Comparative genomics of chytrid fungi reveal insights into the obligate biotrophic and pathogenic lifestyle of Synchytrium endobioticum.

ABSTRACT: Synchytrium endobioticum is an obligate biotrophic soilborne Chytridiomycota (chytrid) species that causes potato wart disease, and represents the most basal lineage among the fungal plant pathogens. We have chosen a functional genomics approach exploiting knowledge acquired from other fungal taxa and compared this to several saprobic and pathogenic chytrid species. Observations linked to obligate biotrophy, genome plasticity and pathogenicity are reported. Essential purine pathway genes were found uniquely absent in S. endobioticum, suggesting that it relies on scavenging guanine from its host for survival. The small gene-dense and intron-rich chytrid genomes were not protected for genome duplications by repeat-induced point mutation. Both pathogenic chytrids Batrachochytrium dendrobatidi

SUBMITTER: van de Vossenberg BTLH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6572847 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature