Entire chromosomes can move between fungi to trigger new diseases
In short: Researchers comparing the genomes of three different Fusarium fungi species found that certain large genomic regions are uniquely shared within specific lineages. By experimentally moving two of these specialized chromosomes between different strains of Fusarium oxysporum, the team successfully transformed a harmless strain into a pathogen.
This discovery suggests that fungal diseases can emerge rapidly through the horizontal acquisition of entire chromosomes. The study used comparative genomics and experimental chromosome transfer, though the findings specifically highlight the mechanisms within the Fusarium genus.
Why it matters: Large-scale genomic shifts, such as moving entire chromosomes, can rapidly drive the evolution of new fungal diseases.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Ma et al. (2010). Comparative genomics reveals mobile pathogenicity chromosomes in Fusarium. Nature. · cc-by-nc-sa
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