Botrytis cinerea loss and restoration of virulence during in vitro culture follows flux in global DNA methylation

O_LIPathogenic fungi can lose virulence after protracted periods of culture but little is known of the underlying mechanisms. Here we present the first single-base resolution methylome for the plant pathogen B. cinerea and identify differentially methylated genes/genomic regions associated with virulence erosion.\nC_LIO_LICultures were maintained for eight months with subcultures and virulence testing every month. Methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphisms were performed at monthly intervals to characterise global changes to the pathogens genome during culture and also on DNA from mycelium inoculated onto Arabidopsis thaliana after eight months in culture. Characterisation of culture-indu