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Abstract Detail



Recent Topics Posters

Bushley, Kathryn E. [1], Menke, Jon [2], Rehner, Stephen Austin [3], Spatafora, Joseph [4].

Assessing micro-evolution of secondary metabolism: Case studies in Tolypocladium inflatum and Beauveria bassiana. .

We have initiated a population genomic study to assess fine-scale evolution of genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis in the beetle pathogen Tolypocladium inflatum and the wide host-range insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana.  The draft genome sequence of T. inflatum revealed its potential to synthesize a diverse array of secondary metabolites beyond the well-described immunosuppressant Cyclosporin A.  Using Pac Bio single molecule real time sequencing, we have  improved the resolution of the sequenced reference strain T. inflatum NRRL 8044 and synthesized draft genomes of eight additional strains isolated from different hosts and environments using Illumina technology.  Assembly, annotation, and comparative genomic analyses of these strains provides an avenue for investigating mechanisms contributing to intraspecific variation in genes and clusters that encode the synthesis of fungal secondary metabolites, including polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, terpenes, and alkaloids.  Similarly, 11 strains of the insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana have been sequenced and analyzed for secondary metabolite clusters.  Functional assays addressing the role of secondary metabolites in allowing strains to colonize plants versus insects are being conducted.  The results of our analysis will shed light on the relative importance of processes such as transposition, selection, recombination, and horizontal transfer in the evolution of fungal metabolite genes and illuminate how patterns of evolution of secondary metabolite genes and clusters shape the interaction of these fungi with distinct hosts and environments.


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1 - University of Minnesota, Department of Plant Biology, 250 BioSci Bldg, 250 BioSci Bldg, 1445 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
2 - University of Minnesota, Plant Biology, 250 BioSci, 1445 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, 55108
3 - USDA-ARS, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Rm 213, Bldg 010A, BARC-W, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
4 - Oregon State University, Botany And Plant Pathology, 2082 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

Keywords:
secondary metabolites
genomics.

Presentation Type: Recent Topics Poster
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PRT044
Abstract ID:1830
Candidate for Awards:None


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