Comparative genomics reveals evolution traits, mating strategies and pathogenicity-related genes variation of Botryosphaeriaceae

<em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em>, as a major family of the largest class of kingdom fungi <em>Dothideomycetes</em>, encompasses phytopathogens, saprobes, and endophytes. Many members of this family are opportunistic phytopathogens with a wide host range and worldwide geographical distribution, and can infect many economically important plants, including food crops and bio-material plants. To date, however, little is known about the family evolutionary characterization, mating strategies, and pathogenicity-related genes variation from a comparative genome perspective. Here, we conducted the first large-scale whole-genome comparison of 271 <em>Dothideomycetes</em>, including 19 species in <em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em>. The comparative genome analysis provided a clear classification of <em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em> in <em>Dothideomycetes</em> and indicated that <em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em> pathogenicity evolution undergoes multiple times. Mating strategies analysis demonstrated at least 3 transitions were found within <em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em> from heterothallism to homothallism. Additionally, pathogenicity-related genes contents in different species within <em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em> varied greatly, indicating that a secondary lineage expansion occurs in speciation. These findings cast new insights into evolution traits, mating strategies and pathogenicity-related genes variation of <em>Botryosphaeriaceae</em>.