The genus Colletotrichum contains at least 150 species divided into nine major clades, and one of the largest is the Colletotrichum acutatum species complex (CAs). Species belonging to this complex are associated with diseases that infect a wide diversity of crop plants worldwide, and some insects as well. Despite being one of the largest lineages within the genus, the CA species complex lacks a significant number of sequenced strains. This project focuses on sequencing and resequencing genomes that will cover nearly the entire genus Colletotrichum. Developing the genomics resources for CA strains provides a platform to link genetic data with biological function. Additionally, these resources will allow the research community to identify new genes of pathogenic fungi with a possible application to biomass degradation, an important step for the depolymerization of biomass to fermentable sugars.
Proposer’s Name: Michael Thon, University of Salamanca (Spain)