title: Pathogenicity determinants in smut fungi revealed by genome comparison.
abstract: Biotrophic pathogens, such as the related maize pathogenic fungi Ustilago maydis and Sporisorium reilianum, establish an intimate relationship with their hosts by secreting protein effectors. Because secreted effectors interacting with plant proteins should rapidly evolve, we identified variable genomic regions by sequencing the genome of S. reilianum and comparing it with the U. maydis genome. We detected 43 regions of low sequence conservation in otherwise well-conserved syntenic genomes. These regions primarily encode secreted effectors and include previously identified virulence clusters. By deletion analysis in U. maydis, we demonstrate a role in virulence for four previously unknown diversity regions. This highlights the power of comparative genomics of closely related species for identification of virulence determinants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organismic Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schirawski
authors.forename: Gertrud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mannhaupt
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Münch
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brefort
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schipper
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Doehlemann
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Stasio
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rössel
authors.forename: Artemio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Mendoza
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pester
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winterberg
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghareeb
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wollenberg
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Münsterkötter
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stukenbrock
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Güldener
authors.forename: Regine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kahmann
mesh_terms: D017124:Conserved Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics*; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D026801:Synteny; D014587:Ustilaginales / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014588:Ustilago / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors