The mycelial culture of the sequenced strain of Corynespora cassiicola (credits: V. Pujade-Renaud, CIRAD).

Leaves of a rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) infected with Corynespora cassiicola (credits: Laurent Vaysse, CIRAD)

Corynespora cassiicola (Berk.& M. A. Curtis) is a plant pathogen. This ascomycete is responsible for the recent emergence of threatening diseases in a large range of plants, in tropical and subtropical areas.  Important crops such as rubber tree, soybean, tomato, cucumber, cacao, manioc and many other fruit and ornamental plants are affected. Mostly known as a necrotrophic plant pathogen, C. cassiicola was also described as an endophyte or a saprobe. It was also reported in humans.
C. cassiicola is one of the hundred Corynespora species described so far. C. cassiicola and C. smithi form an outgroup among the Pleosporales in the phylogenetic tree of the Dothideomycetes, without clear relationship to any other currently defined family.
An important diversity was evidenced within the C. cassiicola species, both in terms of genetics and biology. A small secreted protein named cassiicolin was described as an important effector of rubber tree pathogenic isolates. The cassiicolin gene polymorphism was concordant with the phylogenetic structuration of C. cassiicola, suggesting that this small secreted toxin plays an important role in the evolution of the species. However, other pathogen effectors may be involved and the mechanisms ruling pathogenicity and host specificity are still poorly understood.
The analysis of C. cassiicola genome will allow a more detailed investigation of the biology of the fungus in terms of effectors, nutrition mode, reproduction, in order to better understand it evolution and the genetic basis of disease emergence.
Corynespora cassiicola was contributed to the 1KFG project by Francis Martin (INRA) and Valérie Pujade-Renaud (CIRAD). As always, please contact the PIs associated with unpublished 1KFG genomes for permission prior to the use of any data in publications.