Small genome of the fungus <i>Escovopsis weberi</i> , a specialized disease agent of ant agriculture

Tom J. B. de Man, Jason E. Stajich, Christian P. Kubicek, Clotilde Teiling, Komal Chenthamara, Lea Atanasova, Irina S. Druzhinina, Natasha Levenkova, Stephanie S. L. Birnbaum, Seth M. Barribeau, Brooke A. Bozick, Garret Suen, Cameron R. Currie, Nicole M. Gerardo

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences3/14/2016·DOI·Read paper

Abstract

Significance Many organisms are specialists living within a narrow range of conditions. Pathogens are often adapted to efficiently exploit only a few hosts species, or sometimes, only some genotypes within a species. The genomes of such parasites are predicted to maintain genes critical for host utilization and to lose genes no longer necessary outside their constrained lifestyle. We demonstrate that the genomic content of a fungal pathogen specialized to attack and consume fungus cultivated by ants meets these predictions. Despite a reduced genome size and gene content in comparison with less specialized relatives, the genome of this agricultural pathogen retains genes necessary for production of toxins, a step critical to host attack, and for breaking down nutrients abundant in its host.

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