Transcriptome analyses of Leptographium qinlingensis

The transcriptome of L. qinlingensis during growth on host pine sawdust and malt extract agar with monoterpene/diterpene treatment was analyzed to discover the main genes and enzymes involved in terpene tolerance and nutrition utilization. This symbiotic fungus showed tolerance to monoterpenes and diterpenes and was able to retrieve diverse nutrients in host pine sawdust. Many unigenes from the transcriptome analysis which coding diverse enzymes including ABC transporters, monooxygenases, dioxygenases and dehydrogenases were found, as well as those in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, these candidate genes were important for further studies to test the role of terpenoid tolerance in the pathogenicity of L. qinlingensis and to characterize the molecular interactions between beetle-symbiotic fungi and their hosts.