Clavariopsis aquatica growing in the lab.
Image Credit: Dietmar Schlosser

The genome sequence and gene prediction of Clavariopsis aquatica WDA-00-1 have not been determined by the Joint Genome Institute (JGI), but were provided by Felix Heeger. In order to allow comparative analyses with other fungal genomes sequenced by the JGI, a copy of this genome is incorporated into Mycocosm. In order to ensure this genome is comparable to those sequenced by the JGI, we applied filters to remove if present: 1) transposable elements, 2) pseudogenes, 3) alternative transcripts and overlapping models, 4) alleles on secondary scaffolds, and 5) unsupported short models. All models are available in the ExternalModels track. Please note that this copy of the genome is not maintained by Felix Heeger and is therefore not automatically updated. JGI tools were used to automatically annotate predicted proteins.

Clavariopsis aquatica De Wild. (stat. anam.) is a saprotrophic member of the Ascomycota. It thrives on fallen leaves and organic debris decaying in rivers and streams, and can be found worldwide (Farr and Rossman, 2020). C. aquatica belongs to the polyphyletic group of the so-called aquatic hyphomycetes (also known as freshwater hyphomycetes or Ingoldian fungi), which typically dwell in freshwater habitats, sporulate under water, and play an important role in plant litter decomposition in streams and rivers (Krauss et al., 2011).

In recent years, C. aquatica has become a model organism for investigating the metabolism of xenobiotic organic environmental pollutants by aquatic hyphomycetes (Krauss et al., 2011; Solé et al., 2012; Carstens et al., 2020); thereby advocating for a potential role of these fungi in attenuating pollutant loads in freshwaters and their potential use in environmental biotechnology (Krauss et al., 2011).

References:

• Carstens L, Cowan AR, Seiwert B, Schlosser D (2020) Biotransformation of phthalate plasticizers and bisphenol A by marine-derived, freshwater, and terrestrial fungi. Front Microbiol 11: 317. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00317.
• Farr DF, Rossman AY (2020) Fungal Databases, U.S. National Fungus Collections, ARS, USDA. Retrieved May 13, 2020, from https://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/
• Krauss GJ, Solé M, Krauss G, Schlosser D, Wesenberg D, Bärlocher F (2011) Fungi in freshwaters: ecology, physiology and biochemical potential. FEMS Microbiol Rev 35 (4): 620-651. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2011.00266.x.
• Solé M, Müller I, Pecyna MJ, Fetzer I, Harms H, Schlosser D (2012) Differential regulation by organic compounds and heavy metals of multiple laccase genes in the aquatic hyphomycete Clavariopsis aquatica. Appl Environ Microb 78 (13): 4732-4739. doi: 10.1128/AEM.00635-12.