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Genomic insights into the carbohydrate catabolism of Cairneyella variabilis gen. nov. sp. nov., the first reports from a genome of an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus from the southern hemisphere

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Abstract

This paper describes a novel species of ericoid mycorrhizal fungus from Australia, Cairneyella variabilis, Midgley and Tran-Dinh, gen. nov. sp. nov. The genome of C. variabilis was sequenced and a draft genome assembled. The draft genome of C. variabilis is 52.4 Mbp in length, and to our knowledge, this is the first study to present a genome of an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus from the southern hemisphere. Using the SignalP and dbCAN bioinformatic pipelines, a study of the catabolic potential of C. variabilis was undertaken and showed genes for an array of degradative enzymes, most of which appear to be secreted from the hyphae, to access a suite of different carbon sources. Isolates of C. variabilis have been previously shown to utilise cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), cellobiose, xylan, pectin, starch and tannic acid for growth, and in the current study, putative enzymes for these processes were revealed. These enzymes likely play key roles in nutrient cycling and other edaphic processes in heathland environments. ITS phylogenetic analyses showed C. variabilis to be distinct from the fungi of the “Hymenoscyphus ericae aggregate”.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mr Mark Wilson for accessioning cultures into the FRR culture collection, and Dr. Mark Bradbury and Ms. Brodie Sutcliffe for their insightful comments on the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO, 11 Julius Avenue, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2113

    David J. Midgley, Carly P. Rosewarne, Paul Greenfield, Cassandra J. Vockler, John I. Pitt & Nai Tran-Dinh

  2. Plant Health and Environment Laboratory, Ministry for Primary Industries, Manatū Ahu Matua, 231 Morrin Road, St. Johns, Auckland, 1072, New Zealand

    Dongmei Li

  3. NSW Forensic and Analytical Science Service, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia, 2141

    Catherine J. Hitchcock

  4. Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Molecular Genetics, North Ryde, NSW, Australia, 2113

    Nicole A. Sawyer

  5. Biosciences Research, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, AgriBio, La Trobe University, 5 Ring Rd, Bundoora, VIC, Australia, 3083

    Robyn Brett & Jacqueline Edwards

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  1. David J. Midgley
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  2. Carly P. Rosewarne
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  3. Paul Greenfield
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  11. Nai Tran-Dinh
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Correspondence to David J. Midgley.

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Midgley, D.J., Rosewarne, C.P., Greenfield, P. et al. Genomic insights into the carbohydrate catabolism of Cairneyella variabilis gen. nov. sp. nov., the first reports from a genome of an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus from the southern hemisphere. Mycorrhiza 26, 345–352 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-016-0683-6

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