(Below N is a link to NCBI taxonomic web page and E link to ESTHER at designed phylum.) > cellular organisms: NE > Eukaryota: NE > Stramenopiles: NE > Oomycetes: NE > Peronosporales: NE > Phytophthora: NE > Phytophthora infestans: NE
LegendThis sequence has been compared to family alignement (MSA) red => minority aminoacid blue => majority aminoacid color intensity => conservation rate title => sequence position(MSA position)aminoacid rate Catalytic site Catalytic site in the MSA MSQRSKFRIAEPAHLPNHTTRNDTFRACHSWICHQVPKTLLSLSTMSCCP VTAEPARDAADHIGVMKKAGNTNIYVTGPASSKAGVIAYPDIYGLDSGRT KADADTLGKLGYSVVVVDLADGDYLNDTNGLVDWFKKYTFEEHFGPRIQD AVNYLKNEVGVERIASYGMCWGSWVGATQTTLVDPVVVGHVSFHPTWIVE NMLKGDGAVDKLASAVKVPQLLMAAGDDPDFVKPEGSVHKILKSREDIGA KSDVLLFADQNHGWVHRGDMDNAATKTAVMKAWHAAVKFIQTNCPV
Phytophthora infestans is the most destructive pathogen of potato and a model organism for the oomycetes, a distinct lineage of fungus-like eukaryotes that are related to organisms such as brown algae and diatoms. As the agent of the Irish potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century, P. infestans has had a tremendous effect on human history, resulting in famine and population displacement. To this day, it affects world agriculture by causing the most destructive disease of potato, the fourth largest food crop and a critical alternative to the major cereal crops for feeding the world's population. Current annual worldwide potato crop losses due to late blight are conservatively estimated at $$6.7 billion. Management of this devastating pathogen is challenged by its remarkable speed of adaptation to control strategies such as genetically resistant cultivars. Here we report the sequence of the P. infestans genome, which at approximately 240 megabases (Mb) is by far the largest and most complex genome sequenced so far in the chromalveolates. Its expansion results from a proliferation of repetitive DNA accounting for approximately 74% of the genome. Comparison with two other Phytophthora genomes showed rapid turnover and extensive expansion of specific families of secreted disease effector proteins, including many genes that are induced during infection or are predicted to have activities that alter host physiology. These fast-evolving effector genes are localized to highly dynamic and expanded regions of the P. infestans genome. This probably plays a crucial part in the rapid adaptability of the pathogen to host plants and underpins its evolutionary potential.
Title: Characterization of 1,3-beta-glucanase and 1,3;1,4-beta-glucanase genes from Phytophthora infestans McLeod A, Smart CD, Fry WE Ref: Fungal Genet Biol, 38:250, 2003 : PubMed
Three putative exo-1,3-beta-glucanase genes (Piexo1, Piexo2, Piexo3), one endo-1,3-beta-glucanase (Piendo1) and one endo-1,3;1,4-beta-glucanase (Piendo2) gene were cloned and characterized from the oomycete Phytophthora infestans. Southern hybridization revealed that Piexo1, Piexo2, Piexo3, and Piendo2 are single copy, and that Piendo1 is encoded by two copies. Furthermore, the analyses showed that for each gene, one or two closely related gene family members were present. The genes contain no introns. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the promoter regions (200nt upstream of ATG start codon) showed that the regions have 56-81% similarity to a 16-nt core sequence hypothesized to be the initiation of transcription point in oomycetes. The predicted molecular weights (32-83kDa), iso-electric points (4.2-6.7) and amino acid sequences of the five proteins are diverse. All the genes are expressed in in vitro grown mycelia and sporangia, as well as during infection of potatoes. Further, Piendo1 and Piendo2 are also expressed in germinating cysts, and Piendo2 in zoospores.
