How does an anamorphic yeast acquire species diversity?

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06801
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45030:Biodiversity and systematics-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: Takashima Masako 東京農業大学, その他部局等, 特命教授 (20333304)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Cutaneotrichosporon / species / taxonomy

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Trichosporonales (subphylum: Agaricomycotina; phylum: Basidiomycota) is a taxon which includes causative agents of both deep-seated and superficial mycoses, as well as strains that have high potential as oleaginous yeasts, indicating the high metabolic and functional activity of this taxon. As teleomorphs have not yet been reported in this group, this study was conducted to clarify the reason behind this high activity. Chromosome-level genomic information from Cutaneotrichosporon cavernicola strains indicate that one strain has a heterozygous genome, and the other strains presumably include the parental genomes of the heterozygous genome strain. We suggest that this group of strains is a suitable model for future studies of intraspecific or interspecific hybridization and for speciation research .

Free Research Field

Yeast taxonomy

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

出芽や分裂によって増殖する酵母は、系統学的には子嚢菌門および担子菌門の両方に存在する極めて多様な菌群である。一方、酵母の既知種の半数以上は有性生活環が知られていない“無性時代”である。それでは“無性時代”酵母は単にクローンとして細胞分裂を繰り返し、突然変異の蓄積だけで、これほど広範な多様性を獲得してきたのだろうか？ 本研究により、この問いに対する研究遂行に資するための酵母菌株と染色体レベルのゲノム情報の両方が整ったデータセットが得られた。