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A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causal agent of Witches' Broom Disease (WBD) in cacao (Theobroma cacao). It is a hemibiotrophic pathogen that colonizes the apoplast of cacao's meristematic tissues as a biotrophic pathogen, switching to a saprotrophic lifestyle during later stages of infection. M. perniciosa, together with the related species M. roreri, are pathogens of aerial parts of the plant, an uncommon characteristic in the order Agaricales. A genome survey (1.9x coverage) of M. perniciosa was analyzed to evaluate the overall gene content of this phytopathogen. RESULTS: Genes encoding proteins involved in retrotransposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) resistance, drug efflux transport and cell wall degradation were identified. The great number of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (1.15% of gene models) indicates that M. perniciosa has a great potential for detoxification, production of toxins and hormones; which may confer a high adaptive ability to the fungus. We have also discovered new genes encoding putative secreted polypeptides rich in cysteine, as well as genes related to methylotrophy and plant hormone biosynthesis (gibberellin and auxin). Analysis of gene families indicated that M. perniciosa have similar amounts of carboxylesterases and repertoires of plant cell wall degrading enzymes as other hemibiotrophic fungi. In addition, an approach for normalization of gene family data using incomplete genome data was developed and applied in M. perniciosa genome survey. CONCLUSION: This genome survey gives an overview of the M. perniciosa genome, and reveals that a significant portion is involved in stress adaptation and plant necrosis, two necessary characteristics for a hemibiotrophic fungus to fulfill its infection cycle. Our analysis provides new evidence revealing potential adaptive traits that may play major roles in the mechanisms of pathogenicity in the M. perniciosa/cacao pathosystem.

SUBMITTER: Mondego JM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2644716 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao.

Mondego Jorge M C JM Carazzolle Marcelo F MF Costa Gustavo G L GG Formighieri Eduardo F EF Parizzi Lucas P LP Rincones Johana J Cotomacci Carolina C Carraro Dirce M DM Cunha Anderson F AF Carrer Helaine H Vidal Ramon O RO Estrela Raíssa C RC García Odalys O Thomazella Daniela P T DP de Oliveira Bruno V BV Pires Acássia Bl AB Rio Maria Carolina S MC Araújo Marcos Renato R MR de Moraes Marcos H MH Castro Luis A B LA Gramacho Karina P KP Gonçalves Marilda S MS Neto José P Moura JP Neto Aristóteles Góes AG Barbosa Luciana V LV Guiltinan Mark J MJ Bailey Bryan A BA Meinhardt Lyndel W LW Cascardo Julio Cm JC Pereira Gonçalo A G GA

BMC genomics 20081118

<h4>Background</h4>The basidiomycete fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causal agent of Witches' Broom Disease (WBD) in cacao (Theobroma cacao). It is a hemibiotrophic pathogen that colonizes the apoplast of cacao's meristematic tissues as a biotrophic pathogen, switching to a saprotrophic lifestyle during later stages of infection. M. perniciosa, together with the related species M. roreri, are pathogens of aerial parts of the plant, an uncommon characteristic in the order Agaricales. A ge ...[more]

PMID: 19019209

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Project description:Moniliophthora perniciosa (=Crinipellis perniciosa) causes one of the three main fungal diseases of Theobroma cacao (cacao), the source of chocolate. This pathogen causes Witches' broom disease (WBD) and has brought about severe economic losses in all of the cacao-growing regions to which it has spread with yield reductions that range from 50 to 90%. Cacao production in South America reflects the severity of this pathogen, as the yields in most of the infected regions have not returned to pre-outbreak levels, even with the introduction of resistant varieties. In this review we give a brief historical account and summarize the current state of knowledge focusing on developments in the areas of systematics, fungal physiology, biochemistry, genomics and gene expression in an attempt to highlight this disease. Moniliophthora perniciosa is a hemibiotrophic fungus with two distinct growth phases. The ability to culture a biotrophic-like phase in vitro along with new findings derived from the nearly complete genome and expression studies clearly show that these different fungal growth phases function under distinct metabolic parameters. These new findings have greatly improved our understanding of this fungal/host interaction and we may be at the crossroads of understanding how hemibiotrophic fungal plant pathogens cause disease in other crops.Historical summary of wbdThe first WDB symptoms appear to have been described in the diaries of Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira (described as lagartão; meaning big lizard) from his observations of cacao trees in 1785 and 1787 in Amazonia, which is consistent with the generally accepted idea that M. perniciosa, like its main host T. cacao, evolved in this region. The disease subsequently arrived in Surinam in 1895. WBD moved rapidly, spreading to Guyana in 1906, Ecuador in 1918, Trinidad in 1928, Colombia in 1929 and Grenada in 1948. In each case, cacao production was catastrophically affected with yield reductions of 50-90%. After the arrival of M. perniciosa in Bahia in 1989, Brazil went from being the world's 3rd largest producer of cacao (347 000 tonnes in 1988-1990; c. 15% of the total world production at that time) to a net importer (141 000 tonnes in 1998-2000). Fortunately for chocolate lovers, other regions of the world such as West Africa and South East Asia have not yet been affected by this disease and have expanded production to meet growing world demand (predicted to reach 3 700 000 tonnes by 2010).ClassificationMoniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel) Aime & Phillips-Mora: super-kingdom Eukaryota; kingdom Fungi; phylum Basidiomycota; subphylum Agaricomycotina; class Agaricomycetes; subclass Agaricomycetidae; order Agaricales; family Marasmiaceae; genus Moniliophthora.Useful websiteshttp://www.lge.ibi.unicamp.br/vassoura/, http://nt.ars-grin.gov/taxadescriptions/keys/TrichodermaIndex.cfm, http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/info-center/research-updates.asp, http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/psi/spcl.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Witches' broom disease (WBD) of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa, is the most important limiting factor for the cacao production in Brazil. Hence, the development of cacao genotypes with durable resistance is the key challenge for control the disease. Proteomic methods are often used to study the interactions between hosts and pathogens, therefore helping classical plant breeding projects on the development of resistant genotypes. The present study compared the proteomic alterations between two cacao genotypes standard for WBD resistance and susceptibility, in response to M. perniciosa infection at 72 h and 45 days post-inoculation; respectively the very early stages of the biotrophic and necrotrophic stages of the cacao x M. perniciosa interaction. RESULTS:A total of 554 proteins were identified, being 246 in the susceptible Catongo and 308 in the resistant TSH1188 genotypes. The identified proteins were involved mainly in metabolism, energy, defense and oxidative stress. The resistant genotype showed more expressed proteins with more variability associated with stress and defense, while the susceptible genotype exhibited more repressed proteins. Among these proteins, stand out pathogenesis related proteins (PRs), oxidative stress regulation related proteins, and trypsin inhibitors. Interaction networks were predicted, and a complex protein-protein interaction was observed. Some proteins showed a high number of interactions, suggesting that those proteins may function as cross-talkers between these biological functions. CONCLUSIONS:We present the first study reporting the proteomic alterations of resistant and susceptible genotypes in the T. cacao x M. perniciosa pathosystem. The important altered proteins identified in the present study are related to key biologic functions in resistance, such as oxidative stress, especially in the resistant genotype TSH1188, that showed a strong mechanism of detoxification. Also, the positive regulation of defense and stress proteins were more evident in this genotype. Proteins with significant roles against fungal plant pathogens, such as chitinases, trypsin inhibitors and PR 5 were also identified, and they may be good resistance markers. Finally, important biological functions, such as stress and defense, photosynthesis, oxidative stress and carbohydrate metabolism were differentially impacted with M. perniciosa infection in each genotype.

Project description:Cacao plantations from South America have been afflicted with the severe fungal disease known as Witches' Broom Disease (WBD), caused by the basidiomycete Moniliophthora perniciosa. Yeasts are increasingly recognized as good fungal biocides, although their application is still mostly restricted to the postharvest control of plant and fruit decay. Their possible utilization in the field, in a preharvest phase, is nevertheless promising, particularly if the strains are locally adapted and evolved and if they belong to species considered safe for man and the environment. In this work, a group of yeast strains originating from sugarcane-based fermentative processes in Brazil, the cacao-producing country where the disease is most severe, were tested for their ability to antagonize M. perniciosa in vitro. Wickerhamomyces anomalus LBCM1105 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains LBCM1112 from spontaneous fermentations used to produce cachaça, and PE2 widely used in Brazil in the industrial production of bioethanol, efficiently antagonized six strains of M. perniciosa, originating from several South American countries. The two fastest growing fungal strains, both originating from Brazil, were further used to assess the mechanisms underlying the yeasts' antagonism. Yeasts were able to inhibit fungal growth and kill the fungus at three different temperatures, under starvation, at different culture stages, or using an inoculum from old yeast cultures. Moreover, SEM analysis revealed that W. anomalus and S. cerevisiae PE2 cluster and adhere to the hyphae, push their surface, and fuse to them, ultimately draining the cells. This behavior concurs with that classified as necrotrophic parasitism/mycoparasitism. In particular, W. anomalus within the adhered clusters appear to be ligated to each other through roundish groups of fimbriae-like structures filled with bundles of microtubule-sized formations, which appear to close after cells detach, leaving a scar. SEM also revealed the formation of tube-like structures apparently connecting yeast to hypha. This evidence suggests W. anomalus cells form a network of yeast cells connecting with each other and with hyphae, supporting a possible cooperative collective killing and feeding strategy. The present results provide an initial step toward the formulation of a new eco-friendly and effective alternative for controlling cacao WBD using live yeast biocides.

Project description:BackgroundThe hemibiotrophic pathogens Moniliophthora perniciosa (witches' broom disease) and Moniliophthora roreri (frosty pod rot disease) are among the most important pathogens of cacao. Moniliophthora perniciosa has a broad host range and infects a variety of meristematic tissues in cacao plants, whereas M. roreri infects only pods of Theobroma and Herrania genera. Comparative pathogenomics of these fungi is essential to understand Moniliophthora infection strategies, therefore the detection and in silico functional characterization of effector candidates are important steps to gain insight on their pathogenicity.ResultsCandidate secreted effector proteins repertoire were predicted using the genomes of five representative isolates of M. perniciosa subpopulations (three from cacao and two from solanaceous hosts), and one representative isolate of M. roreri from Peru. Many putative effectors candidates were identified in M. perniciosa: 157 and 134 in cacao isolates from Bahia, Brazil; 109 in cacao isolate from Ecuador, 92 and 80 in wild solanaceous isolates from Minas Gerais (Lobeira) and Bahia (Caiçara), Brazil; respectively. Moniliophthora roreri showed the highest number of effector candidates, a total of 243. A set of eight core effectors were shared among all Moniliophthora isolates, while others were shared either between the wild solanaceous isolates or among cacao isolates. Mostly, candidate effectors of M. perniciosa were shared among the isolates, whereas in M. roreri nearly 50% were exclusive to the specie. In addition, a large number of cell wall-degrading enzymes characteristic of hemibiotrophic fungi were found. From these, we highlighted the proteins involved in cell wall modification, an enzymatic arsenal that allows the plant pathogens to inhabit environments with oxidative stress, which promotes degradation of plant compounds and facilitates infection.ConclusionsThe present work reports six genomes and provides a database of the putative effectorome of Moniliophthora, a first step towards the understanding of the functional basis of fungal pathogenicity.

Dataset Information

A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao.

Publications

A genome survey of Moniliophthora perniciosa gives new insights into Witches' Broom Disease of cacao.

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