Home • Microdochium trichocladiopsis MPI-CAGE-CH-0230 v1.0
Photo of Microdochium trichocladiopsis MPI-CAGE-CH-0230 v1.0
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 Microdochium (Ascomycota phylum, Sordariomycetes class, Xylariales order) include ~20 species among which only few have been well studied under controlled laboratory conditions.  Microdochium spp. include pathogens of grasses and cereals such as Microdochium nivale or Microdochium majus that cause the ‘Microdochium patch’ disease. Microdochium spp. are often referred to as Fusarium-like fungi, although their conidiogenous tissues and conidia are morphologically distinct. Many species are also commonly found growing endophytically within plant roots such as the dark septate fungal endophyte Microdochium bolleyi. The sequenced Microdochium trichocladiopsis strain MPI-CAGE-CH-0230 has been isolated from surface sterilized roots of the flowering plant Cardamine hirsuta (a close relative of Arabidopsis thaliana) and represent an important model for studying fungal adaptation to the root environment and evolution towards the endophytic lifestyle. 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. Unraveling 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Researchers who wish to publish analyses using data from unpublished CSP genomes are respectfully required to contact the PI and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate other publications with the CSP master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).

 

Genome Reference(s)