowers / Fongs / Fungi - genetics / Gene expression / Gene Expression Profiling - methods / Genes / Genetic aspects / Genome, Fungal - genetics / Genètica / Health aspects / Host-Parasite Interactions - genetics / Life Sciences / Lipase - genetics / Malalties / Mating-type chromosomes / Microarrays / Microbial Genetics and Genomics / Microbotryum violaceum / Parasites - genetics / Pathogen alteration of host development / Peroxidases - genetics / Physiological aspects / Plant Diseases - microbiology / Plant Genetics and Genomics / Plantes / Plants - microbiology / Proteomics / Research Article / Silene - microbiology / Superoxide Dismutase - genetics / Transcriptome - genetics / Transposable elements / Transposons / Vegetal Biology