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Genome sequencing provides insight into the reproductive biology, nutritional mode and ploidy of the fern pathogen M ixia osmundae
Author(s) -
Toome Merje,
Ohm Robin A.,
Riley Robert W.,
James Timothy Y.,
Lazarus Katherine L.,
Henrissat Bernard,
Albu Sebastian,
Boyd Alexander,
Chow Julianna,
Clum Alicia,
Heller Gregory,
Lipzen Anna,
Nolan Matt,
Sandor Laura,
Zvenigorodsky Natasha,
Grigoriev Igor V.,
Spatafora Joseph W.,
Aime M. Catherine
Publication year - 2014
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/nph.12653
Subject(s) - biology , genome , gene , genetics , ploidy , mating type , sexual reproduction , fern , gene family , whole genome sequencing , mating , asexual reproduction , botany
SummaryM ixia osmundae ( B asidiomycota, P ucciniomycotina) represents a monotypic class containing an unusual fern pathogen with incompletely understood biology. We sequenced and analyzed the genome of M . osmundae , focusing on genes that may provide some insight into its mode of pathogenicity and reproductive biology.M ixia osmundae has the smallest plant pathogenic basidiomycete genome sequenced to date, at 13.6 Mb, with very few repeats, high gene density, and relatively few significant gene family gains. The genome shows that the yeast state of M . osmundae is haploid and the lack of segregation of mating genes suggests that the spores produced on O smunda spp. fronds are probably asexual. However, our finding of a complete complement of mating and meiosis genes suggests the capacity to undergo sexual reproduction. Analyses of carbohydrate active enzymes suggest that this fungus is a biotroph with the ability to break down several plant cell wall components. Analyses of publicly available sequence data show that other M ixia members may exist on other plant hosts and with a broader distribution than previously known.