Page 293 - PC2019 Program & Proceedings

PLANT CANADA 2019

TOPIC 20: Mycology (Posters P159-P161)

P159. Genetic diversity of Fusarium poae field populations affecting small grain cereals in western
Canada.
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M. Tabassum ; A. Oghenekaro ; D. Fernando ; R. Kutcher ; D. Overy ; J. Tucker ; K. Turkington ; L.
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Harris ; W. Xu ; Wang, X.
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1 University of Manitoba; University of Saskatchewan
Ottawa Research and Development Centre; AAFC; Morden Research and Development Centre
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Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious threat to the production of small grain cereals, reducing both the
yield and quality of crops. FHB is caused by multiple species within the genus Fusarium. On oat, F. poae,
F. graminearum, and F. sporotrichioides are the most common species associated with FHB. In recent
years. F. poae has become the predominant Fusarium species isolated from commercial oat fields in
western Canada. Currently, the impact of this Fusarium species on the production of oat and the dynamics
of F. poae populations in western Canada are largely unknown. In this study, we are applying a high
throughput genotyping by sequencing (GBS) method to study the diversity of F. poae populations. The
GBS libraries were prepared from 96 F. poae strains using a PstI/MspI protocol. Approximately 323
million 150bp pair-end reads were generated by Illumina HiSeq2500. The sequence reads were mapped to
the reference genome of F. poae strain 2516. A total of 41,127 quality filtered variants were discovered
with 4,819 sites existing in all 96 F. poae stains. Of these variants, 30,516 are single nucleotide variants
(SNV) and 5,609 inserts and deletions (INDELs). Currently, we are utilizing these variants to study the
structure of F. poae populations in western Canada, to determine the extent of linkage disequilibrium and
identify regions of higher recombination frequency in the F. poae genome.
Xiben Wang (xiben.wang@canada.ca)

P160. Over-expression of a constitutively active MAP kinase kinase, MKK2, in Fusarium
graminearum reduces its vegetative growth and disease progression in wheat
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Gonzalez-Peña Fundora, D. ; A. Eranthodi ; C. Rampitsch ; R. Subramaniam; N. Thakor ; N. Foroud
1 University of Lethbridge
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
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Kinases are enzymes that transfer phosphate groups to target proteins, regulating their activity or cellular
localization. The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are involved in cellular communication,
influencing various aspects of growth and development. These enzymes function in cascades, where a
MAP kinase kinase kinase phosphorylates and activates a MAP kinase kinase, which in turn
phosphorylates a MAP kinase. In Fusarium graminearum, one of the causal agents of the Fusarium head
blight disease of cereal crops, the MAP kinase Mgv1 is known to play key roles in sexual reproduction,
mycotoxin production and virulence. To further characterize the MGV1 pathway and to identify
downstream elements of this kinase, we over-expressed a phosphomimic of MKK2, the MAP kinase
kinase that functions upstream of MGV1. The MKK2 phosphomimic is constitutively active, and it’s
over-expression will enable continuous phosphorylation of MGV1. Four colonies of the transformation
were obtained. Interestingly, constitutive activation of the MGV1 pathway resulted in reduced vegetative
growth on potato dextrose agar, similar to what has been reported for MGV1 gene disruption. Reduced
disease symptoms were also observed in the inoculated wheat spikes. Further characterization of these
strains are underway towards identification of MGV1 phosphorylation targets.

Dianevys Gonzalez-Peña Fundora (dianevys.gonzalezpen@uleth.ca)

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