Effector gene reshuffling involves dispensable mini-chromosomes in the wheat blast fungus

PLoS Genet. 2019 Sep 12;15(9):e1008272. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008272. eCollection 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Newly emerged wheat blast disease is a serious threat to global wheat production. Wheat blast is caused by a distinct, exceptionally diverse lineage of the fungus causing rice blast disease. Through sequencing a recent field isolate, we report a reference genome that includes seven core chromosomes and mini-chromosome sequences that harbor effector genes normally found on ends of core chromosomes in other strains. No mini-chromosomes were observed in an early field strain, and at least two from another isolate each contain different effector genes and core chromosome end sequences. The mini-chromosome is enriched in transposons occurring most frequently at core chromosome ends. Additionally, transposons in mini-chromosomes lack the characteristic signature for inactivation by repeat-induced point (RIP) mutation genome defenses. Our results, collectively, indicate that dispensable mini-chromosomes and core chromosomes undergo divergent evolutionary trajectories, and mini-chromosomes and core chromosome ends are coupled as a mobile, fast-evolving effector compartment in the wheat pathogen genome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Ascomycota / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Fungal
  • Gene Rearrangement / genetics
  • Genome, Fungal / genetics
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins / metabolism
  • Mycoses / genetics*
  • Plant Diseases / genetics*
  • Poaceae / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Triticum / genetics*

Substances

  • Transcription Factors
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins

Grants and funding

Awards 2013-68004-20378 (BV) and 2018-67013-28511 (SL) were funded from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Award IOS-1741090 (SL) was funded by the Plant Genome Research Program from the US National Science Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.