Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity

Pathogens and hosts are in an ongoing arms race and genes involved in host-pathogen interactions are likely to undergo diversifying selection. Fusarium plant pathogens have evolved diverse infection strategies, but how they interact with their hosts in the biotrophic infection stage remains puzzling...

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Main Authors: Sperschneider, J., Gardiner, D., Thatcher, L., Lyons, R., Singh, Karambir, Manners, J., Taylor, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Oxford University Press 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46762
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author Sperschneider, J.
Gardiner, D.
Thatcher, L.
Lyons, R.
Singh, Karambir
Manners, J.
Taylor, J.
author_facet Sperschneider, J.
Gardiner, D.
Thatcher, L.
Lyons, R.
Singh, Karambir
Manners, J.
Taylor, J.
author_sort Sperschneider, J.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Pathogens and hosts are in an ongoing arms race and genes involved in host-pathogen interactions are likely to undergo diversifying selection. Fusarium plant pathogens have evolved diverse infection strategies, but how they interact with their hosts in the biotrophic infection stage remains puzzling. To address this, we analyzed the genomes of three Fusarium plant pathogens for genes that are under diversifying selection. We found a two-speed genome structure both on the chromosome and gene group level. Diversifying selection acts strongly on the dispensable chromosomes in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and on distinct core chromosome regions in Fusarium graminearum, all of which have associations with virulence. Members of two gene groups evolve rapidly, namely those that encode proteins with an N-terminal [SG]-P-C-[KR]-P sequence motif and proteins that are conserved predominantly in pathogens. Specifically, 29 F. graminearum genes are rapidly evolving, in plant a induced and encode secreted proteins, strongly pointing toward effector function. In summary, diversifying selection in Fusarium is strongly reflected as genomic footprints and can be used to predict a small gene set likely to be involved in host-pathogen interactions for experimental verification.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:31:28Z
publishDate 2015
publisher Oxford University Press
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-467622017-09-13T14:08:48Z Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity Sperschneider, J. Gardiner, D. Thatcher, L. Lyons, R. Singh, Karambir Manners, J. Taylor, J. Pathogens and hosts are in an ongoing arms race and genes involved in host-pathogen interactions are likely to undergo diversifying selection. Fusarium plant pathogens have evolved diverse infection strategies, but how they interact with their hosts in the biotrophic infection stage remains puzzling. To address this, we analyzed the genomes of three Fusarium plant pathogens for genes that are under diversifying selection. We found a two-speed genome structure both on the chromosome and gene group level. Diversifying selection acts strongly on the dispensable chromosomes in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and on distinct core chromosome regions in Fusarium graminearum, all of which have associations with virulence. Members of two gene groups evolve rapidly, namely those that encode proteins with an N-terminal [SG]-P-C-[KR]-P sequence motif and proteins that are conserved predominantly in pathogens. Specifically, 29 F. graminearum genes are rapidly evolving, in plant a induced and encode secreted proteins, strongly pointing toward effector function. In summary, diversifying selection in Fusarium is strongly reflected as genomic footprints and can be used to predict a small gene set likely to be involved in host-pathogen interactions for experimental verification. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46762 10.1093/gbe/evv092 Oxford University Press unknown
spellingShingle Sperschneider, J.
Gardiner, D.
Thatcher, L.
Lyons, R.
Singh, Karambir
Manners, J.
Taylor, J.
Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
title Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
title_full Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
title_fullStr Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
title_full_unstemmed Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
title_short Genome-wide analysis in three Fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
title_sort genome-wide analysis in three fusarium pathogens identifies rapidly evolving chromosomes and genes associated with pathogenicity
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46762