Draft genomes of Amanita jacksonii, Ceratocystis albifundus, Fusarium circinatum, Huntiella omanensis, Leptographium procerum, Rutstroemia sydowiana, and Sclerotinia echinophila

Authors: Crouch, Jo Anne; Demers, Jill; BEIRN, LISA - Rutgers University; GORDON, THOMAS - University Of California; MONCALVO, JEAN-MARC - University Of Toronto; SANCHEZ-RAMIREZ, SANTIAGO - University Of Toronto; STATA, MATT - University Of Toronto; VAN DER NEST, MAGRIET - University Of Pretoria; WILHELM DE BEER, Z - University Of Pretoria; DE VOS, LIESCHEN - University Of Pretoria; NAIDOO, KERSHNEY - University Of Pretoria; ROODT, DANIELLE - University Of Pretoria; SANTANA, QUENTIN - University Of Pretoria; SLINSKI, STEPHANIE - University Of Pretoria; TAERUM, STEPHEN - University Of Pretoria; WILKEN, MARKUS - University Of Pretoria; WILSON, ANDREA - University Of Pretoria; WINGFIELD, MICHAEL - University Of Pretoria; WINGFIELD, BRENDA - University Of Pretoria

Submitted to: IMA Fungus
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2014
Publication Date: 12/16/2014
Citation: Crouch, J., Demers, J.E., Beirn, L., Gordon, T.R., Moncalvo, J., Sanchez-Ramirez, S., Stata, M., Van Der Nest, M.A., Wilhelm De Beer, Z., De Vos, L., Naidoo, K., Roodt, D., Santana, Q.C., Slinski, S.L., Taerum, S.J., Wilken, M.P., Wilson, A.M., Wingfield, M.J., Wingfield, B.D. 2014. Draft genomes of Amanita jacksonii, Ceratocystis albifundus, Fusarium circinatum, Huntiella omanensis, Leptographium procerum, Rutstroemia sydowiana, and Sclerotinia echinophila. IMA Fungus. 5(2)473-486.

Interpretive Summary: Sclerotinia echinophilum and Rustroemia sydowiana are non-pathogenic fungi closely related to several destructive pathogens of crop plants. In order to more fully understand how differences at the DNA level contribute to the ability of pathogens to cause disease and produce toxins, the complete genomes of S. echinophilum and R. sydowiana were sequenced and annotated for comparison with known plant pathogens. Knowledge of the differences between these genomes and those of closely related plant pathogens will help us to identify DNA and genes involved in the disease process of crop plants. This information will be useful to researchers developing methods to control many destructive plant diseases caused by fungi.

Technical Abstract: The draft nuclear genomes of Sclerotinia echinophila and Rutstroemia sydowiana are presented. Sclerotinia echinophila is a member of the Sclerotiniaceae family, which includes many destructive necrotrophic plant pathogens. Rutstroemia sydowiana is a member of the Rutstroemiaceae, a cosmopolitan family of saprobes and plant pathogens that is sister to the Sclerotiniaceae. These are the first genome sequences of saprophytic fungi available for either of these two families, and the R. sydowiana assembly is the first genome-scale resource for the Rutstroemiaceae. Both S. echinophila and R. sydowiana are saprobes associated with burrs, cupules and leaf litter produced by plants in the Fagaceae, especially from the genera Castenea and Quercus. The genome assembly of S. echinophila CBS 111548 is 40.3 Mb, with 12,555 predicted genes. The genome size of R. sydowiana CBS 115875 is estimated at 51.9 Mb and is predicted to encode 17,350 genes, with an expansion of CAZYmes and secondary metabolite clusters relative to members of the Sclerotiniaceae. Both organisms are homothallic, with gene organization at the MAT1 locus similar to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The availability of these draft genome assemblies will provide opportunities to resolve longstanding questions regarding taxonomy in these families, and may contribute to our understanding of substrate utilization strategies through comparative studies with closely related organisms.