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MAT gene idiomorphs suggest a heterothallic sexual cycle in the citrus pathogen Phyllosticta citricarpa

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Abstract

Sexual reproduction in fungi is controlled by mating type genes, which are located at the MAT locus. In this study, we investigated the structure of this locus in the phytopathogenic fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa, the causal agent of citrus black spot disease. Despite intensive study, its sexual state has never been observed in single-spore culture. Through analysis of the genome sequences of two individual P. citricarpa isolates, the sequence of the DNA lyase gene was identified and, as previously reported in the literature, the mating type genes were located in the 3′ flanking region of this gene. The results suggested that P. citricarpa is heterothallic, owing to the exclusive presence of the MAT1–1 or MAT1–2 gene in individual strains. In order to characterize the MAT locus, we designed primers to amplify this region. P. citricarpa was found to have complete and apparently functional copies of MAT genes, containing α-1 and HMG domains, present in different isolates. In addition to MAT1–2-1 and MAT1–1-1 genes, the MAT1–1-4 gene was located in the 5′ flanking region of the MAT1–1-1 gene and the MAT1–2-5 gene was located in 5′ flanking region of the MAT1–2-1 gene. A multiplex PCR protocol was also developed to differentiate P. citricarpa idiomorphs, which can be used in distribution and incidence studies of mating type strains, in order to determine the occurrence of sexual reproduction and to facility crossing studies. Furthermore, in Brazil, the two idiomorphs occur in a 1:1 ratio, which is expected in sexually reproducing populations.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas for the partnership. This work is financially supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), and Fundação Araucária.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Paraná, PO. BOX 19071. CEP, Curitiba, PR, 81531-980, Brazil

    Renata Amorim, Daiani Cristina Savi, Lisandra Ferreira-Maba, Rodrigo Aluizio & Chirlei Glienke

  2. Centro de Citricultura Sylvio Moreira, Instituto Agronômico, Rod. Anhanguera, km 158 PO. BOX 04, CEP, Cordeirópolis, SP, 13490-970, Brazil

    Eduardo Henrique Goulin, Marco Aurélio Takita & Marcos Antonio Machado

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  1. Renata Amorim
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  2. Daiani Cristina Savi
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  4. Rodrigo Aluizio
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Correspondence to Chirlei Glienke.

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Renata Amorim and Daiani Cristina Savi have contributed equally to this work

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Amorim, R., Savi, D.C., Ferreira-Maba, L. et al. MAT gene idiomorphs suggest a heterothallic sexual cycle in the citrus pathogen Phyllosticta citricarpa . Eur J Plant Pathol 147, 325–337 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-016-1005-8

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