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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Crops Pathology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315583
Title: Distinctive Expansion of Gene Families Associated with Virulence Functions in the Genomes of Grapevine Trunk Pathogens

Author
item MORALES-CRUZ, ABRAHAM - University Of California
item AMRINE, KATHERINE - University Of California
item BLANCO-ULATE, BARBARA - University Of California
item LAWRENCE, DANIEL - University Of California
item TRAVADON, RENAUD - University Of California
item ROLSHAUSEN, PHILIPPE - University Of California
item Baumgartner, Kendra
item CANTU, DARIO - University Of California

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2015
Publication Date: 11/1/2015
Citation: Morales-Cruz, A., Amrine, K.C., Blanco-Ulate, B., Lawrence, D.P., Travadon, R., Rolshausen, P.E., Baumgartner, K., Cantu, D. 2015. Distinctive Expansion of Gene Families Associated with Virulence Functions in the Genomes of Grapevine Trunk Pathogens. American Phytopathological Society Abstracts. 777-P.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Trunk diseases are responsible for important economic losses in all viticulture production systems. They are caused by distantly-related fungi that form chronic wood infections. Variation in wood-decay abilities and production of phytotoxic compounds are thought to contribute to differences in the disease symptoms they cause. We recently released the draft sequences of Eutypa lata, Neofusicoccum parvum and Togninia minima, causal agents of Eutypa dieback, Botryosphaeria dieback and Esca, respectively. Here we describe the genomic sequences of additional important trunk pathogens, Diaporthe ampelina, Diplodia seriata, and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, causal agents of Phomopsis dieback, Botryosphaeria dieback, and Esca, respectively. We perfomed a comparative genomic study to identify gene families potentially associated with host colonization and disease development. Predicted proteomes of all sequenced trunk pathogens were annotated with a focus on (i) wood degradation, (ii) nutrient uptake, and (iii) toxin production. Significant gene family expansions were tested using Computational Analysis of gene Family Evolution, which revealed evolution of distinct mechanisms of virulence, such as specific cell wall oxidative functions and secondary metabolic pathways in N. parvum, Dia. ampelina, and E. lata. We are applying RNAseq and whole-genome re-sequencing to analyze the in planta expression patterns and genetic diversity of the identified potential virulence factors.