Phytophthora sojae: A High Quality Reference Sequence for the Oomycetes

卵菌类植物病原体，如疫霉属的病原体，能引起多种农作物和非农作物的破坏性疾病。森林和当地生态系统已经被广泛的寄主范围的疫霉物种破坏，如肉桂疫霉菌和加州橡树林的新出现的病原体，P.ramorum。马铃薯病原体P.infestans是19世纪爱尔兰马铃薯饥荒的罪魁祸首。表面上看，疫霉病原体类似真菌，但实际上它们属于一种名为卵菌的类群，与海藻和硅藻等藻类关系最密切。因此，常规的真菌控制措施往往对这些病原体无效。由于这些生物已经进化出独立于其他病原体(如真菌)攻击植物的能力，它们可能已经开发出攻击宿主的新方法。该项目也将得到美国农业部/CSREES的资助，将通过创建高质量的大豆疫霉病原菌DNA序列，创建一个全面的卵菌病原菌遗传资源。大豆疫霉的序列将与其他五种卵菌病原菌的草案序列整合在一起，这五种卵菌病原菌是：拉莫尔霉、致病疫霉、辣椒和葫芦科病原菌、霜霉病、寄生霜霉和寄主范围广泛的条件病原菌最终腐霉。该项目将极大地促进对这种破坏性病原体的遗传学、生物化学、进化和病理学的了解，并将促进改进疾病控制措施的发展。一个以本科生为主的机构网络将参与解释基因组序列，为本科生提供令人兴奋的机会，体验探索生物学尖端的兴奋。

Oomycete plant pathogens, such as those from the genus Phytophthora, cause destructive diseases of an enormous variety of crop and non-crop plant species. Forests and native ecosystems have been devastated by broad host range Phytophthora species such as Ph.cinnamomi and the newly emerged pathogen of California's oak forests, P. ramorum. The potato pathogen Ph. infestans was responsible for the Irish potato famine in the 19th century. Superficially, Phytophthora pathogens resemble fungi, but they in fact belong to a group called oomycetes that are most closely related to algae such as kelp and diatoms. Hence conventional fungal control measures often fail against these pathogens. Since these organisms have evolved the ability to attack plants independently of other pathogens such as fungi, they may have developed novel means of attacking their hosts. This project, which will also be funded by the USDA/CSREES, will create a comprehensive genetic resource for oomycete pathogens by creating a high quality DNA sequence of the soybean pathogen Phytophthora sojae. The Ph. sojae sequence will be integrated with a draft sequences for five other oomycete pathogens, Ph. ramorum, Ph.infestans, the pepper and cucurbit pathogen Ph. capsici, the downy mildew Hyaloperonospora parasitica, and the broad host range opportunistic pathogen Pythium ultimum. The project will greatly advance understanding of the genetics, biochemistry, evolution and pathology of this destructive group of pathogens and will facilitate the development of improved disease control measures. A network of predominantly undergraduate institutions will be involved in interpreting the genome sequences, providing exciting opportunities for undergraduates to experience the excitement of exploring the cutting edges of biology.