Whole-genome comparisons of Penicillium spp. reveals secondary metabolic gene clusters and candidate genes associated with fungal aggressiveness during apple fruit decay

Abstract

Blue mold is a postharvest rot of pomaceous fruits caused by Penicillium expansum and a number of other Penicillium species. The genome of the highly aggressive P. expansum strain R19 was re-sequenced and analyzed together with the genome of the less aggressive P. solitum strain RS1. Whole genome scale similarities and differences were examined. A phylogenetic analysis of P. expansum, P. solitum, and several closely related Penicillium species revealed that the two pathogens isolated from decayed apple with blue mold symptoms are not each other’s closest relatives. Among a total of 10,560 and 10,672 protein coding sequences respectively, a comparative genomics analysis revealed 41 genes in P. expansum R19 and 43 genes in P. solitum RS1 that are unique to these two species. These genes may be associated with pome fruit–fungal interactions, subsequent decay processes, and mycotoxin accumulation. An intact patulin gene cluster consisting of 15 biosynthetic genes was identified in the patulin producing P. expansum strain R19, while only a remnant, seven-gene cluster was identified in the patulin-deficient P. solitum strain. However, P. solitum contained a large number of additional secondary metabolite gene clusters, indicating that this species has the potential capacity to produce an array of known as well as not-yet-identified products of possible toxicological or biotechnological interest.

Occurrence and Characterization of Penicillium Species Isolated from Post-Harvest Apples in Lebanon

“…Recent genome sequencing of the two species has revealed an intact patulin gene cluster consisting of 15 biosynthetic genes identified in the patulin producing P. expansum strain R19, while only a remnant, seven-gene cluster in the patulin-deficient P. solitum strain. Nevertheless, P. solitum contained a large number of additional secondary metabolite gene clusters, indicating that this species has the potential capacity to produce an array of known as well as not-yet-identified products of possible toxicological or biotechnological interest [ 35 ].…”

Molecular basis and regulation of pathogenicity and patulin biosynthesis in Penicillium expansum

“…To date, the whole genomes of at least seven P. expansum strains, from China, Israel, Spain, and the United States, have been sequenced (Ballester et al, 2015;Li et al, 2015;Wu et al, 2019;Yang et al, 2014;Yin et al, 2017;Yu et al, 2014;). According to released genome information, the genome size of P. expansum is about 33 MB, which is larger than the genomes of two other important postharvest pathogens, Penicillium italicum (about 30 MB) and Penicillium digitatum (about 26 MB) (Ballester et al, 2015;Julca, Droby, Sela, Marcet-Houben, & Gabaldón, 2015).…”

“…In recent years, there have been rapid increases in research on the molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity in P. expansum, especially after the sequencing of the genomes of P. expansum and closely related Penicillium species. A large set of genes coding putative virulence factors and regulators have been identified in several omics-based studies (Ballester et al, 2015;Levin, Kishore et al, 2019;Tannous, Kumar et al, 2018;Wu et al, 2019;Zhou et al, 2018), and the functions of some genes have been characterized (Figure 2).…”

The complete genome sequences of Penicillium concavorugulosum

“…For example, species such as Penicillium cyclopium and Penicillium citrinum have been reported to be contaminants in corn, soybean, and dried beans (Munkvold et al, 2019). Whereas Penicillium expansum and many other Penicillium species have been reported to cause postharvest losses in pome fruits and apples (Pitt and Hocking, 2009;Wu et al, 2019).…”