MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Gene transfer between fungal species triggers repeated coffee wilt disease outbreaks

Summary

A new study found that coffee wilt disease, which has caused major crop losses in Africa, has repeatedly emerged due to genes jumping between different fungal species. These genes travel via special mobile DNA elements called Starships, which act like genetic vehicles carrying pathogenic genes from one fungus to another. When Fusarium fungi exchanged genes this way, they became better at infecting different varieties of coffee plants. Understanding how these genes move is crucial for protecting coffee crops from future disease outbreaks.

Background

Coffee wilt disease (CWD), caused by the fungus Fusarium xylarioides, has devastated African coffee production in two major outbreaks over the past century. Until recently, little was understood about the genetic mechanisms driving the repeated emergence of this disease across different Coffea species.

Objective

To investigate the role of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via Starship transposons in the repeated emergence of coffee wilt disease between fungal species. The study aimed to understand how genetic exchange between Fusarium xylarioides and Fusarium oxysporum contributed to the adaptation and persistence of the pathogen.

Results

The study revealed at least 4 distinct strain types of F. xylarioides, including host-specific ‘Arabica’ and ‘Robusta’ lineages that arose through HGT facilitated by Starship transposons in independent events. Large genomic regions containing pathogenicity-related genes were acquired from F. oxysporum, likely contributing to host specificity and the repeated emergence of disease.

Conclusion

Horizontal gene transfer via Starship transposons between fungal species played a key role in the repeated emergence of coffee wilt disease across Africa. Understanding these genetic dynamics is critical for managing future CWD outbreaks and safeguarding global coffee production.
  • Published in:PLoS Biology,
  • Study Type:Genomic Analysis Study,
  • Source: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002901; PMID: 39642107
Scroll to Top