Genomic analyses of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex: 13 tree endophytes from the Neotropics and Paleotropics

Authors: Rehner, Stephen; GAZIS, ROMINA - University Of Florida; DOYLE, VINSON - Louisiana State University; VIEIRA, WILLIE - Universidade De Pernambuco; CAMPOS, PHILIP - Orise Fellow; Shao, Jonathan

Submitted to: Microbiology Resource Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2023
Publication Date: 4/6/2023
Citation: Rehner, S.A., Gazis, R., Doyle, V.P., Vieira, W.A., Campos, P.M., Shao, J.Y. 2023. Genomic analyses of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex: 13 tree endophytes from the Neotropics and Paleotropics. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01040-22.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01040-22

Interpretive Summary: Species of the fungus Colletotrichum are among the most economically significant plant pathogens in U.S. agriculture and cause anthracnose and post-harvest disease in numerous agricultural and horticultural crops. Ongoing molecular investigations of Colletotrichum have shown that one important pathogen, C. gloeosporioides, is a highly diverse complex of over 40 species and new species are continually being described. However, the molecular tools developed for describing species boundaries are inadequate for efficient and accurate species identification. Draft genomes of thirteen Colletotrichum strains were completed and made available to the community through the NCBI sequence repository. These data will be used to identify genomic regions and genes that more efficiently diagnose species boundaries and species relationships. Results of this research will benefit plant pathologists, plant inspectors, and agricultural extension experts in identification and management of these important pathogens.

Technical Abstract: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex species are pathogens of a wide diversity of wild and cultivated plants and their anthracnose and post-harvest diseases place them among the most important plant diseases. Thirteen Colletotrichum strains were isolated from asymptomatic tree hosts. Molecular identifications of these strains place them in four species: C. aeschynomenes, C. asianum, C. fructicola, and C. siamense isolated as endophytes from tropical tree hosts.