CATAStrophy

CATAStrophy classifies filamentous plant pathogens by trophic lifestyle using genome-derived carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) gene content.

Key Features:

• CAZyme-based classification: Uses CAZyme gene content derived from genomes to inform trophic lifestyle assignment of filamentous plant pathogens.
• CATAS acronym: The name incorporates the backronym "CAZyme Assisted Training And Sorting (CATAS)."
• Major divisions: Identifies four major divisions—monomertrophs (Mo), polymertrophs (P), mesotrophs (Me), and vasculartrophs—based on CAZyme profiles.
• Monomertrophs (Mo): Includes symbionts, haustorial species, and non-haustorial entities corresponding to traditional biotrophic lifestyles.
• Polymertrophs (P): Corresponds to necrotrophs and is subdivided into broad and narrow host sub-classes reflecting host range differences.
• Mesotrophs (Me): Analogous to hemibiotrophs and divided into intracellular and extracellular subclasses to capture lifecycle complexity.
• Vasculartrophs: Encompasses species typically described as wilts, rots, or anthracnoses with distinct pathogenic strategies.
• Seven discrete classes: Defines a total of seven discrete plant-pathogenic classes through the division and subclass structure.
• Genome-based reproducibility: Provides a reproducible, genome-derived framework for assessing trophic phenotypes of fungal and oomycete phytopathogens.

Scientific Applications:

• Trophic phenotype assignment: Enables assignment of trophic lifestyles to filamentous plant pathogens using CAZyme repertoires.
• Reevaluation of traditional categories: Facilitates reassessment of fungal and oomycete classifications such as biotrophs, hemibiotrophs, and necrotrophs using genome-derived evidence.
• Disease management insight: Informs understanding of pathogen properties relevant to development of targeted control measures for newly recognized diseases.

Methodology:

Performs genome-derived analysis of CAZyme gene content and assigns isolates to CATAStrophy divisions (monomertrophs, polymertrophs, mesotrophs, vasculartrophs) based on CAZyme profile patterns.