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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #369047
Research Project: Evaluation and Development of Improved Soybean Germplasm, Curation of USDA Accessions and Regional Evaluations of New Genotypes

Location: Crop Genetics Research

Title: Genome sequencing and analysis of Diaporthe aspalathi isolate MS-SSC91 causing stem canker in soybean

Author
item Li, Shuxian
item TAVAKOLAN, MONA - Towson University
item Song, Qijian
item CHANDRA, AKASH - Towson University
item ALKHAROUF, NADIM - Towson University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/17/2019
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Diaporthe aspalathi (Syn. Diaporthe phaseolorum var. meridionalis) is the causal agent of the southern stem canker (SSC) disease in soybean. It is an important fungal pathogen in the Diaporthe-Phomopsis complex. The pathogen can kill plants from the middle to the end of the soybean growing season and cause severe yield loss. The mechanisms of pathogenicity causing SSC by D. aspalathi are not fully understood. Information about the genome structure of D. aspalathi is also lacking. In this study, we successfully assembled the draft genome sequence of a D. aspalathi isolate, designated MS-SSC91, that was isolated from the stem of a field-grown soybean plant in Mississippi, USA in 2006. Gene prediction analysis using the AUGUSTUS software trained with the parameters of the fungal species Fusarium graminearum identified 14,962 genes. The average sequence length of genes was 1,729 bp; the largest sequence length of a gene was 23 kb. Approximately 46% (25.8 Mb) of the whole genome sequence was in genes. Of the 25.8 Mb sequences within genes, 22.5 Mb were coding sequences. Blast2Go was then used to annotate and assign Gene Ontology (GO) classifications to those genes. Genes were classified into the GO categories of biological process, molecular function and cellular component. RepeatMasker is currently being used to find repeats in the genome. Identification of horizontal transfer genes is also underway. The MS-SSC91 genome sequences will provide information on the genetic basis of fungal infection of the soybean stem. It is valuable for studying soybean-fungal interactions and developing new control strategies for this pathogen.