Fungi and oomycetes are filamentous microorganisms that include a diversity of highly developed pathogens of plants. Notorious plant diseases such as rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae), wheat scab (Fusarium graminearum), wheat rust (Puccinia spp.), and corn smut (Ustilago maydis) are caused by fungal pathogens, while potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans), sudden oak death (P. ramorum), soybean root rot and damping off (P. sojae and Pythium ultimum), and grapevine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) are caused by oomycete pathogens. Systematically revealing the pathogenic mechanisms of these diseases is a foundation for their control.
Over the past 15 years, the genomes of more than 150 plant pathogenic fungi and oomycetes have been sequenced. The fast-accumulating 'omic' data and bioinformatics techniques have significantly promoted the understanding of pathogenesis. Evidence has revealed that a co-evolutionary arms race with host plants has shaped the genomes of these filamentous plant pathogens into diverse architectures, in addition to producing some common features in phylogenetically unrelated species. Typically these pathogens have evolved a large repertoire of secreted virulence proteins, called effectors, which are able to target different molecules outside or inside host cells to facilitate colonization and infection. Some effectors can be recognized by the plant immune system and trigger immunity, while others may escape recognition of the host by fast evolution themselves. Still others may evolve factors to suppress the effector-triggered immunity. However, systematic knowledge of virulence evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of interaction with hosts in filamentous plant pathogens is still largely lacking.
In this Research Topic, we aim to collect manuscripts covering the latest findings, techniques, perspectives and outlooks on the research of genomics and effectomics of filamentous plant pathogens. Specifically, we encourage the submission of Original Research, Reviews and new methods and ideas related, but not limited, to the following topics:
1. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics data analyses
2. Discovery of effectors and other pathogenicity-related factors such as small RNAs
3. Functional genomics of effectors and their targets in plant genomes
4. Transcriptional, and post-transcriptional polymorphism of effectors, and the associated regulation mechanisms
5. Comparative genomics to learn evolution of pathogen virulence, as well as adaptability for different hosts and environments
6. Applications of genomics and effectomics knowledge for plant disease control
Fungi and oomycetes are filamentous microorganisms that include a diversity of highly developed pathogens of plants. Notorious plant diseases such as rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae), wheat scab (Fusarium graminearum), wheat rust (Puccinia spp.), and corn smut (Ustilago maydis) are caused by fungal pathogens, while potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans), sudden oak death (P. ramorum), soybean root rot and damping off (P. sojae and Pythium ultimum), and grapevine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) are caused by oomycete pathogens. Systematically revealing the pathogenic mechanisms of these diseases is a foundation for their control.
Over the past 15 years, the genomes of more than 150 plant pathogenic fungi and oomycetes have been sequenced. The fast-accumulating 'omic' data and bioinformatics techniques have significantly promoted the understanding of pathogenesis. Evidence has revealed that a co-evolutionary arms race with host plants has shaped the genomes of these filamentous plant pathogens into diverse architectures, in addition to producing some common features in phylogenetically unrelated species. Typically these pathogens have evolved a large repertoire of secreted virulence proteins, called effectors, which are able to target different molecules outside or inside host cells to facilitate colonization and infection. Some effectors can be recognized by the plant immune system and trigger immunity, while others may escape recognition of the host by fast evolution themselves. Still others may evolve factors to suppress the effector-triggered immunity. However, systematic knowledge of virulence evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of interaction with hosts in filamentous plant pathogens is still largely lacking.
In this Research Topic, we aim to collect manuscripts covering the latest findings, techniques, perspectives and outlooks on the research of genomics and effectomics of filamentous plant pathogens. Specifically, we encourage the submission of Original Research, Reviews and new methods and ideas related, but not limited, to the following topics:
1. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics data analyses
2. Discovery of effectors and other pathogenicity-related factors such as small RNAs
3. Functional genomics of effectors and their targets in plant genomes
4. Transcriptional, and post-transcriptional polymorphism of effectors, and the associated regulation mechanisms
5. Comparative genomics to learn evolution of pathogen virulence, as well as adaptability for different hosts and environments
6. Applications of genomics and effectomics knowledge for plant disease control