The dynamics of fungal genome organization and its impact on host adaptation and antifungal resistance.

Abstract

Fungi are a diverse kingdom, characterized by remarkable genomic plasticity that facilitates pathogenicity and adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. In this review, we delve into the dynamic organization of fungal genomes and its implications for host adaptation and antifungal resistance. We examine key features and the heterogeneity of genomes across different fungal species, including but not limited to their chromosome content, DNA composition, distribution and arrangement of their content across chromosomes, and other major traits. We further highlight how this variability in genomic traits influences their virulence and adaptation to adverse conditions. Fungal genomes exhibit large variation in size, gene content, and structural features such as abundance of transposable elements (TEs), compartmentalization into gene-rich and TE-rich regions, and presence or absence of dispensable chromosomes. Genomic structural variations are equally diverse in fungi, ranging from whole-chromosome duplications that may enhance tolerance to antifungal compounds, to targeted deletion of effector encoding genes that may promote virulence. Finally, the often-overlooked fungal mitochondrial genomes can also affect virulence and resistance to fungicide. Such and other features of fungal genome organization are reviewed and discussed in the context of host-microbe interactions and antifungal resistance.