ENCODE 3 (2012-2017) expanded production and added new types of assays 8 (Fig. 1, Extended Data Fig. 1), which revealed landscapes of RNA binding and the 3D organization of chromatin via methods such as chromatin interaction analysis by paired-end tagging (ChIA-PET) and Hi-C chromosome conformation capture. Phases 2 and 3 delivered 9,239 experiments (7,495 in human and 1,744 in mouse) in more than 500 cell types and tissues, including mapping of transcribed regions and transcript isoforms, regions of transcripts recognized by RNA-binding proteins, transcription factor binding regions, and regions that harbour specific histone modifications, open chromatin, and 3D chromatin interactions. The results of all of these experiments are available at the ENCODE portal (http://www.encodeproject.org). These efforts, combined with those of related projects and many other laboratories, have produced a greatly enhanced view of the human genome (Fig. 2), identifying 20,225 protein-coding and 37,595 noncoding genes

Litchi downy blight, caused by Peronophythora litchii, is one of the major diseases of litchi and has caused severe economic losses. P. litchii has the unique ability to produce downy mildew like sporangiophores under artificial culture. The pathogen had been placed in a new family Peronophytophthoraceae by some authors. In this study, the whole transcriptome of P. litchii from mycelia, sporangia, and zoospores was sequenced for the first time. A set of 23637 transcripts with an average length of 1284 bp was assembled. Using six open reading frame (ORF) predictors, 19267 representative ORFs were identified and were annotated by searching against several public databases. There were 4666 conserved gene families and various sets of lineage-specific genes among P. litchii and other four closely related oomycetes. In silico analyses revealed 490 pathogen-related proteins including 128 RXLR and 22 CRN effector candidates. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of 164 single copy orthologs from 22 species, it is validated that P. litchii is in the genus Phytophthora. Our work provides valuable data to elucidate the pathogenicity basis and ascertain the taxonomic status of P. litchii.

Litchi downy blight, a destructive litchi disease caused by Peronophythora litchii , is controlled by intensive fungicide applying. Sources of resistance are used in conventional breeding approaches, but the mechanism is not well understood. Follow-up six years investigation, ‘Guiwei’ and ‘Heiye’ displayed stable susceptible and resistant against to P . litchii , respectively. After 72 hour inoculation, ‘Heiye’ showed few disease spots, while ‘Guiwei’ appeared brown and covered with white sporangia. Germination of sporangia and growth of mycelium in ‘Guiwei’ is more quickly than in ‘Heiye’. Transcript levels were measured at 6, 24, and 48 hour post-inoculation. ‘Oxidation-reduction process’ was dramatically enhanced in ‘Heiye’, which could promote its resistance to pathogen infection. A small ratio (3.78%) of common DEGs indicates that resistant and susceptible cultivars take different strategies to defense against P . litchii . At early infection stage, ‘Heiye’ induced a larger number of genes, including seven receptor-like kinases, which quickly recognized attack of pathogen and led to a rapidly resistance by regulation of degradation of proteasome, transcription factors, and cell wall remodeling. The early DGEs were exiguous in ‘Guiwei’, suggesting a weak response. Once the infection was successful, the resistance was repressed by down-regulated genes involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism, ET biosynthesis and signaling conduction in ‘Guiwei’. In conclusion, quickly recognition and early responses to pathogen, as well as minimal pathogen development and basal expression of resistance-related genes, were correlated with a high level of resistance in ‘Heiye’, while susceptible ‘Guiwei’ suffered massive infection due to lagging response and repressed signal transduction.