Transcriptome of two Leptosphaeria species during infection of Brassica napus cotyledon tissue and in vitro culture.

We aimed to define the total gene expression of Leptosphaeria maculans and Leptosphaeria biglobosa during infection of Brassica napus cotyledon tissue. L. maculans causes blackleg disease of canola, the major disease of an important oil seed crop. This transcriptome information can be used to identify the genes specifically expressed during infection of the host plant, including disease 'effector' genes and those required for nutrition acquisition by the pathogen during infection.