Behind enemy lines: investigating the molecular arsenal of the banana pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense
E. CZISLOWSKI (1), S. Fraser-Smith (1), M. Zander (1), W. O'Neill (2), L. Tran-Nguyen (3), J. Batley (4), E. Aitken (1) (1) The University of Queensland, Australia; (2) Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Australia; (3) Norther Territory Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Australia; (4) The University of Western Australia, Australia

Banana (Musa spp.) is a significant horticultural crops due to its economic and social value. A major constraint to the worldwide cultivation of banana is the disease Fusarium wilt or Panama disease, which is caused by the soilborne fungal pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc). Currently, the molecular mechanisms underpinning the pathogenicity Foc remain largely unknown. We sought to determine the distribution and sequence diversity of a class of fungal effector genes termed the secreted in xylem (SIX) genes in a collection of isolates representing the various genetic lineages of Foc. We have demonstrated that the repertoire of SIX genes within a lineage of Foc is highly conserved however isolates of Foc from genetically distinct lineages carried unique suit of SIX genes. A systematic analysis of the SIX gene homologues identified in Foc also supports the hypothesis that this class of fungal effectors have been horizontally acquired in the lineages of Foc. Currently, it is hypothesised that small, secreted proteins, such as the SIX proteins, confer the host- and cultivar-specific pathogenicity through the manipulation and modulation of the host’s defence response. This work has particular significance for understanding how Fusarium oxysporum has evolved and adapted to a crop system as well as investigating the molecular interaction between pathogens and their hosts.

Abstract Number: P11-348
Session Type: Poster