Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #355101
Title: Mitogenome and nuclear-encoded fungicide-target genes of Thecaphora frezii- causal agent of peanut smut

Author
item Arias De Ares, Renee
item CAZON, IGNACIO - Cordoba University
item Massa, Alicia
item Scheffler, Brian
item Sobolev, Victor
item Lamb, Marshall
item Duke, Mary
item Simpson, Sheron
item CONFORTO, CINTHIA - Cordoba University
item PAREDES, JUAN - Cordoba University
item SOAVE, JUAN - Criadero El Carmen, Arg
item BUTELER, MARIO - Criadero El Carmen, Arg
item RAGO, ALEJANDRO - Criadero El Carmen, Arg

Submitted to: Fungal Genomics and Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/21/2019
Publication Date: 8/28/2019
Citation: Arias De Ares, R.S., Cazon, I., Massa, A.N., Scheffler, B.E., Sobolev, V., Lamb, M.C., Duke, M.V., Simpson, S.A., Conforto, C., Paredes, J., Soave, J., Buteler, M., Rago, A.M. 2019. Mitogenome and nuclear-encoded fungicide-target genes of Thecaphora frezii- causal agent of peanut smut. Fungal Genomics and Biology. (9)1:160. https://doi.org/10.35248/2165-8056.19.9.160.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35248/2165-8056.19.9.160

Interpretive Summary: There is an emerging disease in peanut, caused by the fungus Thecaphora frezii, and so far has been endemic to Argentina. Fungicides do not seem very effective in controlling the disease, and nothing is known about the genetics of this fungus to study its epidemiology. We have generated multiple molecular tools that will help analyze the response of this pathogen to fungicides, study populations of the fungus, and hopefully be key to understand and manage the disease should ever happens in the United States.

Technical Abstract: Thecaphora frezii Carranza & Lindquist causes smut in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), an emerging disease currently endemic to Argentina. Fungicides used on peanuts have shown only partially effective in controlling the disease; whereas the lack of genetic information about T. frezii has prevented advanced research to identify and monitor in this pathogen, potential mutations conducing to fungicide resistance. In an effort to study T. frezii, we focused on assembling its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) and other fungicide target sites. Here we report the annotated mitogenome of T. frezii, 123,773 bp, containing the standard 14 genes that form part of complexes I, III, IV and V, 22 transfer RNAs, small and large subunits of ribosomal RNA, DNA polymerase, ribonuclease P, GII-reverse transcriptase/maturase, another nine open-reading frames, homing endonucleases (LAGLIDADG, GIY-YIG, HEG) and additional endonucleases coded in introns. In addition we report the complete cDNA sequence of T. frezii cytochrome b (cob) and cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1); and partial sequences of T. frezii succinate dehydrogenase (sdhb), ergosterol biosynthesis (Erg4), cytochrome P450 (cyp51), and beta tubulin ('-tubulin) genes, targets of strobilurins, quinone oxidation inhibitors, triazoles and beta-tubulin inhibitor fungicides commonly used in the peanut crop. This information will make feasible to study T. frezii, its epidemiology and response to fungicides.