Complete Chromosome-Scale Genome Sequence Resource for Sporisorium panici-leucophaei , the Causal Agent of Sourgrass Smut Disease

Abstract

Here, we present the first complete chromosome-level genome assembly of the smut fungus strain Sporisorium panici-leucophaei SPL10A, the causal agent of the sourgrass (Digitaria insularis) smut disease. Combining Illumina paired-end and Nanopore long reads, we generated a final assembly composed of 23 chromosomes (22 nuclear and one mitochondrial) with 18,915,934 bp. Gene prediction accomplished using extrinsic evidence from the sugarcane smut fungus Sporisorium scitamineum originated a total of 6,402 protein-encoding genes. The secretome (388 proteins) and the effectorome repertoires (68 candidates) were also predicted, given their crucial roles in plant-pathogen interactions. The complete telomere-to-telomere chromosome sequences of this poorly studied fungus will provide a valuable resource for future comparative genomic studies among smuts to unravel their underlying pathogenicity mechanisms.

Gustavo Schiavone Crestana

Ph.D. Candidate – Genetics and Plant Breeding Program

Biologist – Ph.D. Candidate – Genetics and Plant Breeding Program

Claudia Barros Monteiro-Vitorello

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor at ESALQ-USP specializing in molecular and microbial genetics. Her research focuses on plant-pathogen interactions, particularly in sugarcane, as well as microbial genomics and genome evolution.