Unique trajectory of gene family evolution from genomic analysis of nearly all known species in an ancient yeast lineage

ABSTRACT: Gene gains and losses are a major driver of genome evolution; their precise characterization can provide insights into the origin and diversification of major lineages. Here, we examined gene family evolution of 1,154 genomes from nearly all known species in the medically and technologically important yeast subphylum Saccharomycotina. We found that yeast gene family evolution differs from that of plants, animals, and filamentous ascomycetes, and is characterized by smaller overall gene numbers yet larger gene family sizes for a given gene number. Faster-evolving lineages (FELs) in yeasts experienced significantly higher rates of gene losses-commensurate with a narrowing of metabolic niche breadth-but higher speciation rates than their slower-evolving sister lineages (SELs). Gene families m

SUBMITTER: Bo Feng 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44320-025-00118-0 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other