This genome was sequenced as part of the 1000 Fungal Genomes Project - Deep Sequencing of Ecologically-relevant Dikarya, and more specifically as part of the Endophyte Genome Sequencing project, which seeks to sequence members of diverse lineages of endophytic species found in Arabidopsis, Populus and other plants to examine the functional diversity of fungi with a shared evolutionary history.
The Zalerion genus (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes) belongs to the Lulworthiales order that primarily contains marine fungi. Although some Zalerion species have been described from marine environments, other species have been reported to asymptomatically colonize plant tissues as endophytes. The sequenced Zalerion varium MPI-CAGE-AT-0135 isolate has been isolated from healthy Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown in natural soil after surface sterilization of plant roots. The sequencing of this fungal isolate is part of a larger project aiming at sequencing the genomes of numerous phylogenetically diverse root-associated fungi from Arabidopsis, Populus, and other plant hosts for further comparative genome analysis. Unravelling the genomic signatures reflecting the adaptation of these microbes to the host cell environment represent a promising way to better understand how the endophytic lifestyle evolved in phylogenetically unrelated fungal species. Comparative genome analysis between different plant hosts, and between saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, and pathogenic fungi will provide new insights into the specific adaptations but also the conserved signatures associated with these different lifestyles.
Researchers who wish to publish analyses using data from unpublished CSP genomes are respectfully required to contact the PI and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate other publications with the CSP master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).
Genome Reference(s)
Mesny F, Miyauchi S, Thiergart T, Pickel B, Atanasova L, Karlsson M, Hüttel B, Barry KW, Haridas S, Chen C, Bauer D, Andreopoulos W, Pangilinan J, LaButti K, Riley R, Lipzen A, Clum A, Drula E, Henrissat B, Kohler A, Grigoriev IV, Martin FM, Hacquard S
Genetic determinants of endophytism in the Arabidopsis root mycobiome.
Nat Commun. 2021 Dec 10;12(1):7227. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-27479-y