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The Sordariomycetes: an expanding resource with Big Data for mining in evolutionary genomics and transcriptomics
Zheng Wang1, Wonyong Kim2, Yen-Wen Wang1
1Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States.
Frontiers in Fungal Biology
|September 25, 2023
Summary
Genomics and transcriptomics reveal fungal evolution. The Sordariomycetes class, with extensive omics data, offers a model for studying trait diversity and expanding evolutionary genomics in the era of Big Data.
Area of Science:
- Fungal evolutionary genomics
- Systems biology
- Genomics and transcriptomics
Background:
- Omics data and technological advances have transformed fungal model systems.
- The Sordariomycetes class is rich in species, ecologically diverse, and economically important, with a strong research history.
- Over 3,574 Sordariomycetes species are sequenced, representing a significant portion of available ascomycete genomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies on Sordariomycetes, integrating genetic and biological data for novel insights into fungal evolution.
- To explore how multispecies investigations address limitations of studies based on limited model genomes.
- To propose the Sordariomycetes as a core omics clade for advancing genomic-scale evolution studies.
Main Methods:
- Integrative analyses of genetic, pathogenic, and biological characteristics within Sordariomycetes.
- Ancestral state analysis of gene expression across divergent lineages.
- Systems biological analysis of Big Data from omics datasets.
Main Results:
- Studies have inferred regulatory network models and identified key genetic elements in fungal sexual development.
- Investigated the regulation of conidial germination and secondary metabolism using omics data.
- Demonstrated the value of multispecies investigations for understanding fungal evolutionary genomics.
Conclusions:
- The Sordariomycetes class provides a robust framework for expanding the concept of model systems beyond single species.
- Abundant omics data and a strong research community position Sordariomycetes as a blueprint for future evolutionary studies.
- This approach facilitates the study of trait diversity and evolution across fungal lineages in the Big Data era.
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