Obligate biotrophy features unraveled by the genomic analysis of rust fungi

Rust fungi are some of the most devastating pathogens of crop plants. They are obligate biotrophs, which extract nutrients only from living plant tissues and cannot grow apart from their hosts. Their lifestyle has slowed the dissection of molecular mechanisms underlying host invasion and avoidance or suppression of plant innate immunity. We sequenced the 101-Mb genome of Melampsora larici-populina, the causal agent of poplar leaf rust, and the 89-Mb genome of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, the causal agent of wheat and barley stem rust. We then compared the 16,399 predicted proteins of M. larici-populina with the 17,773 predicted proteins of P. graminis f. sp tritici. Genomic features related to their…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: -AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02-
• BI
  Broad Institute
• JG
  Joint Genome Institute

  Awards: DE-AC02-05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231
• IN
  Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
• OO
  Office of Science

  Awards: AC02-05CH11231, -AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02
• NR
  Natural Resources Canada