Rissi Daniel Vasconcelos, Ijaz Maham, Baschien Christiane
Leibniz Institute DSMZ, German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
J Fungi (Basel). 2024 Dec 14;10(12):869. doi: 10.3390/jof10120869.
Helotiales, a diverse fungal order within Leotiomycetes (Ascomycota), comprises over 6000 species occupying varied ecological niches, from plant pathogens to saprobes and symbionts. Despite their importance, their genetic adaptations to temperature and environmental conditions are understudied. This study investigates temperature adaptations in infection genes and substrate degradation genes through a comparative genomics analysis of 129 Helotiales species, using the newly sequenced genomes of and . Key gene families such as cytochrome P450 enzymes, virulence factors, effector proteins, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were analyzed to understand their roles in temperature and lifestyle adaptations, uncovering possible alternative lifestyle mechanisms. Our findings reveal that Helotiales fungi possess genes associated with nutrient acquisition, pathogenicity, and symbiotic relationships strongly adapted to cold environments that might be impacted by global warming. On the other hand, some species demonstrate potential for adaptation to warmer climates, suggesting increased activity in response to global warming. This study reveals the adaptive mechanisms enabling Helotiales fungi to thrive in both cold and warm environments. These findings provide valuable insights into their ecological success and evolutionary resilience, which may facilitate their ability to transition between pathogenic, symbiotic, and saprobic phases in response to changing environmental conditions.
柔膜菌目是锤舌菌纲（子囊菌门）中一个多样化的真菌目，包含6000多种物种，占据着从植物病原体到腐生菌和共生菌等各种生态位。尽管它们很重要，但对其在温度和环境条件下的遗传适应性研究不足。本研究通过对129种柔膜菌目物种进行比较基因组分析，利用新测序的[物种1]和[物种2]基因组，研究感染基因和底物降解基因的温度适应性。分析了关键基因家族，如细胞色素P450酶、毒力因子、效应蛋白和碳水化合物活性酶（CAZymes），以了解它们在温度和生活方式适应中的作用，揭示可能的替代生活方式机制。我们的研究结果表明，柔膜菌目真菌拥有与营养获取、致病性和共生关系相关的基因，这些基因强烈适应可能受到全球变暖影响的寒冷环境。另一方面，一些物种表现出适应温暖气候的潜力，表明它们对全球变暖的反应活性增加。本研究揭示了使柔膜菌目真菌在寒冷和温暖环境中都能茁壮成长的适应机制。这些发现为它们的生态成功和进化弹性提供了有价值的见解，这可能有助于它们在不断变化的环境条件下在致病、共生和腐生阶段之间转换的能力。
