Microbial Genome Sequencing: Genome of Epichloe Festucae, a Model Endophyte of Grasses

微生物基因组测序：草类内生菌模型 Epichloe Festucae 的基因组

• 批准号: 0523661
• 负责人: Christopher Schardl
• 金额: $ 77.11万
• 依托单位: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-10-01 至 2008-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0523661&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Microbial; Genome; Sequencing; Epichloe; Festucae

Fungi play numerous important roles in ecology, agriculture and medicine. Some decompose organic materials, others are pathogens, and others are mutualistic symbionts important for plant health or animal nutrition. The Epichloe species are symbionts (endophytes) of grass plants with both mutualistic and pathogenic states. They and the related endophytes enhance drought tolerance, insect resistance, and other fitness factors in many temperate grasses used as forage or turf, but some also produce toxins that can negatively affect grazing animals. The goal of this project is to sequence the genome of the model endophyte, Epichloe festucae, in order to discover genes involved in mutualistic and pathogenic interactions with host plants, as well as with grazing animals. The fungal genome will be fragmented and cloned into plasmids, approximately 150,000 of which will be sequenced from both ends of the inserted genomic DNA. Computer analysis will identify sequence overlaps, resulting in assembly into large scaffolds, and these assemblies will be subjected to other computer analyses to identify the genes. Discovered genes will suggest mechanisms of fungal benefits to host plants, the transition to pathogenesis, and toxin biosynthesis. The genome sequence of this model plant-symbiotic fungus will be a crucial resource to the broader scientific community for comprehensive genetic studies of plant protection, plant disease and toxin biosynthesis. Furthermore, this and related fungal endophytes have major economic impacts, both negative and positive, in U.S. agriculture. A negative impact is that some cause livestock toxicosis costing the beef industry $600 million annually, with additional impacts on other livestock and wildlife. The major positive impact is that these endophytes improve longevity and productivity of pasture, turf, and conservation grass stands. This project will help elucidate the mechanisms both of beneficial and detrimental endophyte effects, thus facilitating agricultural utilization of endophytes to maximize their overall benefits.

真菌在生态、农业、医学等领域发挥着重要的作用。一些分解有机物质，另一些是病原体，还有一些是对植物健康或动物营养很重要的互惠共生体。表观植物是草本植物的共生体(内生菌)，具有互惠共生和致病两种状态。它们和相关的内生菌提高了许多用作饲料或草皮的温带牧草的耐旱性、抗虫性和其他健康因素，但一些也会产生毒素，对放牧动物产生负面影响。该项目的目标是对模式内生菌Epichloe festucae的基因组进行测序，以发现与寄主植物以及放牧动物的互惠和致病相互作用相关的基因。真菌基因组将被分割并克隆到质粒中，其中约150,000个将从插入的基因组DNA的两端进行测序。计算机分析将识别序列重叠，导致组装成大型支架，这些组装将接受其他计算机分析，以识别基因。已发现的基因将提示真菌对寄主植物有益的机制，向致病机制的转变，以及毒素的生物合成。这种模式植物-共生真菌的基因组序列将成为更广泛的科学界进行植物保护、植物病害和毒素生物合成的全面遗传学研究的关键资源。此外，这种真菌内生菌和相关的真菌内生菌对美国农业产生了重大的经济影响，无论是积极的还是消极的。负面影响是，有些会导致牲畜中毒，每年给牛肉行业造成6亿美元的损失，并对其他牲畜和野生动物造成额外影响。主要的积极影响是，这些内生菌提高了牧场、草坪和养护草场的寿命和生产力。本项目将有助于阐明内生菌的有益和有害效应的机理，从而促进内生菌的农业利用，使其整体效益最大化。