High-Quality Genome Assembly of the pathogen for covered smut of Qingke (Hordeum vulgare var. coeleste L.), Ustilago hordei

Ustilago hordei (U. hordei) is an important fungal pathogen causing covered smut in hulless barley Qingke (Hordeum vulgare var. coeleste L.). A high-quality genome of U. hordei is essential for understanding the molecular basis of its pathogenicity and can shed lights on researches of related fields. Here, we successfully assembled the first complete genome of U. hordei (YN01), with a total size of 28.6 Mb. 7,079 protein-coding genes were predicted from the whole genome, with the complete BUSCO scores achieved 96.90%, indicating high completeness. Repetitive sequences were identified, accounting for 1,084,946 bp, comprising 38.75% of the genome. Among the predicted genes, 7,035 genes (99.37%) are supported by both homology-based and transcriptome evidence-based evidence, demonstrating the high accuracy of the gene structure prediction. Further analyses of the genome included the identification of non-coding RNAs, pseudogenes, gene clusters, and functional annotation of protein-coding genes. This comprehensive genome provides crucial insights into the molecular basis of U. hordei pathogenicity, encompassing numerous genes involved in host adaptation and virulence. Moreover, the complete genome sequence facilitates the development of accurate molecular diagnostic tools, enabling early detection of U. hordei of field samples for management of covered smut of Qingke.