Genome sequence and analysis of the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans

The genome of Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen that triggered the Irish potato famine in the nineteenth century, has been sequenced. It remains a devastating pathogen, with late blight destroying crops worth billions of dollars each year. Blight is difficult to control, in part because it adapts so quickly to genetically resistant potato strains. Comparison with two other Phytophthora genomes shows rapid turnover and extensive expansion of specific families of secreted disease effector proteins, including many genes induced during infection that have activities thought to alter host physiology. These fast evolving effector genes are found in highly dynamic and expanded regions of the genome, a factor that…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 0523670, 0333274
• UD
  U.S. Department of Agriculture
• BI
  Broad Institute
• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Award: NE/F012578/1
• GC
  Gatsby Charitable Foundation
• BA
  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Awards: BB/E007120/1, BB/G015244/1, BB/E006795/1
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Award: NE/F012578/1