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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » Crop Production and Pest Control Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #373439
Research Project: Genetic Enhancement of Seed Quality and Plant Health Traits, and Designing Soybeans with Improved Functionality

Location: Crop Production and Pest Control Research

Title: Genomic analysis of the Eastern Filbert Blight fungus, Anisogramma anomala, provides insight to pathogen biology

Author
item COHEN, ALANNA - Rutgers University
item Cai, Guohong
item PRICE, DANA - Rutgers University
item HE, LIMIE - Rutgers University
item ZHANG, NING - Rutgers University
item MOLNAR, THOMAS - Rutgers University
item HILLMAN, BRADLEY - Rutgers University

Submitted to: National American Phytopathology Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2020
Publication Date: 8/8/2020
Citation: Cohen, A.B., Cai, G., Price, D., He, L., Zhang, N., Molnar, T.J., Hillman, B.I. 2020. Genomic analysis of the Eastern Filbert Blight fungus, Anisogramma anomala, provides Plant Health 2020. August 8,2020. Denver, CO.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Eastern Filbert Blight (EFB) is a devastating disease of European hazelnut (Corylus avellana), limiting commercial production of hazelnut in the United States. The biology of the causal agent of EFB, Anisogramma anomala, has remained poorly understood due to experimental constraints with growing the pathogen in a laboratory setting. Here, we report the sequencing, assembly, annotation, and analysis of the genome of A. anomala. The genome was assembled into 112 scaffolds with an N50 of 33.3 Mb and total size of 342.5 Mbp. Independent verification of genome size using flow cytometry showed a genome size of 370 Mbp. The overall genome had a GC ratio of 34.46%, which was separated into GC rich coding regions (59% GC) and GC poor repetitive regions (32% GC). It encoded 9,179 predicted genes with a large set of 762 secreted proteins, including 165 predicted effector molecules, and 442 carbohydrate-active enzymes. A. anomala genome also hosted a massive transposable element population that accounted for 88% of the genome. Analysis of the mating type region revealed genetic basis for homothallism as genes for both MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs were present. Orthologous gene comparison with related fungal pathogens including Fusarium, Valsa, Cryphonectria, Magnaporthe, and others revealed 1253 genes (14%) unique to A. anomala. Functions of unique gene families, as well as those shared amongst canker pathogens were explored further. These analyses provide us with an understanding of A. anomala biology and its pathogenesis in EFB.