Fungi
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that include examples such as yeasts, molds, mushrooms, rusts, rots and smuts. They can cause disease in humans and plants, as well as produce antibiotics that can cure microbial infections. Some types degrade decaying material and return nutrients to the ecosystem. We have sequenced several examples of the various fungal types at The Genome Institute. These include plant pathogens, yeasts, and human pathogens. The pathogen data aids in our understanding of the host-parasite relationship, whether plant or animal, and how the infective stages of the fungi studied manage to invade and maintain themselves. The yeast data increases our understanding of this important model system and allows analysis of the genetic basis and evolution of phenotypic variation present in natural populations.
View All Fungi Genomes
Plant Fungi
One plant fungal project involves sequencing the genome of Alternaria brassicicola, a plant pathogen representative of the fungi that cause substantial agricultural damage worldwide. This project has the potential to facilitate our understanding of host-pathogen interactions. Another project involves sequencing the genome of the oömycete, Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis, that infects many plants, including Arabidopsis. In addition to revealing clues regarding the host-parasite relationship, the genome sequence is an important asset for understanding many aspects of oömycete biology.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strain Project
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae (or baker’s yeast) genome re-sequencing project is improving our understanding of the genetic basis and evolution of phenotypic variation present in natural populations through the analysis of 25 strains of yeast.
Saccharomyces kluyveri Project
Saccharomyces kluyveri was chosen for genomic sequencing because of its relatedness to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as baker's yeast and the model organism for yeast. However, since S. kluyveri makes more efficient use of glucose than S. cerevisiae, it is an attractive comparative target. The data from this project is allowing for investigation of the mechanisms leading to a more efficient use of glucose and for comparison with the S. cerevisiae data to enable determination of the phylogenetic position of both yeast species.
Other Fungi
These fungal sequencing projects explore the genomes of 3 organisms: Histoplasma capsulatum G217B, Histoplasma capsulatum G186AR, and Blastomyces dermatitidis. All have the capacity to infect the human lung and to spread to other areas of the body. This data from this project should aid in elucidating the underlying mechanisms controlling the transition from the mold (non-infective) to the yeast (infective) stage.
