The genome of Umbelopsis isabellina AD026 was sequenced
by JGI in the framework of the ZygoLife project and Community
Sequencing Project 1978 – “Genomics of the early
diverging lineages of fungi and their transition to terrestrial,
plant-based ecologies” (http://zygolife.org/home/).
Zygomycetes are an ancient and diverse group of fungi, whose
evolutionary history and ecological associations remain poorly
resolved. The ZygoLife project aims to: 1) reconstruct the
genealogical relationships of this early diverging branch in the
fungal tree of life; 2) resolve the origins of symbiotic
relationships between plants and zygomycetes; 3) reveal how complex
body plans evolved in the group; 4) elucidate mechanisms of mating
genetics between organisms with complex and differing life cycles,
and; 5) develop genomic barcodes to facilitate identification of
unknown fungi. Towards these goals we are sequencing genomes of
diverse representative zygomycete taxa.
Formerly classified as belonging to Mortierella, phylogenetic
analysis has shown that Umbelopsis isabellina belongs to
the subphylum Mucoromycotina (phylum Mucoromycota). Umbelopsis
isabellina comprises a complex of species that are widely
distributed in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. These fungi
are important industrially given their unique lipid and fatty acid
metabolism, and high level of intracellular lipid accumulation from
various feedstocks. Umbelopsis isabellina is commonly
isolated from soil and plant roots, however, its biology and
ecology is not well understood. Umbelopsis
isabellina AD026 was isolated from soil collected near the
Humphrey’s Peak in North Arizona.
