Variation in potential effector genes distinguishing Australian and non‐Australian isolates of the cotton wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum

This study identified genes that distinguish Australian Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (Fov) isolates from related co‐localized non‐pathogenic F. oxysporum isolates and from non‐Australian Fov isolates. One gene is a homologue of the F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol) effector gene SIX6, encoding a 215‐residue cysteine‐rich secreted protein. The Six6 proteins from Fol and Fov contained eight conserved cysteine residues, five of which occurred in the highly diverged 48‐amino‐acid region where FovSix6 differs from FolSix6 at 32 residues. Two other potential effector genes, PEP1 and PEP2, were identified in a cDNA library of Fov genes expressed during infection of cotton. The presence of FovSIX6 and other differences in DNA fingerprints clearly distinguished Australian Fov isolates from non‐Australian Fov isolates and these differences further support the hypothesis based on earlier phylogenetic analysis that Australian Fov is different from Fov in other cotton‐growing areas. A specific diagnostic for Fov based on FovSIX6 is described.