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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

A marine-derived fungal genome of Annulohypoxylon annulatoides reveals AT-rich isochores with putative regulatory functions.

Marine and coastal fungi experience intense environmental variability, yet the genomic features associated with tolerance to such conditions remain unclear. From 56 fungal isolates collected along the Lailai rocky shore in northern Taiwan, we selected the coastal isolate Annulohypoxylon annulatoides RYS0019 for phenotypic and genomic investigation because of its prevalence and distinctive stress-response profile. Compared with 5 bark-derived conspecific strains, RYS0019 showed distinct growth and recovery dynamics under salinity, temperature, and UV-associated stress treatments. We generated a high-quality 41.8 Mb de novo genome assembly with 11,523 predicted proteins and compared it with 15 other Hypoxylaceae genomes. Across Annulohypoxylon genomes, we identified variably sized and dispersed AT-rich isochores that are repeat-enriched and gene-poor. Despite variation in AT content, core gene content and Pfam domain profiles remained broadly conserved. Most AT-rich isochores were embedded within syntenically conserved regions and showed limited positional conservation across species, supporting recurrent, lineage-specific formation or expansion after species divergence. These regions also exhibit several sequence and structural features consistent with scaffold/matrix attachment regions, raising the possibility that they influence higher-order genome organization or context-dependent regulation. Together, our findings identify repeat-rich genome architecture as a dynamic feature of Annulohypoxylon genome evolution and provide a framework for testing how such regions may contribute to fungal environmental flexibility.

Genome, Fungal↗
PubMed2026

Genes near tRNAs are enriched in translational machinery.

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are known for delivering amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain during translation. They can also influence gene expression, especially in times of nutrient starvation, through differential tRNA expression and modification. Transfer RNAs have a highly consistent cloverleaf structure, but relatively few known regulatory elements govern this conserved structure despite the 20 different standard isotypes. This study examines gene enrichment patterns near tRNA genes across 1149 fungal genomes. Genes enriched in proteasome regulation, ion transport, and rRNA were found to be significantly closer to tRNAs than other pathways. These results were consistent across KEGG overrepresentation analysis (ORA), KEGG gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and gene ontology (GO) analysis. Proteasome, ion transport, and RNA are all important aspects of protein production and regulation, suggesting that genes required for the synthesis and quality control of proteins, including tRNAs, are located near each other. Protein regulation is an energetically expensive process, and local co-regulation could increase efficiency and stress impacts on proteins.

RNA, Transfer↗
PubMed2025

Phylogenomic signatures of repeat-induced point mutations across the fungal kingdom.

Fungal genome sizes exhibit more than a 100-fold variation, largely driven by the expansion of repetitive sequences such as transposable elements (TEs). Silencing mechanisms targeting TEs at the epigenetic or transcript level have independently evolved in many lineages. In fungi, repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) targets TEs by recognizing repetitive sequences and inducing mutagenesis. However, the prevalence of RIP across the fungal kingdom and the fidelity of the canonical C-to-T mutation signatures remain unclear. In this study, we address these gaps by tracking shifts in genome architecture across the fungal kingdom. We find that a striking approximately 30-fold increase in genome size within a clade of leotiomycetes is associated with the absence of several RIP-related genes, suggesting a relaxation of genome defense mechanisms during this expansion. To track the impact of genome defenses, we designed a quantitative screen for RIP-like mutation signatures. The phylum of ascomycetes was unique in showing enrichment in mutation signatures in non-coding and repetitive sequences, consistent with a phylogenetically restricted occurrence of RIP-like genome defense systems. Then, we performed a phylogeny-aware association study to identify gene functions associated with RIP-like mutation signatures. We identified a zinc-finger protein as the strongest candidate underpinning a novel mechanism of genome defenses. Our findings reveal the multifaceted drivers of genome defense systems and their close ties to genome size evolution in fungi, particularly in lineages with evidence for recent RIP activity, highlighting how proximate molecular mechanisms can shape genome evolution on deep phylogenetic scales.

Genome, Fungal↗
PubMed2026

Activation of secondary metabolism in Aspergillus and related filamentous fungi through regulatory engineering.

Filamentous fungi are major contributors to diverse secondary metabolites with broad applications to medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. Advances in genome sequencing and bioinformatic tools have revealed that fungal genomes encode far more biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) than are expressed under normal laboratory conditions, leaving much biosynthetic potential transcriptionally silent. Overcoming this gap between predicted and observed secondary metabolism has become a major challenge in fungal natural product discovery. In this review, we summarize current strategies for activating silent or weakly expressed fungal BGCs through regulatory engineering, with an emphasis on approaches validated in Aspergillus, Penicillium, Monascus, and related filamentous fungi. We focus on genetic and chemical manipulations that enable coordinated activation of multiple biosynthetic pathways through chromatin-level modifiers, global transcriptional regulators, and developmental regulators. By framing these regulators as practical tools rather than solely biological components, we demonstrate their strengths, limitations, and applications in Aspergillus and related filamentous fungi. We further discuss emerging combinatorial and integrative approaches that use regulatory engineering alongside omics technologies and predictive tools, outlining alternatives and future directions for improving the interpretability of silent pathway activation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2026

Penicillium melinii promotes root growth through subtle host reprogramming across model and crop species.

Root development is highly responsive to microbial interactions, yet the mechanisms by which beneficial fungi promote root growth remain incompletely understood. Here, we identified Penicillium melinii 'isolate 2' through a screen of endophytic fungi isolated from Arabidopsis and characterized it as a promoter of root development in both Arabidopsis and crop species. We combined phenotyping in vitro, rhizotron, greenhouse and field assays with reporter and mutant analyses, transcriptomics, phytohormone profiling and sequencing and annotation of the fungal genome to investigate the basis of this interaction. P. melinii consistently stimulated root growth and modified root architecture across experimental systems and host species. These effects were associated with subtle but reproducible host transcriptional reprogramming, supporting a model in which the fungus fine-tunes endogenous developmental programmes rather than broadly perturbing stress or growth pathways. Genetic and reporter analyses further suggested that this interaction modulates root branching through localized developmental reprogramming. Genomic analysis provided a framework for understanding the fungal traits associated with this beneficial interaction. The conservation of the response across model and crop species supports the relevance of P. melinii as both a useful experimental system to study beneficial plant-fungus interactions and a promising candidate for improving root traits and crop performance.

Penicillium melinii↗
PubMed2026

Barcoded mutant library enables high-throughput functional genomics in a filamentous fungus.

Advances in sequencing technology enabling rapid and inexpensive whole-genome sequencing highlight how few genes are functionally characterized. This problem is particularly acute in filamentous fungi, where even in the best studied organisms upward of half of genes are poorly characterized or unannotated. High-throughput tools to identify gene function exist for single-celled organisms, like yeast and bacteria. However, filamentous fungi present challenges to high-throughput gene characterization, including low transformation efficiency and multinucleate cells. Filamentous fungi are critical components of nutrient cycling in ecosystems, form symbioses with plants that improve nutrient uptake, and are devastating human, plant, and animal pathogens causing millions of deaths and substantial crop loss each year. Thus, it is critical to overcome challenges to rapid gene characterization in filamentous fungi. We generated a library of hundreds of millions of uniquely barcoded plasmids containing a broad host-range drug resistance marker for ectopic insertion into filamentous fungal genomes by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. We then optimized A. tumefaciens mediated transformation of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma atroviride and made an insertional mutagenesis library containing 83,311 barcoded insertions, disrupting 5,331 of 11,863 predicted genes. This library enables high-throughput screens to rapidly connect genotype to phenotype. Quantifying relative barcode abundance in the pooled library before and after exposure to experimental conditions identified candidate genes and recovered known pathway components in amino acid biosynthetic, fructose utilization, and xylose utilization pathways. This resource establishes a scalable platform for high-throughput functional genomics in filamentous fungi, enabling investigations of fungal biology to improve medical outcomes, biotechnology, and sustainable agriculture.

Genomics↗
PubMed2026

Molecular biology and integrated strategies for activating cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters toward next-generation antibiotic discovery.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been identified as one of the 21st century's severest global public health crises. AMR led to an estimated 4.95 million deaths in 2019 and will claim 10 million lives a year by 2050 in the absence of targeted interventions. During the same period, the number of novel antibiotics discovered has decreased drastically as many researchers are rediscovering known antibiotics, non-model microorganisms are poorly understood or difficult to culture and antibiotic research and development investment has declined drastically. However, high-throughput whole genome sequencing and the subsequent application of bioinformatics in bacterial and fungal genomes have shown that a numerous of cryptic or silent biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) remain latent at ambient laboratory conditions since their genes are transcriptionally inactive. Cryptic BGCs represent a vast source of unique secondary metabolites, many of which may yield novel antibacterial, antifungal, anti-cancer and other potentially valuable natural products. This review discusses the biological relevance of cryptic BGCs, the major limiting factors that restricts their activation and novel strategies that have been employed to activate them and exploit their potential to produce novel natural products. The review focuses on biological approaches including CRISPR-Cas mediation for the activation of cryptic BGCs, promoter engineering, pathway refactoring, and heterologous expression; biochemical strategies such as Osman, OsMAC, Precursor Feeding, Chemical Elicitation, Epigenetic Regulation and Co-cultivation and technology-based strategies such as Genome mining, Microfluidic Cultivation systems, High-Throughput Screening, Metabolomics, Molecular Networking and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning based prediction of BGCs and their metabolites. The use of multi-omics technologies combined with synthetic biology to achieve better discovery, characterization and large-scale production of novel natural products is also discussed herein. Finally, we will talk about the ecological significance and evolutionary advantage of cryptic BGCs' role in interactions between microorganisms, such as competition, communication, symbiosis and environmental adaptability, so as to provide a useful background for accelerating next-generation antibiotics.

CRISPR-Cas activation↗
PubMed2025

Root growth promotion by Penicillium melinii : mechanistic insights and agricultural applications.

This study characterizes Penicillium melinii , an endophytic fungus isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana roots, as a plant growth-promoting fungus with potential use as a model to study root development and as a biostimulant for sustainable agriculture. Although endophytes are known to promote plant growth, the underlying molecular mechanisms often remain poorly understood. Here, we aimed to elucidate how P. melinii enhances root system development and to assess its applicability across different crops. Phenotypic assays were conducted in Arabidopsis, quinoa and tomato under in vitro , greenhouse and field conditions. Root architecture and biomass were quantified using image-based phenotyping. Transcriptomic and phytohormone profiling assessed plant responses, and fungal genome sequencing coupled with secretome analysis was used to identify candidate effectors and metabolic traits. P. melinii consistently promoted root growth and increased plant biomass across species and environments, both in vitro and in the greenhouse. In tomato field trials, this translated into a significant increase in yield. The fungus colonized root surfaces without vascular penetration and triggered a mild transcriptomic response: early activation of stress-response genes followed by their attenuation and sustained upregulation of auxin-related pathways. Notably, the interaction modulates the SLR-ARF-LBD pathway and the number of pre-branch sites probably through increased auxin signalling in the oscillation zone. Additional hormonal changes were limited and mainly associated with the attenuation of the plant response to microorganisms. P. melinii enhances lateral root formation through a subtle molecular and metabolic dialogue with the host plant, underscoring its relevance as a model for studying root developmental plasticity. Its strong and reproducible growth-promoting effect, demonstrated with different fungal strains and under controlled and field conditions, supports its potential as a biostimulant for sustainable crop production.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2026

The Saccharomyces Genome Database-a history of ideas and accomplishments, 1994-2026.

The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) is one of the longest-running and most consequential biological databases in the world. Founded in the early 1990s at Stanford University under the visionary leadership of David Botstein and developed under the long-term technical direction of J. Michael Cherry, SGD has served for more than three decades not only as the authoritative knowledge center for the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but also as the source for much of the fundamentals of eukaryotic biology. This history traces the arc of a remarkable intellectual and scientific project: beginning with the challenge of building the very first integrated eukaryotic genome database and evolving across 30 years into a global knowledge hub for genetics, functional genomics, and human disease research. The history is organized chronologically, with each section highlighting the central ideas, technical developments, and concrete accomplishments of that period.

Databases, Genetic↗
PubMed2025

Predicting dynamic expression patterns in budding yeast with a fungal DNA language model.

Predicting gene expression from DNA sequence remains challenging due to complex regulatory codes. We introduce a masked DNA language model pretrained on 165 fungal genomes closely related to budding yeast that captures conserved regulatory grammar. Fine-tuning the LM on yeast RNA-seq data-including high-resolution transcriptional regulator induction time courses generated in this study-yielded Shorkie, a model that substantially improves gene expression prediction compared to baselines trained without self-supervision. Shorkie identified canonical transcription factor (TF) binding motifs and tracked their usage across induction experiments. Furthermore, Shorkie accurately predicted variant effects, outperforming leading sequence-to-expression models in cis-eQTL classification and achieving high concordance with massively parallel reporter assays. Interpretability analyses revealed Shorkie's ability to resolve promoter dynamics, splicing signals, and temporal changes in regulatory motif usage. This framework demonstrates that evolutionary-scale pretraining combined with transfer learning substantially improves our ability to decode gene regulation from sequence, providing insights into noncoding variants and regulatory networks.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

GOtcha: a new method for prediction of protein function assessed by the annotation of seven genomes.

BACKGROUND: The function of a novel gene product is typically predicted by transitive assignment of annotation from similar sequences. We describe a novel method, GOtcha, for predicting gene product function by annotation with Gene Ontology (GO) terms. GOtcha predicts GO term associations with term-specific probability (P-score) measures of confidence. Term-specific probabilities are a novel feature of GOtcha and allow the identification of conflicts or uncertainty in annotation. RESULTS: The GOtcha method was applied to the recently sequenced genome for Plasmodium falciparum and six other genomes. GOtcha was compared quantitatively for retrieval of assigned GO terms against direct transitive assignment from the highest scoring annotated BLAST search hit (TOPBLAST). GOtcha exploits information deep into the 'twilight zone' of similarity search matches, making use of much information that is otherwise discarded by more simplistic approaches. At a P-score cutoff of 50%, GOtcha provided 60% better recovery of annotation terms and 20% higher selectivity than annotation with TOPBLAST at an E-value cutoff of 10(-4). CONCLUSIONS: The GOtcha method is a useful tool for genome annotators. It has identified both errors and omissions in the original Plasmodium falciparum annotation and is being adopted by many other genome sequencing projects.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

First draft genome sequence of the emerging sexually transmitted dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII.

Trichophyton mentagrophytes ITS-genotype VII (TMVII) is a globally emerging sexually transmitted dermatophyte causing severe skin infections characterised by painful, pustular lesions on the face, public area, genitalia, and trunk. To inform the prevention efforts, we present the first draft genomes of four TMVII isolates obtained from patients in the United Kingdom diagnosed between 2021 and 2025. We performed whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We analysed the genetic relatedness of four TMVII isolates collected from UK patients, two had travel links to Spain and the Middle East. Two further isolates, including T. mentagrophytes ITS-genotype I/II obtained from a canine infection in the United Kingdom in 2025 and Trichophyton indotineae were sequenced for contextual analysis. We confirm that the TMVII strains studied here represent a highly clonal population, distinct from both zoophilic T. mentagrophytes genotype I/II and anthropophilic T. indotineae.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of the endophytic fungus Alternaria alternata Y-2 from Leymus chinensis.

To explore the genetic basis and functional potential of beneficial symbiosis between the endophytic fungus Alternaria alternata Y-2 and its host Leymus chinensis, we performed Illumina-based draft whole-genome sequencing and systematic bioinformatic analysis. Although this assembly does not reach telomere-to-telomere completeness, it provides high-quality gene-level information for gene prediction, functional annotation, carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) identification, and secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene cluster analysis. The final genome size of A. alternata Y-2 was 34,383,676 bp with a GC content of 51.0%, containing 12,724 predicted protein-coding genes, 90 tRNAs, and 12 rRNAs. BUSCO assessment showed 98.9% completeness, supporting the high quality of this draft genome. A total of 12,627 genes were successfully annotated in the NCBI NR database, and 17,183 genes were functionally categorized using GO terms. In total, 448 CAZyme genes and 21 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified, which are potentially involved in lignocellulose degradation, cellular redox homeostasis and biosynthesis of bioactive metabolites. Based on ITS sequence alignment, NR annotation, and phylogenetic analysis of single-copy orthologous genes, the strain was confidently identified as A. alternata. This study firstly reports the draft genome of an endophytic A. alternata strain derived from L. chinensis and provides valuable genetic resources for exploring the endophytic lifestyle, stress tolerance, and bioactive metabolite potential of this fungus.

Alternaria↗
PubMed2025

Early germline sequestration in a basidiomycete fungus.

In sexual organisms, inheritance of new mutations is highly dependent on the timing of germline definition. Here, we used the fairy ring-forming fungus Marasmius oreades to challenge the general assumption of a late germline separation in the Fungi. We collected mushrooms from different parts of rings over a 7-year period and identified new mutations in different tissues by whole-genome sequencing. We found evidence that fertile and sterile tissues had accumulated different mutations, suggesting that the germ line, destined for spore production, is already defined in the mycelium in this species. Moreover, the germ line carried fewer mutations than sterile tissues, indicating a lower mutation rate. Our findings suggest that early germline sequestration is more widespread than previously considered across multicellular life.

Genome, Fungal↗
PubMed2025

Taxogenomic analysis of Pichia senei sp. nov. and new insights into hybridization events in the Pichia cactophila species complex.

Three strains of a novel yeast species were isolated from necrotic cactus tissues of Cereus saddianus and Micranthocereus dolichospermaticus and from phytotelmata of Bromelia karatas. DNA sequence analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region and D1/D2 domains of the large subunit ribosomal RNA, along with whole genome phylogenomic analysis, showed that this yeast is most closely related to Pichia insulana, Pichia cactophila, and Pichia inconspicua. The new species differs by 10-13 nucleotide substitutions from these species in D1/D2 sequences and exhibits <90% genome-wide average nucleotide identity to them. The name Pichia senei sp. nov. is proposed for the novel species, which is homothallic and produces asci with one to four hat-shaped ascospores. The holotype is CBS 16311 (MycoBank MB 858723). Taxogenomic analyses of the P. cactophila species complex, including P. senei, provide new insights about the hybridizations events that shaped this group. Pichia insulana and P. inconspicua are identified as the parental lineages that originated P. cactophila, and P. senei also appears closely related to one of the progenitors of P. inconspicua. We assess phylogeny, heterozygosity, and ploidy to explore the processes shaping diversity, showing how genomic data support yeast species delimitation and reveal complex hybridization.

Phylogeny↗
PubMed2026

Genomic signatures of host-range divergence in the generalist Beauveria bassiana and the specialist Beauveria brongniartii.

Entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Beauveria are widely used biological control agents that infect diverse insect hosts and can also associate with plants as rhizosphere colonizers and endophytes. Within this genus, Beauveria bassiana is a cosmopolitan generalist, whereas Beauveria brongniartii exhibits a narrower host range, primarily targeting soil-dwelling coleopteran larvae with limited evidence of plant colonization. To explore genomic differentiation associated with this ecological divergence, the commercially exploited B. brongniartii strain BIPESCO2 and B. bassiana ATHUM 4946 were sequenced using Oxford Nanopore technology, followed by comparative genomic analyses across multiple strains. Orthology identified species-specific gene families, although overall genome architecture and core gene content were highly conserved. The CAZyme repertoires were nearly identical, indicating retention of a versatile enzymatic toolkit supporting plant association, saprotrophy, and insect pathogenicity. In contrast, biosynthetic gene clusters displayed substantial variation, including structural remodeling of Beauveria-specific virulence-associated clusters and expansion of type I polyketide synthase clusters in B. brongniartii. Effector prediction revealed a conserved core of largely uncharacterized proteins alongside species-specific orthogroups enriched in adhesion-, immunity-, and cuticle-interaction domains. Together, these findings indicate that host-range divergence in Beauveria is associated with compartmentalized genomic differentiation, particularly in secondary metabolism and a limited subset of lineage-specific virulence factors, rather than in the conserved core infection machinery.

Beauveria↗
PubMed2025

Genetic and phenotypic diversity of wine-associated Hanseniaspora species.

The genus Hanseniaspora includes apiculate yeasts commonly found in fruit- and fermentation-associated environments. Their genetic diversity and evolutionary adaptations remain largely unexplored despite their ecological and oenological significance. This study investigated the phylogenetic relationships, genome structure, selection patterns, and phenotypic diversity of Hanseniaspora species isolated primarily from Australian wine environments, focusing on Hanseniaspora uvarum, the most abundant non-Saccharomyces yeast in wine fermentation. A total of 151 isolates were sequenced, including long-read genomes for representatives of the main phylogenetic clades. Comparative genomics revealed ancestral chromosomal rearrangements between the slow-evolving lineage (SEL) and fast-evolving lineage (FEL) that could have contributed to their evolutionary split, as well as significant loss of genes associated with mRNA splicing, chromatid segregation and signal recognition particle protein targeting in the FEL. Pangenome analysis within H. uvarum identified extensive copy number variation, particularly in genes related to xenobiotic tolerance and nutrient transport. Investigation into the selective landscape following the FEL/SEL divergence identified diversifying selection in 229 genes in the FEL, with significant enrichment in genes within the lysine biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, phenotypic screening of 116 isolates revealed substantial intraspecific diversity, with specific species exhibiting enhanced ethanol, osmotic, copper, SO&#x2082;, and cold tolerance.

Wine↗
PubMed2025

Fast Fission Yeast Genome Editing by CRISPR/Cas9 Using Gap Repair and Fluoride Selection.

We present a protocol to perform CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe that does not require cloning and uses the fluoride exporter channel Fex1 as the selection marker. Transformation is typically carried out on the same day of PCR primer arrival and successfully edited strains are selected 5&#xa0;days after transformation. We expect the adoption of this protocol to further accelerate the throughput of genome editing in S. pombe.

Schizosaccharomyces↗