Niche differentiation and evolution of the wood decay machinery in the invasive fungus Serpula lacrymans.

ABSTRACT: Ecological niche breadth and the mechanisms facilitating its evolution are fundamental to understanding adaptation to changing environments, persistence of generalist and specialist lineages and the formation of new species. Woody substrates are structurally complex resources utilized by organisms with specialized decay machinery. Wood-decaying fungi represent ideal model systems to study evolution of niche breadth, as they vary greatly in their host range and preferred decay stage of the substrate. In order to dissect the genetic basis for niche specialization in the invasive brown rot fungus Serpula lacrymans, we used phenotyping and integrative analysis of phylogenomic and transcriptomic data to compare this species to wild relatives in the Serpulaceae with a range of specialist to gene

SUBMITTER: Hess J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8027034 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature