Abstract Detail

Host/Plant Pathogen Interactions and Plant Health Management

Joly, David L. [1], Cullis, Jeffrey [2], Lewis, Christopher T. [2], Smith, Donna S. [3], Gagnon, Marie-Claude [4], van Gent-Pelzer, Marga P. E. [5], van de Geest, Henri [5], Bilodeau, Guillaume J. [4], van der Lee, Theo A. J. [5], Li, Xiang (Sean) [6], Bonants, Peter J. M. [5], Lévesque, C. André [7].

What’s in a wart? Insights from the genome of the potato wart pathogen Synchytrium endobioticum.

Potato wart is a serious disease of cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) caused by the obligate biotrophic soil-borne chytrid fungus Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilb.) Perc. Even though the disease has been repeatedly reported in numerous locations around the world, its global distribution has been limited by strict quarantine and regulatory measures. In 2000, the US temporarily closed its border to imports of PEI potatoes following the discovery of the fungus, which has then been found subsequently in 2002, 2003, 2007, 2012 and 2014. Genome sequencing of plant pathogens is being increasingly used to improve our understanding of virulence mechanisms, as well as assisting regulatory agencies to develop molecular markers towards more sensitive and accurate detection methods. Isolates of S. endobioticum have been independently sequenced using Next-Generation Sequencing technologies, unravelling a reasonably small genome of ~20 megabases, for which educated annotation revealed under 6,000 genes. Being an intracellular holocarpic pathogen, S. endobioticum secreted proteins are prime candidates to look for virulence factors. Preliminary analyses revealed a relatively small secretome of ~250 putative secreted proteins. Interestingly, one family of secreted proteins represented almost a fifth of the entire secretome. Within this family, high rates of amino acid changes have been identified between two isolates, which suggests diversifying selection is acting on these genes. Functional assays will be developed to screen the function of these putative secreted proteins within plant tissues.

1 - Université de Moncton, Département de biologie, 18 avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB, E1A 3E9, Canada
2 - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada
3 - Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 93 Mount Edward Road, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 5T1, Canada
4 - Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 3851 Fallowfield Road, Ottawa, ON, K2H 8P9, Canada
5 - Plant Research International, P.O. Box 16, NL-6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
6 - Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 93 Mount Edward Road, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
7 - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada

Keywords:
Plant-Pathogen Interaction
chytrid
genomics
Effectors
Potato.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 57
Location: Salon 9/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2015
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: 57001
Abstract ID:1108
Candidate for Awards:None