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Researchers analyzed chromosome conformation data from 55 fungal species to understand how three-dimensional genome organization has evolved across the fungal kingdom. They identified multiple types of 3D genome architectures including Rabl configuration in ten species, chromosome territories in one species, and a novel "bean" shape in ten species where centromeres and telomeres are positioned at opposite ends of the nucleus but with distinct 3D organization. Despite testing various genomic features such as genome size and repeat content, no significant correlations were found that could explain the evolution of different genome architectures.
Why it matters
This work expands our understanding of genome organization beyond well-studied animals and plants, revealing that 3D genome architecture is highly dynamic and can evolve rapidly in fungi. The discovery of novel organizational patterns and the lack of clear genomic predictors suggests that genome architecture evolution is more complex than previously thought, which may inform future research on gene regulation and genome function across diverse organisms.
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⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
The three-dimensional architecture of genomes plays major roles in biological processes such as gene expression and DNA replication. The architecture of genomes has evolved substantially with distinct 3D genome shapes being identified in different lineages. The factors driving the evolution of genome architectures have primarily been assessed in animals and plants, yet large parts of the tree of life remain poorly explored. Fungi offer excellent models to assess the evolution of 3D genome architecture in a phylogenetic context given rapid genome size changes and chromosomal sequence turnover. Here, we analyzed chromosome conformation data (Hi-C) of 55 fungal species with completely assembled genomes. We identified ten species with Rabl, one species with chromosome territories and ten with a novel, intermediate chromosomal architecture, where centromeres and telomeres are at opposites in the nucleus (Rabl-like) but with a distinct 3D organization. This "bean" shape likely evolved several times independently. The discovery of a genome with a chromosome territories conformation was unexpected, as this was thought to be associated with condensin II subunits in the animal kingdom. We investigated whether 3D conformations correlated with genome size and repeat content using phylogenetic independent contrasts, however we found no genomic feature to be significantly associated with changes in genome architecture. Overall, we report the first large-scale comparison of 3D genome architecture in the fungal kingdom and identify a novel "bean" configuration.