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Alternate intron processing of family 5 endoglucanase transcripts from the genus Phytophthora

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Abstract

Twenty-one homologs of family 5 endo-(1–4)-β-glucanase genes (EGLs) were identified and characterized in the oomycete plant pathogens Phytophthora infestans, P. sojae, and P. ramorum, providing the first comprehensive analysis of this family in Phytophthora. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these genes constitute a unique eukaryotic group, with closest similarity to bacterial endoglucanases. Many of the identified EGL copies were clustered in a few genomic regions, and contained from zero to three introns. Using reverse transcription PCR to study in vitro and in planta gene expression levels of P. sojae, we detected partially processed RNA transcripts retaining one or more of their introns. In some cases, the positions of intron/exon splicing sites were also found to be variable. The relative proportions of these transcripts remain apparently unchanged under various growing conditions, but differ among orthogolous copies of the three Phytophthora species. The alternate processing of introns in this group of EGLs generates both coding and non-coding RNA isoforms. This is the first report on Phytophthora family 5 endoglucanases, and the first record for alternative intron processing of oomycete transcripts.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the anonymous reviewer suggestion to investigate non-classical protein secretion pathways.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA/ARS, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg. 010A, Room 311, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA

    Richard W. Jones

  2. Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Stefano Costanzo

  3. Department of Biology, Lafayette College, Easton, PA, 18042, USA

    Manuel D. Ospina-Giraldo

  4. Vegetable Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA

    Kenneth L. Deahl

  5. Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA

    C. Jacyn Baker

Authors
  1. Stefano Costanzo
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  2. Manuel D. Ospina-Giraldo
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  3. Kenneth L. Deahl
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  4. C. Jacyn Baker
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  5. Richard W. Jones
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard W. Jones.

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Communicated by D. Ebbole.

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Costanzo, S., Ospina-Giraldo, M.D., Deahl, K.L. et al. Alternate intron processing of family 5 endoglucanase transcripts from the genus Phytophthora . Curr Genet 52, 115–123 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-007-0144-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-007-0144-z

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