Finished Genome of the Fungal Wheat Pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola Reveals Dispensome Structure, Chromosome Plasticity, and Stealth Pathogenesis

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002070
• Publication Date: 2011-06-17T19:42:23Z
• Authors: Stephen B. Goodwin; Sarrah Ben M'Barek; Braham Dhillon; Alexander H. J. W...; Charles F. Crane; James K. Hane; Andrew J. Foster; Theo A. J. Van de...; Jane Grimwood; Andrea Aerts; John Antoniw; Andy Bailey; Burt Bluhm; Judith Bowler; Jim Bristow; Ate van der Burgt; Blondy Canto-Canché; Alice C. L. Churc...; Laura Conde-Ferràez; Hans J. Cools; Pedro M. Coutinho; Michael Csukai; Paramvir Dehal; Pierre De Wit; Bruno Donzelli; Henri C. van de G...; Roeland C. H. J. ...; Kim E. Hammond-Ko...; Bernard Henrissat; Andrzej Kilian; Adilson K. Kobayashi; Edda Koopmann; Yiannis Kourmpetis; Arnold Kuzniar; Erika Lindquist; Vincent Lombard; Chris Maliepaard; Natalia Martins; Rahim Mehrabi; Jan P. H. Nap; Alisa Ponomarenko; Jason J. Rudd; Asaf Salamov; Jeremy Schmutz; Henk J. Schouten; Harris Shapiro; Ioannis Stergiopo...; Stefano F. F. Tor...; Hank Tu; Ronald P. de Vries; Cees Waalwijk; Sarah B. Ware; Ad Wiebenga; Lute-Harm Zwiers; Richard P. Oliver; Igor V. Grigoriev; Gert H. J. Kema
• Keywords: Mycosphaerella graminicola; Graminicola; Synteny; Mycosphaerella; Pathosystem

The plant-pathogenic fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola (asexual stage: Septoria tritici) causes septoria tritici blotch, a disease that greatly reduces the yield and quality of wheat. This is economically important in most wheat-growing areas worldwide threatens global food production. Control has been hampered by limited understanding genetic biochemical bases pathogenicity, including mechanisms infection resistance host. Unlike other plant pathogens, M. long latent period during which it evades host defenses. Although this type stealth pathogenicity occurs commonly Dothideomycetes, largest class fungi, its basis not known. To address problem, genome was sequenced completely. finished contains 21 chromosomes, eight could be lost with no visible effect on thus are dispensable. eight-chromosome dispensome dynamic field progeny isolates, different from core gene repeat content, appears to have originated ancient horizontal transfer an unknown donor. Synteny plots chromosomes versus those only Dothideomycete, Stagonospora nodorum, revealed conservation content but order or orientation, suggesting high rate intra-chromosomal rearrangement one both species. observed “mesosynteny” very synteny seen between organisms. A surprising feature compared pathogens contained few genes for enzymes break down cell walls, more similar endophytes than pathogens. pathogenesis probably involves degradation proteins rather carbohydrates evade defenses biotrophic stage may evolved endophytic ancestors.