Comparative genome sequence analysis underscores mycoparasitism as the ancestral life style of Trichoderma

• Published in: Genome Biology Vol. 12; no. 4; p. R40
• Main Authors: Kubichek, C.P, Tamayo Ramos, J.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 18.04.2011
• Subjects: aspergillus-nidulans; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; biological control; biological control agents; cell-wall; Chromosome Mapping; DNA Transposable Elements; DNA Transposable Elements - genetics; dna-sequences; eukaryotic genomes; fungi; genes; Genome, Fungal; Genome, Fungal - genetics; Genomics; germplasm conservation; hydrophobin gene; Hypocrea; Hypocrea - classification; Hypocrea - genetics; hypocrea-jecorina; induced systemic resistance; Life Sciences; Microbiology and Parasitology; Mycology; mycoparasites; neurospora-crassa; nucleotide sequences; pathogenic fungi; pest control; Pest Control, Biological; Phylogeny; plant pathogens; plant pests; plant protection; plant-root colonization; Plants; Plants - parasitology; point mutation; Quantitative Methods; sequence analysis; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Analysis, DNA - methods; Species Specificity; teleomorphs; Trichoderma; Trichoderma - classification; Trichoderma - genetics; Trichoderma atroviride; Trichoderma reesei; Trichoderma virens
• ISSN: 1474-760X; 1465-6906; 1474-7596; 1474-760X; 1465-6914
• DOI: 10.1186/gb-2011-12-4-r40

Mycoparasitism, a lifestyle where one fungus is parasitic on another fungus, has special relevance when the prey is a plant pathogen, providing a strategy for biological control of pests for plant protection. Probably, the most studied biocontrol agents are species of the genus Hypocrea/Trichoderma. Here we report an analysis of the genome sequences of the two biocontrol species Trichoderma atroviride (teleomorph Hypocrea atroviridis) and Trichoderma virens (formerly Gliocladium virens, teleomorph Hypocrea virens), and a comparison with Trichoderma reesei (teleomorph Hypocrea jecorina). These three Trichoderma species display a remarkable conservation of gene order (78 to 96%), and a lack of active mobile elements probably due to repeat-induced point mutation. Several gene families are expanded in the two mycoparasitic species relative to T. reesei or other ascomycetes, and are overrepresented in non-syntenic genome regions. A phylogenetic analysis shows that T. reesei and T. virens are derived relative to T. atroviride. The mycoparasitism-specific genes thus arose in a common Trichoderma ancestor but were subsequently lost in T. reesei. The data offer a better understanding of mycoparasitism, and thus enforce the development of improved biocontrol strains for efficient and environmentally friendly protection of plants.