Gaetan Le Floch

Gene family expansions and contractions are associated with host range in plant pathogens of the genus Colletotrichum.

BackgroundMany species belonging to the genus Colletotrichum cause anthracnose disease on a wide range of plant species. In addition to their economic impact, the genus Colletotrichum is a useful model for the study of the evolution of host specificity, speciation and reproductive behaviors. Genome projects of Colletotrichum species have already opened a new era for studying the evolution of pathogenesis in fungi.ResultsWe sequenced and annotated the genomes of four strains in the Colletotrichum acutatum species complex (CAsc), a clade of broad host range pathogens within the genus. The four CAsc proteomes and secretomes along with those representing an additional 13 species (six Colletotrichum spp. and seven other Sordariomycetes) were classified into protein families using a variety of tools. Hierarchical clustering of gene family and functional domain assignments, and phylogenetic analyses revealed lineage specific losses of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and proteases encoding genes in Colletotrichum species that have narrow host range as well as duplications of these families in the CAsc. We also found a lineage specific expansion of necrosis and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like protein (NLPs) families within the CAsc.ConclusionsThis study illustrates the plasticity of Colletotrichum genomes, and shows that major changes in host range are associated with relatively recent changes in gene content.

The Colletotrichum acutatum Species Complex as a Model System to Study Evolution and Host Specialization in Plant Pathogens

Colletotrichum spp. infect a wide diversity of hosts, causing plant diseases on many economically important crops worldwide. The genus contains approximately 189 species organized into at least 11 major phylogenetic lineages, also known as species complexes. The Colletotrichum acutatum species complex is a diverse yet relatively closely related group of plant pathogenic fungi within this genus. Within the species complex we find a wide diversity of important traits such as host range and host preference, mode of reproduction and differences in the strategy used to infect their hosts. Research on fungal comparative genomics have attempted to find correlations in these traits and patterns of gene family evolution but such studies typically compare fungi from different genera or even different fungal Orders. The C. acutatum species complex contains most of this diversity within a group of relatively closely related species. This Perspective article presents a review of the current knowledge on C. acutatum phylogeny, biology, and pathology. It also demonstrates the suitability of C. acutatum for the study of gene family evolution on a fine scale to uncover evolutionary events in the genome that are associated with the evolution of phenotypic characters important for host interactions.

Combined Metabarcoding and Multi-locus approach for Genetic characterization of Colletotrichum species associated with common walnut (Juglans regia) anthracnose in France

Juglans regia (walnut) is a species belonging to the family Juglandaceae. Broadly spread in diverse temperate and subtropical regions, walnut is primarily cultivated for its nuts. In France, Colletotrichum sp. on walnut was detected for the first time in 2007; in 2011 the disease led to 50–70% losses in nut production. A combined approach of metabarcoding analysis and multi-locus genetic characterization of isolated strains has been used for taxonomic designation and to study the genetic variability of this pathogen in France. Evidence indicates that four Colletotrichum species are associated with walnut in France: 3 belong to the C. acutatum species complex and 1 to the C. gloeosporioides species complex. Results also show that C. godetiae is the most abundant species followed by C. fioriniae; while C. nymphaeae and another Colletotrichum sp. belonging to the C. gloeosporioides complex are found rarely. Representative isolates of detected species were also used to confirm pathogenicity on walnut fruits. The results show a high variability of lesion’s dimensions among isolates tested. This study highlights the genetic and pathogenic heterogeneity of Colletotrichum species associated with walnut anthracnose in France providing useful information for targeted treatments or selection of resistant cultivars, in order to better control the disease.