The left panel shows a microscopic picture of Thielavia arenaria CBS 508.74 after 14 days growth on malt extract agar (MEA) medium. The right panel shows six colonies of Thielavia arenaria CBS 508.74 after 4 days growth on MEA at six different temperatures. The figure is created by Cobus Visagie and Joost van den Brink.

Members of the Chaetomiaceae are among the best studied and widely used fungi in industry and are among the most reported in studies of biomass degradation in natural settings and engineered compost.  They are known for their abilities to produce carbohydrate-active enzymes and are therefore relevant to DoE missions in the biofuels industry and in understanding global carbon cycling.  Thermophilic Chaetomiaceae are of particular interest because they produce thermally stable enzymes and grow under high temperatures that prevent contamination from other microorganisms.  The genomes of two thermophilic species belonging to the Chaetomiaceae were reported recently as a result of JGI efforts (Berka et al. 2011).  The genomes of several additional thermophilic and mesophilic members of the family are being acquired as part of an expanded whole-genome comparative project designed to identify genomic and regulatory changes underlying the evolutionary shift from mesophily to thermophily.  Thermophilic and thermotolerant species being examined include Myceliophthora heterothallica, Thielavia arenaria and others.  Mesophilic species include T. appendiculata,T. hyrcaniae and others.