Pangenome Analysis Uncovers Two Pathotypes of Dickeya dadantii, the Causal Agent of Sweetpotato Stem Rot, and Identifies Virulence-Associated Genes.

Genomic insights into the TAL effector diversity and SWEET gene targeting in Indian strains of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Integrated Pangenomic and Systems Biology Analyses Reveal the Genomic Basis of Virulence and Adaptation in Bipolaris sorokiniana

The first comprehensive species-wide pangenomic and systems-level analyses of B. sorokiniana are presented, providing vital insights into the evolutionary architecture of pathogenicity, adaptation, and genome diversification and providing a valuable genomic resource for disease surveillance and functional characterization of virulence determinants.

Genome-Wide Characterization of the Botryosphaeria dothidea GH28 Family Reveals BdGH28_3 Contributes to Virulence on Chinese Hickory

Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) is an economically important tree species widely cultivated in southeastern China, where trunk canker disease caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea poses a serious threat to tree health and production. Pectin-degrading enzymes are important virulence-associated factors that facilitate fungal colonization and host tissue maceration, but their evolutionary diversification and functional roles in B. dothidea during woody host infection remain poorly understood. Comparative genomic analysis revealed lineage-specific variation in the GH28 glycoside hydrolase family among the examined Botryosphaeriaceae species, with B. dothidea exhibiting an expanded GH28 repertoire relative to the analyzed species. Expression analysis and functional assays revealed that BdGH28_3 showed the highest transcript abundance during infection stage and contributed to the full virulence of B. dothidea. A predicted protein–protein interaction (PPI) network suggested potential associations between BdGH28_3 and other pectinolytic enzymes, including polygalacturonases, pectin lyases, and pectinesterases. Collectively, these findings identify GH28 diversification as a distinctive feature of the B. dothidea genome and establish BdGH28_3 as a virulence-associated member, providing a foundation for investigating GH28-mediated pathogenicity in woody hosts.

Pectobacterium aroidearum as a Causative Agent of Potato Soft Rot in China: Virulence Characterization and a Type 1 Fimbriae Cluster Contributing to Pathogenicity.

Comparative virulence assays demonstrated that P. aroidearum is more aggressive than its counterparts, indicating that the fim cluster underpins the threat posed by this emerging pathogen, which warrants increased attention in disease management.

Comparative Genomics Analysis and Pathogenicity Assessment of Colletotrichum siamense Strain JDA-12 on Multiple Strawberry Cultivars

Strawberry crown rot (SCR) disease poses a significant threat to strawberry production in Zhejiang Province, China. In our previous study, we identified Colletotrichum siamense strain JDA-12 as the dominant causal agent of SCR disease in samples collected from Zhejiang. However, the factors associated with this phenomenon remain unclear. In this study, a comparative analysis of JDA-12 and other documented Colletotrichum species revealed that the gene families AbiEii and CBM24-GH71, together with two annotated RiPP-like secondary metabolite biosynthetic clusters, are specifically expanded or uniquely present in JDA-12. These lineage-specific genomic features may represent genomic signatures associated with ecological adaptation and host-associated interactions of JDA-12. Additionally, we assessed the pathogenicity of JDA-12 on major strawberry cultivars grown in Zhejiang. The findings demonstrated that ‘Benihoppe’ exhibited high susceptibility, while ‘Fenyu No.1′ showed comparatively strong resistance. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of environmental factors on pathogenicity and found that short-day conditions (10L:14D), high temperature (~30 °C), and high humidity (≥90%) constitute the optimal environment for JDA-12 infection in strawberries, at least under conditions representative of Zhejiang. This study provides genomic insights into the ecological adaptation and pathogenic potential of JDA-12, while revealing environmental conditions favorable for SCR development, facilitating the development of effective disease management strategies.

Genomic characterization of a hypervirulent Aeromonas veronii NN0115 from Nile tilapia and head kidney transcriptome of infected fish reveals B-cell-dominated immune response with specific immunoglobulin downregulation.

This study provides a comprehensive characterization of a highly virulent A. veronii from Nile tilapia and reveals that selective downregulation of B-cell Ig genes is the dominant transcriptional feature of the host head kidney response.