Menu
July 7, 2019  |  

Gapless genome assembly of the potato and tomato early blight pathogen Alternaria solani.

The Alternaria genus consists of saprophytic fungi as well as plant-pathogenic species that have significant economic impact. To date, the genomes of multiple Alternaria species have been sequenced. These studies have yielded valuable data for molecular studies on Alternaria fungi. However, most of the current Alternaria genome assemblies are highly fragmented, thereby hampering the identification of genes that are involved in causing disease. Here, we report a gapless genome assembly of A. solani, the causal agent of early blight in tomato and potato. The genome assembly is a significant step toward a better understanding of pathogenicity of A. solani.


July 7, 2019  |  

Sustaining global agriculture through rapid detection and deployment of genetic resistance to deadly crop diseases.

Contents Summary 45 I. Introduction 45 II. Targeted chromosome-based cloning via long-range assembly (TACCA) 46 III. Resistance gene cloning through mutational mapping (MutMap) 47 IV. Cloning through mutant chromosome sequencing (MutChromSeq) 47 V. Rapid cloning through resistance gene enrichment and sequencing (RenSeq) 49 VI. Cloning resistance genes through transcriptome profiling (RNAseq) 49 VII. Resistance gene deployment strategies 49 VIII. Conclusions 50 Acknowledgements 50 References 50 SUMMARY: Genetically encoded resistance is a major component of crop disease management. Historically, gene loci conferring resistance to pathogens have been identified through classical genetic methods. In recent years, accelerated gene cloning strategies have become available through advances in sequencing, gene capture and strategies for reducing genome complexity. Here, I describe these approaches with key emphasis on the isolation of resistance genes to the cereal crop diseases that are an ongoing threat to global food security. Rapid gene isolation enables their efficient deployment through marker-assisted selection and transgenic technology. Together with innovations in genome editing and progress in pathogen virulence studies, this creates further opportunities to engineer long-lasting resistance. These approaches will speed progress towards a future of farming using fewer pesticides.© 2017 Commonwealth of Australia. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.


July 7, 2019  |  

Complete genome sequence of the sesame pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum strain SEPPX 05.

Ralstonia solanacearum is a soil-borne phytopathogen associated with bacterial wilt disease of sesame. R. solanacearum is the predominant agent causing damping-off from tropical to temperate regions. Because bacterial wilt has decreased the sesame industry yield, we sequenced the SEPPX05 genome using PacBio and Illumina HiSeq 2500 systems and revealed that R. solanacearum strain SEPPX05 carries a bipartite genome consisting of a 3,930,849 bp chromosome and a 2,066,085 bp megaplasmid with 66.84% G+C content that harbors 5,427 coding sequences. Based on the whole genome, phylogenetic analysis showed that strain SEPPX05 is grouped with two phylotype I strains (EP1 and GMI1000). Pan-genomic analysis shows that R. solanacearum is a complex species with high biological diversity and was able to colonize various environments during evolution. Despite deletions, insertions, and inversions, most genes of strain SEPPX05 have relatively high levels of synteny compared with strain GMI1000. We identified 104 genes involved in virulence-related factors in the SEPPX05 genome and eight absent genes encoding T3Es of GMI1000. Comparing SEPPX05 with other species, we found highly conserved secretion systems central to modulating interactions of host bacteria. These data may provide important clues for understanding underlying pathogenic mechanisms of R. solanacearum and help in the control of sesame bacterial wilt.


July 7, 2019  |  

Draft genome sequence of the phytopathogenic fungus Ganoderma boninense, the causal agent of basal stem rot disease on oil palm.

Ganoderma boninense is the dominant fungal pathogen of basal stem rot (BSR) disease on Elaeis guineensis We sequenced the nuclear genome of mycelia using both Illumina and Pacific Biosciences platforms for assembly of scaffolds. The draft genome comprised 79.24?Mb, 495 scaffolds, and 26,226 predicted coding sequences. Copyright © 2018 Utomo et al.


July 7, 2019  |  

Draft genome sequence and annotation of the phytopathogenic Ralstonia pickettii (previously Burkholderia glumae) strain ICMP-8657.

Strain ICMP-8657 was formerly taxonomically classified as Burkholderia glumae and reported to be the producer of an antibacterial pyrazole derivative. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of ICMP-8657, which failed to demonstrate the biosynthetic capacity to produce the stated antibacterial compound, leading to its taxonomic reclassification as Ralstonia pickettii ICMP-8657. Copyright © 2018 Paterson and Gross.


July 7, 2019  |  

Identification of Pseudomonas mosselii BS011 gene clusters required for suppression of Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.

Pseudomonas is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. Many members of this genus displayed remarkable physiological and metabolic activity against different plant pathogens. However, Pseudomonas mosselii has not yet been characterized in biocontrol against plant disease. Here we isolated a strain of P. mosselii BS011 from the rhizosphere soil of rice plants, and the isolate showed strong inhibitory activity against the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Further we sequenced the complete genome of BS011, which consist of 5.75?Mb with a circular chromosome, 5,170 protein-coding genes, 23 rRNA and 78 tRNA operons. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that seven gene clusters may be involved in the biosynthesis of metabolites. Gene deletion experiments demonstrated that the gene cluster c-xtl is required for inhibitory activity against M. oryzae. Bioassay showed that the crude extract from BS011 fermentation sample significantly inhibited the development of M. oryzae at a concentration of 10?µg/ml. Besides, we illustrated that the crude extract of BS011 impaired the appressorial formation in a dose dependent manner. Collectively our results revealed that P. mosselii BS011 is a promising biocontrol agent and the gene cluster c-xtl is essential for inhibiting the development of M. oryzae. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.


July 7, 2019  |  

Draft genome sequence of a bacterial plant pathogen Erwinia pyrifoliae strain EpK1/15 isolated from an apple twig showing black shoot blight

Erwinia pyrifoliae is a Gram-negative bacterium causing black shoot blight in apple and Asian pear trees. E. pyrifoliae strain EpK1/15 was isolated in 2014 from an apple twig from the Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. In this study, we report the draft genome sequence of E. pyrifoliae EpK1/15 using PacBio RS II platform. The draft genome is comprised of a circular chromosome with 4,027,225 bp and 53.4% G + C content and a plasmid with 48,456 bp and 50.3% G + C content. The draft genome includes 3,798 protein-coding genes, 22 rRNA genes, 77 tRNA genes, 13 non-coding RNA genes, and 231 pseudo genes.


July 7, 2019  |  

Genome sequence resources for the wheat stripe rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) and the barley stripe rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei)

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici causes devastating stripe (yellow) rust on wheat and P. striiformis f. sp. hordei causes stripe rust on barley. Several P. striiformis f. sp. tritici genomes are available, but no P. striiformis f. sp. hordei genome is available. More genomes of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici and P. striiformis f. sp. hordei are needed to understand the genome evolution and molecular mechanisms of their pathogenicity. We sequenced P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolate 93-210 and P. striiformis f. sp. hordei isolate 93TX-2, using PacBio and Illumina technologies and RNA sequencing. Their genomic sequences were assembled to contigs with high continuity and showed significant structural differences. The circular mitochondria genomes of both were complete. These genomes provide high-quality resources for deciphering the genomic basis of rapid evolution and host adaptation, identifying genes for avirulence and other important traits, and studying host-pathogen interactions.


July 7, 2019  |  

Improved draft genome sequence of a monoteliosporic culture of the karnal bunt (Tilletia indica) pathogen of wheat.

Karnal bunt of wheat is an internationally quarantined fungal pathogen disease caused by Tilletia indica and affects the international commercial seed trade of wheat. We announce here the first improved draft genome assembly of a monoteliosporic culture of the Tilletia indica fungus, consisting of 787 scaffolds with an approximate total genome size of 31.83 Mbp, which is more accurate and near to complete than the previous version. Copyright © 2018 Kumar et al.


July 7, 2019  |  

Draft genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. P3 isolated from potato scab diseased tubers

Streptomyces sp. P3 was isolated from potato scab diseased tubers in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea in 2017. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of P3 with 9,851,971 bp size (71.2% GC content) of the chromosome. The genome comprises 8,548 CDS, 18 rRNA and 66 tRNA genes. Although strain P3 did not show pathogenicity both potato tuber assay and radish seedling assay, it possesses tomatinase (tomA) gene among conserved pathogenicity-related genes in well characterized pathogenic Streptomyces. Thus, the genome sequences determined in this study will be useful to understand for pathogenic evolution in Streptomyces species, which already adapted to potato scab pathogens.


July 7, 2019  |  

Recent advances on detection and characterization of fruit tree viruses using high-throughput sequencing technologies.

Perennial crops, such as fruit trees, are infected by many viruses, which are transmitted through vegetative propagation and grafting of infected plant material. Some of these pathogens cause severe crop losses and often reduce the productive life of the orchards. Detection and characterization of these agents in fruit trees is challenging, however, during the last years, the wide application of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies has significantly facilitated this task. In this review, we present recent advances in the discovery, detection, and characterization of fruit tree viruses and virus-like agents accomplished by HTS approaches. A high number of new viruses have been described in the last 5 years, some of them exhibiting novel genomic features that have led to the proposal of the creation of new genera, and the revision of the current virus taxonomy status. Interestingly, several of the newly identified viruses belong to virus genera previously unknown to infect fruit tree species (e.g., Fabavirus, Luteovirus) a fact that challenges our perspective of plant viruses in general. Finally, applied methodologies, including the use of different molecules as templates, as well as advantages and disadvantages and future directions of HTS in fruit tree virology are discussed.


Talk with an expert

If you have a question, need to check the status of an order, or are interested in purchasing an instrument, we're here to help.