Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of Talaromyces rugulosus W13939, a Mycoparasitic Fungus and Promising Biocontrol Agent

Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2020 Dec;33(12):1446-1450. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-06-20-0163-A. Epub 2020 Oct 26.

Abstract

Here, we report a chromosome-level genome assembly of Talaromyces rugulosus (syn. Penicillium rugulosum) W13939 (six chromosomes; contig N50: 5.90 Mb), generated using a combination of PacBio long-read and Illumina paired-end data. T. rugulosus is not only a potent enzyme producer, but also a mycoparasite of Aspergillus flavus, which is a notorious plant pathogen and mycotoxin producer, making it a promising biocontrol agent. The T. rugulosus genome is rich in genes encoding proteases, carbohydrate-active enzymes, fungal cell wall-degrading enzymes, lectin, and secondary metabolite biosynthetic enzymes, reflecting its mycoparasitic life style and mycotoxigenic capability. This high-quality assembly of the T. rugulosus genome will be a valuable resource to assist us in the understanding of the molecular basis of mycoparasitism and facilitate the agricultural and biotechnological applications of Talaromyces spp.

Keywords: biocontrol; chromosome; filamentous ascomycetes; genome assembly; mycoparasitism.

MeSH terms

  • Chromosomes, Fungal / genetics
  • Genome, Fungal* / genetics
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Talaromyces* / genetics

Supplementary concepts

  • Talaromyces rugulosus