Genome sequencing of Synchytrium endobioticum offers insight into its carbohydrate degrading enzymes and effectors

Synchytrium endobioticum is an obligate fungal parasite causing severe and persistent potato wart disease that render potato tubers unmarketable. Therefore, quarantine measures are enforced worldwide to prevent the spread of this economically important plant disease. The first detection of potato wart in North America occurred in 1909 in Newfoundland. More recently in 2000, it was found in a field of Prince Edward Island. We sequenced and assembled the genomes of two different genotypes: S. endobioticum MB42 from the Netherlands and S. endobioticum DAOM 229326 from Canada. The genome size ranged from 20.6 to 23.5 Mb and between 8000 and 8800 genes were predicted for the respective strains. Carbohydrate degrading enzymes and effectors are being analyzed to help the development of more robust genotyping and pathotyping assays and to understand better the evolution of this early lineage of plant pathogens.