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Whole-genome sequencing of global forest pathogen Diplodia sapinea causing pine shoot blight

Summary

Scientists have sequenced the complete genome of Diplodia sapinea, a fungus that causes serious disease in pine trees worldwide. This fungus normally lives harmlessly inside healthy pine trees but becomes dangerous during stressful conditions like droughts or storms. The new genome information will help scientists understand how this pathogen works and develop better ways to prevent and control the disease in forests.

Background

Diplodia sapinea is a widespread fungal pathogen affecting various pine species globally. The fungus exists as a benign endophyte in healthy trees but becomes pathogenic under environmental stress such as drought, elevated temperatures, or physical injury. Previous genomic data of D. sapinea was limited to fragmented genome assemblies.

Objective

To generate a high-quality genome assembly of D. sapinea strain ZXD319 and provide comprehensive genomic resources for future studies on systematics, population genetics, and global movement of this important forest pathogen.

Results

The assembled genome spans 36.81 Mb with 14 contigs, GC content of 56.80%, and N50 of 2,972,533 bp. The genome contains 11,200 protein-coding genes and 252 noncoding RNAs with BUSCO completeness of 99.5%. Comparative analysis identified 11,568 gene clusters and 1,611 potential virulence genes, while phylogenetic analysis revealed close evolutionary relationships between D. sapinea, D. corticola, and D. seriata.

Conclusion

A high-quality draft genome of D. sapinea has been successfully generated, providing valuable genomic resources for understanding the pathogen’s biological characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms. The genomic data will support development of effective control strategies for this globally important forest pathogen.
  • Published in:BMC Genomic Data,
  • Study Type:Genomic Data Report,
  • Source: 10.1186/s12863-025-01328-z; PMID: 40419994
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