Table 9.4Fungi initially proposed to form the basis of a coordinated genome sequencing effort in the USA.
Organisms by category
Medicine
Filobasidiella (Cryprococcus)
neoformans serotype A
Coccidioides posadasii
Pneumocystis carinii
(human and mouse forms)
Trichophyton rubrum
Rhizopus oryzae
Commerce
Magnaporthe grisea
Aspergillus flavus
Emericella (Aspergillus)
nidulans
Aspergillus terreus
Fusarium graminearum
Evolution/fungal diversity
Neurospora discreta
Coprinus cinereus
Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis
Ustilago maydis
Paxillus involutus
Significance (and chapter reference)1–11Basidiomycota. Encapsulated yeast; causes fatal meningitis in
humans (Chapter 16)
Ascomycota. Soil fungus endemic to southwestern USA; causes
fatal human infection; also a bioterrorism threat (Chapter 16)
The leading opportunistic pathogen of AIDS patients; drug
resistance is emerging (Chapter 16)
Ascomycota. The most common fungal infection in the world;
adapted for growth on human skin (Chapter 16)
Zygomycota. Can cause infection of humans (zygomycosis)Causes rice blast disease. A model fungal plant pathogen
(Chapter 5)
Ascomycota/mitosporic fungus. Source of aflatoxin and one
cause of human aspergillosis (Chapter 7)
Ascomycota. Key model system for genetics and cell biology.
(Already part-sequenced)
Mitosporic fungus. Major source of the cholesterol-lowering
drug, lovastatin
Mitosporic fungus. Causes head blight on wheat and barley;
produces mycotoxins. (Chapter 7)Ascomycota. Fungal model for population genetics and
comparison with N. crassa(already sequenced)
Basidiomycota. Model for fungal differentiation – produces
toadstools (Chapter 5)
Chytridiomycota. Recently described fungus that causes
widespread population decline of amphibians (Chapter 2)
Basidiomycota. Model for plant–pathogen interactions
(Chapter 14)
Basidiomycota. Symbiotic mycorrhizal fungus of many trees,
easily manipulated in laboratory conditions (Chapter 14)Estimated genome (Mb)24 Mb on 11
chromosomes
29 Mb on 4
chromosomes
7.5, 6.5 Mb12 Mb on 4
chromosomes
36 Mb40 Mb on 7
chromosomes
40 Mb on 8
chromosomes
31 Mb on 8
chromosomes
30 Mb40 Mb on 9
chromosomes40 Mb on 7
chromosomes
37.5 Mb on 13
chromosomes
30 Mb on 20 (?)
chromosomes
20 Mb40 Mb(^1) Filobasidiella neoformans (asexual yeast phase: Cryptococcus neoformans). Serotype D is being sequenced because of its advanced
genetic tools, but serotype A is more divergent and represents 90% of all clinical strains and 99% of strains from AIDS patients.
Two virulence factors are of interest – the thick polysaccharide capsule that prevents phagocytosis, and melanin, which serves
as an antioxidant.
(^2) Coccidioides posadasii. One of two soil fungi endemic to desert regions of the Americas, infecting about 100,000 people each
year in the USA, but only a small number of infections are fatal. Funding was already allocated to sequencing of the other
species, C. immitis, so C. posadusiican provide comparative genomics.
(^3) Pneumocystis carinii. An unusual fungus with cholesterol instead of ergosterol in the cell membrane. Consists of several strains
adapted to specific hosts. Comparison of two species of the fungus (human and mouse) should allow comparative genomics
relating to infection.
(^4) Trichophyton rubrum. One of 42 known species of dermatophytes (of which 31 can infect humans). Understanding of this and
similar dermatophytes is very limited.
(^5) Rhizopus oryzae. A representative of Zygomycota and the fungus responsible for relatively rare cases of damaging human dis-
ease, especially in diabetics.
(^6) Magnaporthe grisea. A serious plant pathogen of rice, estimated to cause yield losses sufficient to feed 60 million people per
year. Also, a model for study of plant–fungal pathogenic interactions.
(^7) Aspergillus flavus. An important fungus in its own right, and valuable for comparisons with other Aspergillus spp., including
A. nidulans, which has a well-characterized genetic system, and A. terreus, which is one of the producers of “statins” that can
lower blood cholesterol levels.