Home • Alternaria rosae MPI-PUGE-AT-0040 v1.0
Alternaria rosae growing in the lab.
Alternaria rosae growing in the lab.
Image Credit: Stephane Hacquard

This genome was sequenced as part of the 1000 Fungal Genomes Project - Deep Sequencing of Ecologically-relevant Dikarya, and more specifically as part of the Endophyte Genome Sequencing project, which seeks to sequence members of diverse lineages of endophytic species found in Arabidopsis, Populus and other plants to examine the functional diversity of fungi with a shared evolutionary history.

The genus Alternaria (Ascomycota phylum, Dothideomycetes class, Pleosporales order) is known to be poyphyletic and includes pathogens on living plants and saprophytes on organic substrates. They are ubiquitous in the environment and approximately 280 distinguishable species have been described. Some Alternaria species have shown promise as biocontrol agents against invasive weeds while others have been described to grow endophytically within plant tissues. Alternaria species are also a prolific source of pharmacologically active metabolites. The sequenced Alternaria rosae MPI-PUGE-AT-0040 has been isolated from healthy Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown in natural soil after surface sterilization of plant roots. The sequencing of this fungal isolate is part of a larger project aiming at sequencing the genomes of numerous phylogenetically diverse root-associated fungi from Arabidopsis, Populus, and other plant hosts for further comparative genome analysis. Unravelling the genomic signatures reflecting the adaptation of these microbes to the host cell environment represent a promising way to better understand how the endophytic lifestyle evolved in phylogenetically unrelated fungal species. Comparative genome analysis between different plant hosts, and between saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, and pathogenic fungi will provide new insights into the specific adaptations but also the conserved signatures associated with these different lifestyles.

Researchers who wish to publish analyses using data from unpublished CSP genomes are respectfully required to contact the PI and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate other publications with the CSP master paper(s).

 

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