Neurospora hispaniola growing in the lab.
Image Credit: Sandrine Cros-Arteil.

This genome was sequenced as part of the JGI CSP 1KFG - Deep Sequencing of Ecologically-relevant Dikarya, whose goal is to fill in gaps in the Fungal Tree of Life by sequencing at least two reference genomes from the more than 500 recognized families of Fungi. This project additionally aims to inform research on plant-microbe interactions, microbial emission and capture of greenhouse gasses, and environmental metagenomic sequencing.
Neurospora species (Ascomycota phylum, Sordariomycetes class, Sordariales order) are common primary colonizers of trees and shrubs killed by fires. First described as a contaminant of Parisian bakeries in 1843, N. crassa became a model organism to study cell polarity and fusion, circadian rhythms, epigenetics, the bioconversion of cellulosic biomass, and many aspects of cell biology and biochemistry. The genus Neurospora as a whole has also well-studied biogeography and systematics (Turner, Perkins et al. 2001, Jacobson, Dettman et al. 2006). More than 5000 isolates have been catalogued, and most of them are now conserved at the Fungal Genetics Stock Center. Analyses of in vitro reproductive ability among species and phylogenetic/genomic divergence revealed an abundance of species within the genus, with numerous cryptic phylogenetic species with broad distributions, and differentiated lineages within species (e.g. Dettman , Jacobson et al. 2003, Jacobson, Dettman et al. 2006, Ellison, Hall et al. 2011, Gladieux, Wilson et al. 2015, Corcoran, Anderson et al. 2016).
The sequenced Neurospora hispaniola FGSC10403 has been isolated from the surface of burned vegetation collected in Leogane (Haïti) by David Perkins (ID in Perkins collection: P3431; Publication ID: CV-55). Initially identified as group PS1 within Neurospora tetrasperma, Neurospora hispaniola has been formally diagnosed as a new phylogenetic species by Villalta, Jacobson et al. 2009. Neurospora hispaniola is morphologically indistinguishable from the other heterothallic outbreeding species of Neurospora but isolates can be assigned to N. hispaniola with the phylogenetic species recognition approach and diagnostic loci described in Dettman , Jacobson et al. 2003.
Researchers who wish to publish analyses using data from unpublished CSP genomes are respectfully required to contact the PI and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate other publications with the CSP master paper(s).

References:

• Corcoran, P., J. L. Anderson, D. J. Jacobson, Y. Sun, P. Ni, M. Lascoux and H. Johannesson (2016). "Introgression maintains the genetic integrity of the mating-type determining chromosome of the fungus Neurospora tetrasperma." Genome research 26(4): 486-498.
• Dettman , J., D. Jacobson and J. Taylor (2003). "A multilocus genealogical approach to phylogenetic species recognition in the model eukaryote Neurospora." Evolution 57(12): 2703-2720.
• Ellison, C. E., C. Hall, D. Kowbel, J. Welch, R. B. Brem, N. L. Glass and J. W. Taylor (2011). "Population genomics and local adaptation in wild isolates of a model microbial eukaryote." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(7): 2831-2836.
• Gladieux, P., B. A. Wilson, F. Perraudeau, L. A. Montoya, D. Kowbel, C. Hann‐Soden, M. Fischer, I. Sylvain, D. J. Jacobson and J. W. Taylor (2015). "Genomic sequencing reveals historical, demographic and selective factors associated with the diversification of the fire‐associated fungus Neurospora discreta." Molecular ecology 24(22): 5657-5675.
• Huhndorf, S. M., A. N. Miller and F. A. Fernández (2004). "Molecular systematics of the Sordariales: the order and the family Lasiosphaeriaceae redefined." Mycologia 96(2): 368-387.
• Jacobson, D. J., J. R. Dettman, R. I. Adams, C. Boesl, S. Sultana, T. Roenneberg, M. Merrow, M. Duarte, I. Marques, A. Ushakova, P. Carneiro, A. Videira, L. Navarro-Sampedro, M. Olmedo, L. M. Corrochano and J. W. Taylor (2006). "New findings of Neurospora in Europe and comparisons of diversity in temperate climates on continental scales." Mycologia 98(4): 550-559.
• Kruys, Å., S. M. Huhndorf and A. N. Miller (2015). "Coprophilous contributions to the phylogeny of Lasiosphaeriaceae and allied taxa within Sordariales (Ascomycota, Fungi)." Fungal Diversity 70(1): 101-113.
• Saupe, S. J., C. Clavé, M. Sabourin and J. Bégueret (2000). "Characterization of hch, the Podospora anserina homolog of the het-c heterokaryon incompatibility gene of Neurospora crassa." Current genetics 38(1): 39-47.
• Turner, B. C., D. D. Perkins and A. Fairfield (2001). "Neurospora from natural populations: a global study." Fungal Genetics and Biology 32(2): 67-92.
• Villalta, C. F., D. J. Jacobson and J. W. Taylor (2009). "Three new phylogenetic and biological Neurospora species: N. hispaniola, N. metzenbergii and N. perkinsii." Mycologia 101(6): 777-789.