Design of a diagnostic system based on molecular markers derived from the ascomycetes pan-genome analysis: The case of Fusarium dieback disease

PLoS One. 2021 Jan 28;16(1):e0246079. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246079. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

A key factor to take actions against phytosanitary problems is the accurate and rapid detection of the causal agent. Here, we develop a molecular diagnostics system based on comparative genomics to easily identify fusariosis and specific pathogenic species as the Fusarium kuroshium, the symbiont of the ambrosia beetle Euwallaceae kuroshio Gomez and Hulcr which is responsible for Fusarium dieback disease in San Diego CA, USA. We performed a pan-genome analysis using sixty-three ascomycetes fungi species including phytopathogens and fungi associated with the ambrosia beetles. Pan-genome analysis revealed that 2,631 orthologue genes are only shared by Fusarium spp., and on average 3,941 (SD ± 1,418.6) are species-specific genes. These genes were used for PCR primer design and tested on DNA isolated from i) different strains of ascomycete species, ii) artificially infected avocado stems and iii) plant tissue of field-collected samples presumably infected. Our results let us propose a useful set of primers to either identify any species from Fusarium genus or, in a specific manner, species such as F. kuroshium, F. oxysporum, and F. graminearum. The results suggest that the molecular strategy employed in this study can be expanded to design primers against different types of pathogens responsible for provoking critical plant diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ascomycota* / classification
  • Ascomycota* / genetics
  • Coleoptera / microbiology*
  • Fusarium* / classification
  • Fusarium* / genetics
  • Genome, Fungal*
  • Persea / microbiology*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by SAGARPA-SENASICA through an agreement between INECOL and Mexican phytosanitary authorities (SENASICA-INECOL, 2016). This work also was supported by FORDECYT-CONACYT project 292399. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.