Rethinking asexuality: the enigmatic case of functional sexual genes in Lepraria (Stereocaulaceae) DOI Creative Commons
Meredith M. Doellman, Yukun Sun, Alejandrina Bárcenas-Peña

et al.

BMC Genomics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 25(1)

Published: Oct. 26, 2024

The ubiquity of sex across eukaryotes, given its high costs, strongly suggests it is evolutionarily advantageous. Asexual lineages can avoid, for example, the risks and energetic costs recombination, but suffer short-term reductions in adaptive potential long-term damage to genome integrity. Despite these lichenized fungi have frequently evolved asexual reproduction, likely because allows retention symbiotic algae generations. fungal genus Lepraria thought be exclusively asexual, while sister Stereocaulon completes a sexual reproductive cycle. A comparison clades should shed light on evolution asexuality lichens general, as well apparent maintenance Lepraria, specifically. In this study, we assembled annotated representative long-read genomes from putatively Stereocaulon, added short-read assemblies an additional 22 individuals both genera. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that genera were heterothallic, with intact mating-type loci idiomorphs present each genus. Additionally, identified assessed 29 genes involved meiosis mitosis 45 contribute formation structures (ascomata). All appeared functional nearly all failed identify general pattern relaxation selection lineage. Together, results suggest may capable including mate recognition, meiosis, production ascomata. machinery essential sex, over 200 years careful observations by lichenologists produced no evidence canonical reproduction Lepraria. We instead form parasexual perhaps repurposing MAT meiosis-specific genes. This may, turn, allow avoid consequences asexuality, maintaining benefit unbroken bond their algal symbionts.

Language: Английский

Rethinking asexuality: the enigmatic case of functional sexual genes in Lepraria (Stereocaulaceae) DOI Creative Commons
Meredith M. Doellman, Yukun Sun, Alejandrina Bárcenas-Peña

et al.

BMC Genomics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 25(1)

Published: Oct. 26, 2024

The ubiquity of sex across eukaryotes, given its high costs, strongly suggests it is evolutionarily advantageous. Asexual lineages can avoid, for example, the risks and energetic costs recombination, but suffer short-term reductions in adaptive potential long-term damage to genome integrity. Despite these lichenized fungi have frequently evolved asexual reproduction, likely because allows retention symbiotic algae generations. fungal genus Lepraria thought be exclusively asexual, while sister Stereocaulon completes a sexual reproductive cycle. A comparison clades should shed light on evolution asexuality lichens general, as well apparent maintenance Lepraria, specifically. In this study, we assembled annotated representative long-read genomes from putatively Stereocaulon, added short-read assemblies an additional 22 individuals both genera. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that genera were heterothallic, with intact mating-type loci idiomorphs present each genus. Additionally, identified assessed 29 genes involved meiosis mitosis 45 contribute formation structures (ascomata). All appeared functional nearly all failed identify general pattern relaxation selection lineage. Together, results suggest may capable including mate recognition, meiosis, production ascomata. machinery essential sex, over 200 years careful observations by lichenologists produced no evidence canonical reproduction Lepraria. We instead form parasexual perhaps repurposing MAT meiosis-specific genes. This may, turn, allow avoid consequences asexuality, maintaining benefit unbroken bond their algal symbionts.

Language: Английский

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