Fungal threats to ecosystem and plant health Charlie Cairns

Nee, Nature 429, Coarse-scale population structure of pathogenic Armillaria species in a mixed-conifer forest in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon B A Ferguson, T A Dreisbach, C G Parks, G M Filip, C L Schmitt Fungi have a broad range of morphologies, life cycles and ecological niches Gow et al, Microbiology Today Candida albicans Aspergillus fumigatus Amillaria spp. Arthrobotrys oligospora

Penicillium chrysogenum Aspergillus terreusLovastatin Fungal research has played essential roles in reducing human morbidity and mortality worldwide Penicillin Alexander Fleming, 1928 Akira Endo, 1971

Fungi are important pathogens in a diverse range of organisms Dutch elm and Ash dieback Comparison of yearly deaths in sub-Saharan Africa due to HIV-related cryptococcosis and common infectious diseases excluding HIV. Park et al. 2009, Aids;23:525–530. Myotis lucifugus Alytes obstetricans Greater than 99% chance of being locally extinct in next 16 years 40% decline in Panama with ecosystem level changes Gorgonia ventalina 90% mortality of specific coral species in Caribbean Relative proportion of extinction events for major classes of infectious agents Disease alerts in the for pathogenic fungi of animals and plants Fisher et al. 2012, Nature 484, 186–194 Geographical distribution of disease alerts

Fungi: devastating plant pathogens Symptoms of Magnaporthe oryzae on leaves (10 – 30% loss of annual harvest) Rice Ustilago maydis on corn Maize Wheat Mycosphaerella graminicola infected wheat Bananas Colletotrichum infected bananas

Why are fungi such successful plant pathogens? Ability to survive independently outside of their host, as a free-living saprophyte or as durable spores in the environment The latent period of infection, i.e., the time between infection and the production of further infectious propagules may be rapid and/or cryptic Spores may be spread as high-density inoculum in surface water or in droplets by rain- splash. Alternatively, nonwettable spores may be carried long distances by the wind. They have a plethora of molecular tricks for evading, suppressing and exploiting plant immune responses Development of resistance to antifungals 50 µM M. graminicola spores resistant to: low temperatures starvation U.V light Day 1-10 Day 11 M. graminicola latent period of infection

Food spoilage Perturbations at ecosystem level Plant pathogens Fungi threaten food security post harvest Botrytis cinerea on rasberry (Williamson et al 2007 Mol. Plant Pathol.) Aflatoxin contamination may cause cases (32%) of liver cancer worldwide, mainly in developing world (Liu and Wu, Environ Health Perspect. 2010) Grain contamination Aspergilli, Fusarium: wheat, barley and maize

Exeter University is a world class fungal research institute

Symptoms of Magnaporthe oryzae on leaves (10 – 30% loss of annual harvest) Rice Ustilago maydis on corn Maize Wheat Mycosphaerella graminicola infected wheat Bananas Colletotrichum infected bananas Exeter University is a world class fungal research institute Asking questions regarding basic cell biology, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, host-fungal interactions, epidemiology and community structure.

Haynes Laboratory: Mycosphaerella graminicola- development of a molecular toolkit Wheat Mycosphaerella graminicola infected wheat Interrogation of essential genes for potential drug targets High throughput transformation system for gene deletion Yaadwinder Sidu Yogesh Chaudhari Construction of an M. graminicola ORFeome Energy? Cellular processes? Genetic regulation?

Thanks for listening Charlie Cairns