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.

真菌在生态学、农业和医学中发挥着许多重要作用。有些分解有机物质，有些是病原体，还有一些是对植物健康或动物营养很重要的共生体。 Epichloe物种是禾本科植物的共生体（内生菌），具有互利和致病状态。它们和相关的内生菌增强了许多用作饲料或草坪的温带草类的耐旱性、抗虫性和其他健康因素，但有些草类也会产生毒素，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，以发现参与与宿主植物以及食草动物的互利和致病相互作用的基因。真菌基因组将被片段化并克隆到质粒中，其中大约 150,000 个质粒将从插入的基因组 DNA 的两端进行测序。计算机分析将识别序列重叠，从而组装成大型支架，并且这些组装体将接受其他计算机分析以识别基因。发现的基因将揭示真菌对宿主植物的益处、发病机制的转变和毒素生物合成的机制。这种模型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综合遗传学研究的重要资源。此外，这种真菌和相关的内生真菌对美国农业具有重大的经济影响，无论是消极的还是积极的。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产生额外影响。主要的积极影响是这些内生菌提高了牧场、草坪和保护性草丛的寿命和生产力。该项目将有助于阐明内生菌有益和有害的作用机制，从而促进内生菌的农业利用，以最大限度地提高其整体效益。