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Evolutionary and Genomic Comparisons of Hybrid Uninucleate and Nonhybrid Rhizoctonia Fungi

Summary

This research examines the genetic makeup of different types of Rhizoctonia fungi, revealing how these plant pathogens evolve and adapt through genome hybridization. The study shows how some fungal strains combine their genetic material to create hybrid species with new characteristics. This has important implications for agriculture and plant disease management. Impacts on everyday life: – Helps understand how crop diseases develop and spread – Provides insights for developing better plant disease resistance strategies – Contributes to improving food security by understanding crop pathogens – Aids in developing more effective fungal control methods – Advances our knowledge of how organisms adapt and evolve

Background

Rhizoctonia is a basidiomycetous fungal genus that can cause severe damage to many plants and consists of multinucleate, binucleate, and uninucleate species with varying pathogenicity. The genus includes both plant pathogens and endomycorrhizal symbionts. While Rhizoctonia solani can damage over 200 plant species, genetic breeding for resistance has been limited due to only minor resistance traits being identified.

Objective

To generate and compare chromosome-scale genome assemblies of three nuclear types of Rhizoctonia isolates (uninucleate, binucleate, and multinucleate) to understand their evolutionary relationships and genomic characteristics.

Results

The genomic comparisons revealed that the uninucleate JN strain likely arose through somatic hybridization of two binucleate isolates and maintained a diploid nucleus. Homeolog gene pairs in the JN genome showed both decelerated and accelerated evolution. Expression dominance occurred between JN subgenomes. Analysis of mating-type genes suggested Rhizoctonia maintains ancestral tetrapolarity. Long terminal repeat-retrotransposons displayed reciprocal correlation with chromosomal GC content. The more aggressive multinucleate XN strain had more genes encoding enzymes for host cell wall decomposition.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates evolutionary changes in a recently derived hybrid fungal genome and provides insights into the genomic differences between multiple nuclear types of Rhizoctonia. The findings reveal mechanisms of genome evolution and host adaptation in these important plant pathogens, particularly through hybridization and gene family expansion.
  • Published in:Communications Biology,
  • Study Type:Genomic Analysis,
  • Source: 10.1038/s42003-021-01724-y
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