2 Genomics to Study Basal Lineage Fungal Biology: Phylogenomics Suggests a Common Origin

Abstract

Basal lineages of the kingdom Fungi comprise terrestrial and aquatic fungi, which are traditionally summarized to the Chytridiomycota and the Zygomycota in a colloquial sense. Advances in next-generation sequencing allow a new layer of knowledge to be gained, which is invaluable for understanding not only the evolution of fungi but also their adaptation to the environment and development of pathogenic traits. Recent revisions using large-scale multigene phylogenies suggested a polyphyletic origin of both the Chytridiomycota and the Zygomycota, which were therefore separated into three distinct phyla and five subphyla, respectively. However, because of the recent appearance of the genomic sequences of basal fungi, a comprehensive genome analysis is in progress for these basal groups. Large-scale genome projects produced a total of 51 genomes of basal fungi and 32 genomes from the Microsporidia. First insights suggest a revision of our understanding of the genome evolution and architecture, revealing fascinating novelties that qualify the basal fungi as an outstanding and unique fungal group deserving much more attention from the scientific community.