Comparative genomics and transcriptomics identify Rhizoctonia solani AG-7 cytochrome P450 gene RsCYP-1 for pencycuron resistance

Yi-Jyun Chen; Miin-Huey Lee; Hyunkyu Sang; Hao-Xun Chang

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2025.112756

Comparative genomics and transcriptomics identify Rhizoctonia solani AG-7 cytochrome P450 gene RsCYP-1 for pencycuron resistance

iScience. 2025 May 26;28(7):112756. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112756. eCollection 2025 Jul 18.

Authors

Yi-Jyun Chen¹, Miin-Huey Lee², Hyunkyu Sang³, Hao-Xun Chang^{1

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Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan.
² Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40277, Taiwan.
³ Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Master Program for Plant Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan.
⁵ Center for Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan.

Abstract

Rhizoctonia solani is a destructive fungal pathogen that causes major crop losses worldwide. The fungicide pencycuron is commonly used to control Rhizoctonia diseases, but some R. solani anastomosis groups (AGs) such as AG-7 are generally resistant to pencycuron. This study discovered a sensitive AG-7 isolate (No.214), and compared its genomics and transcriptomics to a resistant isolate (No.213). PacBio whole-genome sequencing and Illumina RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that No.214 has a whole-genome duplicated and pentaploid genome, showed broad transcriptional changes but lacked key detoxification genes in response to pencycuron. In contrast, No. 213 has a diploid genome and the transcriptional responses were mostly xenobiotic detoxification genes such as cytochrome P450 (RsCYP-1). Functional validation in Monilinia fructicola confirmed RsCYP-1 conferred pencycuron resistance. Collectively, this work advances the understanding of cytochrome P450-mediated pencycuron resistance and suggests genomic complexity of R. solani AG-7 isolates may influence pencycuron susceptibility.

Keywords: Genomics; Microbial genomics; Mycology; Transcriptomics.