RA5 PAPER: Phytophthora agathidicida genome

Chromosome-level assembly of the Phytophthora agathidicida genome reveals adaptation in effector gene families

November 2022

Cox M, Guo Y, Winter D, Sen D, Cauldron N, Shiller J, Bradley E, Ganley A, Gerth M, Lacey R, McDougal R, Panda P, Williams N, Grunwald N, Mesarich C, Bradshaw R. 2022. Chromosome-level assembly of the Phytophthora agathidicida genome reveals adaptation in effector gene families. Frontiers in Microbiology 13.

ABSTRACT

A deeper understanding of how Phytophthora pathogens infect their hosts and cause disease is critical for the development of effective treatments. Such an understanding can be gained by interrogating pathogen genomes for effector genes, which are involved in virulence or pathogenicity.

This is the first Phytophthora genome assembled to chromosome level, and additional effector gene analysis was undertaken.

Further analysis of this complete genome assembly will help inform new methods of disease control against P. agathidicida and other Phytophthora species, ultimately helping decipher how Phytophthora pathogens have evolved to shape their effector repertoires and how they might adapt in the future.

KEYWORDS

Phytophthora, oomycete, kauri dieback, forest disease, chromosome-level genome assembly, chromatin conformation capture, effectors