Genome-wide prediction of G protein-coupled receptors in Verticillium spp.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are critical factors in regulating morphogenesis, mating, infection and virulence in fungi. In this study, various computational strategies were applied to identify GPCR-like proteins from the genomes of both Verticillium dahliae and Verticillium albo-atrum. The putative GPCRs were distributed over 13 classes, and significantly, three of those represented novel classes of GPCR-like proteins in fungi. The three novel GPCRs had high levels of identity to their counterparts in higher eukaryotes, including Homo sapiens. The numbers of GPCR-like proteins in the two Verticillium spp. were similar to those seen in other filamentous fungi, such as Magnaporthe grisea, Neurospora crassa and Fusarium graminearum. Additionally, the carbon/amino acid receptors were divided into three different subclasses, indicating that differences among the GPCRs existed not only among different classes but also within classes. In conclusion, the identification and classification of GPCRs and their homology to some well-studied fungi will be an important starting point for future research in Verticillium spp.