文章基本信息

标题：Small genome of the fungus Escovopsis weberi, a specialized disease agent of ant agriculture
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作者：Tom J. B. de Man ; Jason E. Stajich ; Christian P. Kubicek 等
期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2016
卷号：113
期号：13
页码：3567-3572
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1518501113
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Many microorganisms with specialized lifestyles have reduced genomes. This is best understood in beneficial bacterial symbioses, where partner fidelity facilitates loss of genes necessary for living independently. Specialized microbial pathogens may also exhibit gene loss relative to generalists. Here, we demonstrate that Escovopsis weberi, a fungal parasite of the crops of fungus-growing ants, has a reduced genome in terms of both size and gene content relative to closely related but less specialized fungi. Although primary metabolism genes have been retained, the E. weberi genome is depleted in carbohydrate active enzymes, which is consistent with reliance on a host with these functions. E. weberi has also lost genes considered necessary for sexual reproduction. Contrasting these losses, the genome encodes unique secondary metabolite biosynthesis clusters, some of which include genes that exhibit up-regulated expression during host attack. Thus, the specialized nature of the interaction between Escovopsis and ant agriculture is reflected in the parasite’s genome.
关键词：mycoparasitism ; repeat-induced point mutation ; Atta cephalotes ; attine ; genome reduction