Genome-wide survey and evolutionary history of the Pectin methylesterase (PME) gene family in the Dothideomycetes class of fungi

Fungal Genet Biol. 2023 Oct 3:103841. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103841. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTOnce deposited in the plant cell wall, pectin undergoes demethylesterification by endogenous pectin methylesterases (PMEs), which play various roles in growth and development, including defense against pathogen attacks. Pathogen PMEs can alter pectin's methylesterification pattern, increasing its susceptibility to degradation by other fungal pectinases and thus playing a critical role as virulence factors during early infection stages. To investigate the evolutionary history of PMEs in the Dothideomycetes class of fungi, we obtained genomic data from 15 orders (79 species) and added genomic data from 61 isolates of Corynespora cassiicola. Our analyses involved maximum likelihood phylogenies, gene genealogies, and selection analyses. Additionally, we measured PME gene expression levels of C. cassiicola using soybean as a host through RT-qPCR assays. We recovered 145 putative effector PMEs and 57 putative non-effector PMEs from across the Dothideomycetes. The PME gene family exhibits a small size (up to 5 members per genome) and comprises three major clades. The evolutionary patterns of the PME1 and PME2 clades were largely shaped by duplications and recurring gene retention events, while biased gene loss characterized the small-sized PME3 clade. The presence of five members in the PME gene family of C. cassiicola suggests that the family may play a key role in the evolutionary s...

Source: Fungal Genetics and Biology - October 5, 2023 Category: Biology Authors: Vinicius Delgado da Rocha Tha ís Carolina da Silva Dal'Sasso Maximiller Dal-Bianco Lamas Costa Luiz Orlando de Oliveira Source Type: research