Functional genomics identifies a small secreted protein that plays a role during the biotrophic to necrotrophic shift in the root rot pathogen Phytophthora medicaginis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Hemibiotrophic Phytophthora are a group of agriculturally and ecologically important pathogenic oomycetes causing severe decline in plant growth and fitness. The lifestyle of these pathogens consists of an initial biotrophic phase followed by a switch to a necrotrophic phase in the latter stages of infection. Between these two phases is the biotrophic to necrotrophic switch (BNS) phase, the timing and controls of which are not well understood particularly in Phytophthora spp. where host resistance has a purely quantitative genetic basis.

Methods

To investigate this we sequenced and annotated the genome of Phytophthora medicaginis, causal agent of root rot and substantial yield losses to Fabaceae hosts. We analyzed the transcriptome of P.

SUBMITTER: Coles DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11366588 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature