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Genomic tillage and the harvest of fungal phytopathogens
Author(s) -
Oliver Richard
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04330.x
Subject(s) - biology , blumeria graminis , fusarium oxysporum , powdery mildew , fusarium , genome , ascomycota , graminicola , genetics , gene , botany , plant disease resistance
Summary Genome sequencing has been carried out on a small selection of major fungal ascomycete pathogens. These studies show that simple models whereby pathogens evolved from phylogenetically related saprobes by the acquisition or modification of a small number of key genes cannot be sustained.The genomes show that pathogens cannot be divided into three clearly delineated classes (biotrophs, hemibiotrophs and necrotrophs) but rather into a complex matrix of categories each with subtly different properties. It is clear that the evolution of pathogenicity is ancient, rapid and ongoing. Fungal pathogens have undergone substantial genomic rearrangements that can be appropriately described as ‘genomic tillage’. Genomic tillage underpins the evolution and expression of large families of genes – known as effectors – that manipulate and exploit metabolic and defence processes of plants so as to allow the proliferation of pathogens.ContentsSummary 1015 I. Introduction 1015 II. Magnaporthe oryzae 1016 III. Stagonospora nodorum 1017 IV. Fusarium graminearum 1018 V. Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium verticilioides 1018 VI. Mycosphaerella graminicola 1019 VII. Leptosphaeria maculans 1019 VIII. Blumeria graminis 1019 IX. Genomic tillage and the crop of effectors 1020 X. Research priorities 1020Acknowledgements 1021References 1021