Integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals mycoparasitism as the ancestoral life style of Trichoderma

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

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

International audienceBackground: 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.Results: 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.Conclusions: 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

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

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

MOESM2 of Comparative genome sequence analysis underscores mycoparasitism as the ancestral life style of Trichoderma

Additional file 2: Additional information on selected gene groups of Trichoderma , methods used for genome sequencing, and legends for the figures in Additional file 3. Chapter 1: Carbohydrate-Active enzymes (CAZymes). Chapter 2: Aegerolysins and other toxins. Chapter 3: Small secreted cysteine rich proteins (SSCPs). Chapter 4: EST sequencing and analysis. Chapter 5: Legends to figures. (DOCX 38 KB