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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #383572
Research Project: Improvement of Genetic Resistance to Multiple Biotic and Abiotic Stresses in Peanut

Location: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research

Title: New reference genomes and comparative genomics analyses in Aspergillus flavus

Author
item FOUNTAIN, J - Mississippi State University
item CLEVENGER, J - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology
item KORANI, W - Hudsonalpha Institute For Biotechnology
item Nadon, Brian
item Vaughn, Justin
item Scheffler, Brian
item YOUNGBLOOD, R - Mississippi State University
item Bhatnagar, Deepak
item STARR, D - University Of Georgia
item ISETT, B - Nemours/alfred I Dupont Hospital For Children
item JOHNSTON, H - Emory University
item WIGGINS, R - University Of Georgia
item CHU, Y - University Of Georgia
item OZIAS-AKINS, P - University Of Georgia
item Mehl, Hillary
item AGARWAL, G - University Of Georgia
item RANA, T - University Of Georgia
item KEMERAIT, R - University Of Georgia
item Abbas, Hamed
item GANGURDE, S - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India
item PANDEY, M - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India
item VARSHNEY, R - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India
item Guo, Baozhu

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: Understanding the biology of Aspergillus flavus and the causes of isolate-to-isolate variation in aflatoxin production and pathogenicity-related traits is critical to developing targeted efforts in improving host plant resistance. To facilitate this, we present two chromosome-arm reference genomes for A. flavus isolates NRRL3357 and AF13, each with eight chromosomes, lengths of 36.996 and 37.439 Mb, respectively, and updated gene annotations. These two isolates contrast phenotypically with AF13 showing greater levels of aflatoxin production, growth on peanut seed, and oxidative stress tolerance compared to NRRL3357. Comparative analyses between these genomes revealed a large 310kb insertion on Chromosome 1 unique to AF13 containing 60 genes including a novel bZIP transcription factor gene, atfC, which may be involved in oxidative stress tolerance and aflatoxin production. Comparisons with previously released or concurrently sequenced genomes of A. flavus isolates showed that this 310kb insertion is present completely or partially in few isolates. Using this information, isolate collections are currently in progress for a large-scale Aspergillus Re-Sequencing Project. To date, 264 genomes of Aspergillus isolates from field soils in Georgia and corn plants in Mississippi have been sequenced with additional isolate collection in progress, particularly from the origin of AF13 in Arizona. These data will be used for genome wide association studies (GWAS) for identifying novel aflatoxin regulators, and shedding light on the origin and evolution of the 310kb insertion. These new reference genomes and additional genomics information represent valuable tools for the aflatoxin and peanut research communities for continuing study in this system.