T2T, annotated genome and RNA sequencing of Discula destructiva Redlin
Discula destructiva Redlin, the causal agent of dogwood anthracnose, has severely impacted North American dogwoods (Cornus spp.) since its introduction in the 1970's. To better understand the biology and pathogenicity of D. destructiva, we generated a T2T chromosome-scale genome assembly for isolate AS111 using PacBio HiFi long-read and Proximo Hi-C sequencing. We also performed transcriptome profiling across sporulating and non-sporulating life stages of two D. destructiva isolates (AS111 and WAP31) and the related Juglanconis japonica isolate (VA17B) to identify genes associated with fungal reproduction and virulence. This study provides foundational genomic and transcriptomic resources for D. destructiva, enabling future investigations into the molecular basis of pathogenicity and comparative studies across other Diaporthales pathogens.