Comparative genomics perspective of host specialization by smut fungi

• Grant number: 16/03768-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: April 20, 2016
• End date: October 19, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Barros Monteiro Vitorello
• Grantee: Juliana Benevenuto
• Supervisor: Bruce A. McDonald
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/21802-0 - Comparative genomics perspective of host specialization by smut fungi and genetic diversity of Sporisorium scitamineum isolates (sugarcane smut agent), BP.DR

Abstract

Ustilaginaceae is a fungus family that includes several smut disease agents. Despite being phylogenetically close, smut fungal species infect different Poaceae hosts and they differ in their mode of plant colonization and symptoms development. Comparative genomics of species isolated from maize, barley, sugarcane, sorghum, oat and wheat will provide insights into the core set of genes that are responsible for their host specificity and will improve our understanding about the virulence factors regarding these important pathosystems. Single-copy orthologous genes identified by the comparative genomics approach can also provide a most accurate phylogeny and a best estimate of the divergence time among these fungi, shedding light on the evolution process in relation to their hosts. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PLISSONNEAU, CLEMENCE; BENEVENUTO, JULIANA; MOHD-ASSAAD, NORFARHAN; FOUCHE, SIMONE; HARTMANN, FANNY E.; CROLL, DANIEL. Using Population and Comparative Genomics to Understand the Genetic Basis of Effector-Driven Fungal Pathogen Evolution. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, v. 8, FEB 3 2017. (16/03768-5)

BENEVENUTO, JULIANA; TEIXEIRA-SILVA, NATALIA S.; KURAMAE, EIKO E.; CROLL, DANIEL; MONTEIRO-VITORELLO, CLAUDIA B.. Comparative Genomics of Smut Pathogens: Insights From Orphans and Positively Selected Genes Into Host Specialization. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 9, APR 6 2018. (17/13268-2, 16/03768-5, 16/16376-8, 16/17545-8, 14/21802-0)