AUTHOR=Jin Peiyuan , Kong Yixuan , Zhang Ze , Zhang Huangwei , Dong Yinglu , Lamour Kurt , Yang Zhimin , Zhou Yuxin , Hu Jian 

TITLE=Comparative genomics and transcriptome analysis reveals potential pathogenic mechanisms of Microdochium paspali on seashore paspalum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1259241

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1259241

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The sparse leaf patch of seashore paspalum (<italic>Paspalum vaginatum</italic> Sw.) caused by <italic>Microdochium paspali</italic> seriously impacts the landscape value of turf and poses a challenge to the maintenance and management of golf courses. Little is known about the genome of <italic>M. paspali</italic> or the potential genes underlying pathogenicity. In this study, we present a high-quality genome assembly of <italic>M. paspali</italic> with 14 contigs using the Nanopore and Illumina platform. The <italic>M. paspali</italic> genome is roughly 37.32 Mb in size and contains 10,365 putative protein-coding genes. These encompass a total of 3,830 pathogen-host interactions (PHI) genes, 481 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) coding genes, 105 effectors, and 50 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (SMGCs) predicted to be associated with pathogenicity. Comparative genomic analysis suggests <italic>M. paspali</italic> has 672 species-specific genes (SSGs) compared to two previously sequenced non-pathogenic <italic>Microdochium</italic> species, including 24 species-specific gene clusters (SSGCs). Comparative transcriptomic analyses reveal that 739 PHIs, 198 CAZymes, 40 effectors, 21 SMGCs, 213 SSGs, and 4 SSGCs were significantly up-regulated during the process of infection. In conclusion, the study enriches the genomic resources of <italic>Microdochium</italic> species and provides a valuable resource to characterize the pathogenic mechanisms of <italic>M. paspali</italic>.</p>