Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42008569›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2026

Combining pangenomics and population genetics finds chromosomal re-arrangements, diversified chromosome segments, copy number variations and transposon polymorphisms in wheat and rye powdery mildew.

Alexandros G Sotiropoulos, Marion C Müller, Lukas Kunz, Johannes P Graf, Levente Kiss, Ralph Hückelhoven, Edith Schlagenhauf, Beat Keller, Thomas Wicker

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Alexandros G SotiropoulosDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-3591-0851
Marion C MüllerDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Lukas KunzDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Johannes P GrafDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Levente KissCentre for Crop Health & School of Science, Engineering and Digital Technologies, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia.
Ralph HückelhovenChair of Phytopathology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
Edith SchlagenhaufDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Beat KellerDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-2379-9225
Thomas WickerDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-6777-7135

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Grass powdery mildews (Blumeria spp.) include economically important fungal crop pathogens with complex and highly repetitive genomes. To investigate the diversity and genome evolution in Blumeria graminis, we combined population genetic and pangenomic analyses using a worldwide sample of 399 wheat powdery mildew isolates. Additionally, we produced high-quality genome assemblies for seven isolates from wheat and one from rye powdery mildew. Using these, we compiled the first grass powdery mildew pangenome comprising 11 Blumeria graminis isolates. We found multiple chromosomal rearrangements between the isolates that grow on wheat, rye and/or triticale hosts. Interestingly, chr-11 showed some characteristics, comparable to accessory chromosomes such as presence/absence of large chromosomal segments and higher sequence diversity. Additionally, we identified nearly 67,000 cases of copy number variations (CNVs), which were highly enriched within effector gene families. Furthermore, we found evidence for recent and high transposable element (TE) activity, such as high numbers of TE insertion polymorphisms. Analyses of TE families showed enrichment 1 kb to 2 kb up- and downstream of effector genes, and we also found high levels of TE insertion polymorphisms between populations. Our results demonstrate that chromosomal variations, gene family expansions and contractions, and TE activity are important sources of genome diversification and diversity in grass powdery mildews. Our findings indicate that a combination of pangenomic and population genetics analyses is needed to understand drivers of evolution in plant pathogenic fungi in a comprehensive way.

Indexed as

AscomycotaDNA Copy Number VariationsDNA Transposable ElementsGenome, FungalPlant DiseasesSecaleTriticumGenetics, PopulationGenomicsPolymorphism, GeneticDNA Transposable Elements

Identifiers

PMID42008569
PMCPMC13124064

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.