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September 22, 2019  |  

Integrated proteomics, genomics, metabolomics approaches reveal oxalic acid as pathogenicity factor in Tilletia indica inciting Karnal bunt disease of wheat.

Tilletia indica incites Karnal bunt (KB) disease in wheat. To date, no KB resistant wheat cultivar could be developed due to non-availability of potential biomarkers related to pathogenicity/virulence for screening of resistant wheat genotypes. The present study was carried out to compare the proteomes of T. indica highly (TiK) and low (TiP) virulent isolates. Twenty one protein spots consistently observed as up-regulated/differential in the TiK proteome were selected for identification by MALDI-TOF/TOF. Identified sequences showed homology with fungal proteins playing essential role in plant infection and pathogen survival, including stress response, adhesion, fungal penetration, invasion, colonization, degradation of host cell wall, signal transduction pathway. These results were integrated with T. indica genome sequence for identification of homologs of candidate pathogenicity/virulence related proteins. Protein identified in TiK isolate as malate dehydrogenase that converts malate to oxaloacetate which is precursor of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is key pathogenicity factor in phytopathogenic fungi. These results were validated by GC-MS based metabolic profiling of T. indica isolates indicating that oxalic acid was exclusively identified in TiK isolate. Thus, integrated omics approaches leads to identification of pathogenicity/virulence factor(s) that would provide insights into pathogenic mechanisms of fungi and aid in devising effective disease management strategies.


September 22, 2019  |  

Genome-based evolutionary history of Pseudomonas spp.

Pseudomonas is a large and diverse genus of Gammaproteobacteria. To provide a framework for discovery of evolutionary and taxonomic relationships of these bacteria, we compared the genomes of type strains of 163 species and 3 additional subspecies of Pseudomonas, including 118 genomes sequenced herein. A maximum likelihood phylogeny of the 166 type strains based on protein sequences of 100 single-copy orthologous genes revealed thirteen groups of Pseudomonas, composed of two to sixty three species each. Pairwise average nucleotide identities and alignment fractions were calculated for the data set of the 166 type strains and 1224 genomes of Pseudomonas available in public databases. Results revealed that 394 of the 1224 genomes were distinct from any type strain, suggesting that the type strains represent only a fraction of the genomic diversity of the genus. The core genome of Pseudomonas was determined to contain 794 genes conferring primarily housekeeping functions. The results of this study provide a phylogenetic framework for future studies aiming to resolve the classification and phylogenetic relationships, identify new gene functions and phenotypes, and explore the ecological and metabolic potential of the Pseudomonas spp.© 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.


September 22, 2019  |  

Assembly of chromosome-scale contigs by efficiently resolving repetitive sequences with long reads

Due to the large number of repetitive sequences in complex eukaryotic genomes, fragmented and incompletely assembled genomes lose value as reference sequences, often due to short contigs that cannot be anchored or mispositioned onto chromosomes. Here we report a novel method Highly Efficient Repeat Assembly (HERA), which includes a new concept called a connection graph as well as algorithms for constructing the graph. HERA resolves repeats at high efficiency with single-molecule sequencing data, and enables the assembly of chromosome-scale contigs by further integrating genome maps and Hi-C data. We tested HERA with the genomes of rice R498, maize B73, human HX1 and Tartary buckwheat Pinku1. HERA can correctly assemble most of the tandemly repetitive sequences in rice using single-molecule sequencing data only. Using the same maize and human sequencing data published by Jiao et al. (2017) and Shi et al. (2016), respectively, we dramatically improved on the sequence contiguity compared with the published assemblies, increasing the contig N50 from 1.3 Mb to 61.2 Mb in maize B73 assembly and from 8.3 Mb to 54.4 Mb in human HX1 assembly with HERA. We provided a high-quality maize reference genome with 96.9% of the gaps filled (only 76 gaps left) and several incorrectly positioned sequences fixed compared with the B73 RefGen_v4 assembly. Comparisons between the HERA assembly of HX1 and the human GRCh38 reference genome showed that many gaps in GRCh38 could be filled, and that GRCh38 contained some potential errors that could be fixed. We assembled the Pinku1 genome into 12 scaffolds with a contig N50 size of 27.85 Mb. HERA serves as a new genome assembly/phasing method to generate high quality sequences for complex genomes and as a curation tool to improve the contiguity and completeness of existing reference genomes, including the correction of assembly errors in repetitive regions.


September 22, 2019  |  

Saliniramus fredricksonii gen. nov., sp. nov., a heterotrophic halophile isolated from Hot Lake, Washington, a member of a novel lineage (Salinarimonadaceae fam. nov.) within the order Rhizobiales, and reclassification of the genus Salinarimonas Liu et al. 2010 into Salinarimonadaceae.

There was an error in the proposed genus name in the published article, in that the genus ‘Salinivirga’ was effectively published while this article was in review. Therefore, the genus ‘Salinivirga’ should be replaced with ‘Saliniramus’. For the convenience of future readers, we have included the complete corrected article below, in which all occurrences of the incorrect genus name have been amended: A halophilic bacterial strain, HL-109T, was isolated from the unicyanobacterial consortium UCC-O, which was obtained from the photosynthetic mat of Hot Lake (Washington, USA). A polyphasic approach using phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic data was used to classify the strain within the order Rhizobiales. The organism stained Gram-negative and was a moderate thermophile with a growth optimum of 45?°C. It was obligately aerobic, heterotrophic and halophilic, growing in both NaCl and MgSO4 brines. The novel isolate had a polymorphic cellular morphology of short rods with occasional branching, and cells were monotrichous. The major fatty acids detected were C18?:?1, C18?:?0, C16?:?0 and C18?:?cyc. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene placed the strain in the order Rhizobiales and it shared 94?% identity with the type strain of its nearest relative, Salinarimonas ramus. Morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic results did not affiliate the novel organism with any of the families in the Rhizobiales; therefore, HL-109T is representative of a new lineage, for which the name Saliniramus fredricksonii gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain HL-109T (=JCM 31876T=DSM 102886T). In addition, examination of the phylogenetics of strain HL-109T and its nearest relatives, Salinarimonas ramus and Salinarimonasrosea, demonstrates that these halophiles form a clade distinct from the described families of the Rhizobiales. We further propose the establishment of a new family, Salinarimonadaceae fam. nov., to accommodate the genera Saliniramus and Salinarimonas (the type genus of the family).


September 22, 2019  |  

Comparative genomics provides insights into the marine adaptation in sponge-derived Kocuriaflava S43.

Sponge-derived actinomycetes represent a significant component of marine actinomycetes. Members of the genus Kocuria are distributed in various habitats such as soil, rhizosphere, clinical specimens, marine sediments, and sponges, however, to date, little is known about the mechanism of their environmental adaptation. Kocuria flava S43 was isolated from a coastal sponge. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that it was closely related to the terrestrial airborne K. flava HO-9041. In this study, to gain insights into the marine adaptation in K. flava S43 we sequenced the draft genome for K. flava S43 by third generation sequencing (TGS) and compared it with those of K. flava HO-9041 and some other Kocuria relatives. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses revealed that K. flava S43 might adapt to the marine environment mainly by increasing the number of the genes linked to potassium homeostasis, resistance to heavy metals and phosphate metabolism, and acquiring the genes associated with electron transport and the genes encoding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, aquaporin, and thiol/disulfide interchange protein. Notably, gene acquisition was probably a primary mechanism of environmental adaptation in K. flava S43. Furthermore, this study also indicated that the Kocuria isolates from various marine and hyperosmotic environments possessed common genetic basis for environmental adaptation.


September 22, 2019  |  

De novo genome assembly of Oryza granulata reveals rapid genome expansion and adaptive evolution

The wild relatives of rice have adapted to different ecological environments and constitute a useful reservoir of agronomic traits for genetic improvement. Here we present the ~777?Mb de novo assembled genome sequence of Oryza granulata. Recent bursts of long-terminal repeat retrotransposons, especially RIRE2, led to a rapid twofold increase in genome size after O. granulata speciation. Universal centromeric tandem repeats are absent within its centromeres, while gypsy-type LTRs constitute the main centromere-specific repetitive elements. A total of 40,116 protein-coding genes were predicted in O. granulata, which is close to that of Oryza sativa. Both the copy number and function of genes involved in photosynthesis and energy production have undergone positive selection during the evolution of O. granulata, which might have facilitated its adaptation to the low light habitats. Together, our findings reveal the rapid genome expansion, distinctive centromere organization, and adaptive evolution of O. granulata.


September 22, 2019  |  

Comparative genomics of Pseudomonas syringae reveals convergent gene gain and loss associated with specialization onto cherry (Prunus avium).

Genome-wide analyses of the effector- and toxin-encoding genes were used to examine the phylogenetics and evolution of pathogenicity amongst diverse strains of Pseudomonas syringae causing bacterial canker of cherry (Prunus avium), including pathovars P. syringae pv morsprunorum (Psm) races 1 and 2, P. syringae pv syringae (Pss) and P. syringae pv avii. Phylogenetic analyses revealed Psm races and P. syringae pv avii clades were distinct and were each monophyletic, whereas cherry-pathogenic strains of Pss were interspersed amongst strains from other host species. A maximum likelihood approach was used to predict effectors associated with pathogenicity on cherry. Pss possesses a smaller repertoire of type III effectors but has more toxin biosynthesis clusters than Psm and P. syringae pv avii. Evolution of cherry pathogenicity was correlated with gain of genes such as hopAR1 and hopBB1 through putative phage transfer and horizontal transfer respectively. By contrast, loss of the avrPto/hopAB redundant effector group was observed in cherry-pathogenic clades. Ectopic expression of hopAB and hopC1 triggered the hypersensitive reaction in cherry leaves, confirming computational predictions. Cherry canker provides a fascinating example of convergent evolution of pathogenicity that is explained by the mix of effector and toxin repertoires acting on a common host.© 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.


September 22, 2019  |  

Whole-genome sequence and genome annotation of Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae, causal agent of bacterial black spot on Mangifera indica.

A newly isolated strain XC01 was identified as Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae, isolated from an infected mango fruit in Guangxi, China. The complete genome sequence of XC01 was carried out using the PacBio RSII platform. The genome contains a circular chromosome with 3,865,165 bp, 3442 protein-coding genes, 53 tRNAs, and 2 rRNA operons. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this pathogen is very close to the soybeans bacterial pustule pathogen X. citri pv. glycines CFBP 2526, with a completely different host range. The genome sequence of XC01 may shed a highlight genes with a demonstrated or proposed role in on the pathogenesis.


September 22, 2019  |  

A pathogenesis-related 10 protein catalyzes the final step in thebaine biosynthesis.

The ultimate step in the formation of thebaine, a pentacyclic opiate alkaloid readily converted to the narcotic analgesics codeine and morphine in the opium poppy, has long been presumed to be a spontaneous reaction. We have detected and purified a novel enzyme from opium poppy latex that is capable of the efficient formation of thebaine from (7S)-salutaridinol 7-O-acetate at the expense of labile hydroxylated byproducts, which are preferentially produced by spontaneous allylic elimination. Remarkably, thebaine synthase (THS), a member of the pathogenesis-related 10 protein (PR10) superfamily, is encoded within a novel gene cluster in the opium poppy genome that also includes genes encoding the four biosynthetic enzymes immediately upstream. THS is a missing component that is crucial to the development of fermentation-based opiate production and dramatically improves thebaine yield in engineered yeast.


September 22, 2019  |  

Hotspots of independent and multiple rounds of LTR-retrotransposon bursts in Brassica species

Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) are a predominant group of plant transposable elements (TEs) that are an important component of plant genomes. A large number of LTR-RTs have been annotated in the genomes of the agronomically important oil and vegetable crops of the genus Brassica. Herein, full-length LTR-RTs in the genomes of Brassica and other closely related species were systematically analyzed. The full-length LTR-RT content varied greatly (from 0.43% to 23.4%) between different species, with Gypsy-like LTR-RTs constituting a primary group across these genomes. More importantly, many annotated LTR-RTs (from 10.03% to 33.25% of all detected LTR-RTs) were found to be enriched in localized hotspot regions. Furthermore, all of the analyzed species showed evidence of having experienced at least one round of a LTR-RT burst, with Raphanus sativus experiencing three or more. Moreover, these relatively ancient LTR-RT amplifications exhibited a clear expansion at specific time points. To gain a further understanding of this timing, Brassica rapa, B. oleracea, and R. sativus were examined for the presence of syntenic regions, but none were present. These findings indicate that these LTR-RT burst events were not inherited from a common ancestor, but instead were species-specific bursts that occurred after the divergence of Brassica species. This study further exemplifies the complexities of TE amplifications during the evolution of plant genomes and suggests that these LTR-RT bursts play an important role in genome expansion and divergence in Brassica species.


September 22, 2019  |  

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Basidiomycete edible fungus Hypsizygus marmoreus

The complete mitochondrial genome of the edible fungus Hypsizygus marmoreus was published in this paper. It was determined using Pacbio and Illumina sequencing. The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is 106,417?bp in length with a GC content of 31.74%, which was the fourth large mitogenome in Agaricales. The circular mitogenome encoded 67 protein-coding genes and one ribosomal RNAs (rns). Among these genes, 13 conserved protein-coding genes were determined in the genome, including 6 subunits of NAD dehydrogenase (nad1-4, 4L and 6), three cytochrome oxidases (cox1-3), one apocytochrome b (cob) and three ATP synthases (atp6, apt 8 and apt 9). The phylogenic analysis confirmed that H. marmoreus (Lyophyllaceae) clustered together with Tricholoma matsutake (Tricholomataceae).


September 22, 2019  |  

A chromosome scale assembly of the model desiccation tolerant grass Oropetium thomaeum

Oropetium thomaeum is an emerging model for desiccation tolerance and genome size evolution in grasses. A high-quality draft genome of Oropetium was recently sequenced, but the lack of a chromosome scale assembly has hindered comparative analyses and downstream functional genomics. Here, we reassembled Oropetium, and anchored the genome into ten chromosomes using Hi-C based chromatin interactions. A combination of high-resolution RNAseq data and homology-based gene prediction identified thousands of new, conserved gene models that were absent from the V1 assembly. This includes thousands of new genes with high expression across a desiccation timecourse. The sorghum and Oropetium genomes have a surprising degree of chromosome-level collinearity, and several chromosome pairs have near perfect synteny. Other chromosomes are collinear in the gene rich chromosome arms but have experienced pericentric translocations. Together, these resources will be useful for the grass comparative genomic community and further establish Oropetium as a model resurrection plant.


September 22, 2019  |  

A reference genome of the Chinese hamster based on a hybrid assembly strategy.

Accurate and complete genome sequences are essential in biotechnology to facilitate genome-based cell engineering efforts. The current genome assemblies for Cricetulus griseus, the Chinese hamster, are fragmented and replete with gap sequences and misassemblies, consistent with most short-read-based assemblies. Here, we completely resequenced C. griseus using single molecule real time sequencing and merged this with Illumina-based assemblies. This generated a more contiguous and complete genome assembly than either technology alone, reducing the number of scaffolds by >28-fold, with 90% of the sequence in the 122 longest scaffolds. Most genes are now found in single scaffolds, including up- and downstream regulatory elements, enabling improved study of noncoding regions. With >95% of the gap sequence filled, important Chinese hamster ovary cell mutations have been detected in draft assembly gaps. This new assembly will be an invaluable resource for continued basic and pharmaceutical research.© 2018 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


September 22, 2019  |  

High genomic variability in the plant pathogenic bacterium Pectobacterium parmentieri deciphered from de novo assembled complete genomes.

Pectobacterium parmentieri is a newly established species within the plant pathogenic family Pectobacteriaceae. Bacteria belonging to this species are causative agents of diseases in economically important crops (e.g. potato) in a wide range of different environmental conditions, encountered in Europe, North America, Africa, and New Zealand. Severe disease symptoms result from the activity of P. parmentieri virulence factors, such as plant cell wall degrading enzymes. Interestingly, we observe significant phenotypic differences among P. parmentieri isolates regarding virulence factors production and the abilities to macerate plants. To establish the possible genomic basis of these differences, we sequenced 12 genomes of P. parmentieri strains (10 isolated in Poland, 2 in Belgium) with the combined use of Illumina and PacBio approaches. De novo genome assembly was performed with the use of SPAdes software, while annotation was conducted by NCBI Prokaryotic Genome Annotation Pipeline.The pan-genome study was performed on 15 genomes (12 de novo assembled and three reference strains: P. parmentieri CFBP 8475T, P. parmentieri SCC3193, P. parmentieri WPP163). The pan-genome includes 3706 core genes, a high number of accessory (1468) genes, and numerous unique (1847) genes. We identified the presence of well-known genes encoding virulence factors in the core genome fraction, but some of them were located in the dispensable genome. A significant fraction of horizontally transferred genes, virulence-related gene duplications, as well as different CRISPR arrays were found, which can explain the observed phenotypic differences. Finally, we found also, for the first time, the presence of a plasmid in one of the tested P. parmentieri strains isolated in Poland.We can hypothesize that a large number of the genes in the dispensable genome and significant genomic variation among P. parmentieri strains could be the basis of the potential wide host range and widespread diffusion of P. parmentieri. The obtained data on the structure and gene content of P. parmentieri strains enabled us to speculate on the importance of high genomic plasticity for P. parmentieri adaptation to different environments.


September 22, 2019  |  

Deletions linked to PROG1 gene participate in plant architecture domestication in Asian and African rice.

Improving the yield by modifying plant architecture was a key step during crop domestication. Here, we show that a 110-kb deletion on the short arm of chromosome 7 in Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa), which is closely linked to the previously identified PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 (PROG1) gene, harbors a tandem repeat of seven zinc-finger genes. Three of these genes regulate the plant architecture, suggesting that the deletion also promoted the critical transition from the prostrate growth and low yield of wild rice (O. rufipogon) to the erect growth and high yield of Asian cultivated rice. We refer to this locus as RICE PLANT ARCHITECTURE DOMESTICATION (RPAD). Further, a similar but independent 113-kb deletion is detected at the RPAD locus in African cultivated rice. These results indicate that the deletions, eliminating a tandem repeat of zinc-finger genes, may have been involved in the parallel domestication of plant architecture in Asian and African rice.


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