Genome-wide comparison deciphers lifestyle adaptation and glass biodeterioration property of Curvularia eragrostidis C52

Abstract

Glass biodeterioration by fungi has caused irreversible damage to valuable glass materials such as cultural heritages and optical devices. To date, knowledge about metabolic potential and genomic profile of biodeteriorative fungi is still scarce. Here, we report for the first time the whole genome sequence of Curvularia eragrostidis C52 that strongly degraded silica-based glasses coated with fluorine and hafnium, as expressed by the hyphal surface coverage of 46.16 ± 3.3% and reduced light transmission of 50.93 ± 1.45%. The genome of C. eragrostidis C52 is 36.9 Mb long with a GC content of 52.1% and contains 14,913 protein-coding genes, which is the largest genome ever recorded in the genus Curvularia. Phylogenomic analysis revealed C. eragrostidis C52 formed a distinct cluster with Curvularia sp. IFB-Z10 and was not evolved from compared genomes. Genome-wide comparison showed that strain C52 harbored significantly higher proportion of proteins involved in carbohydrate-active enzymes, peptidases, secreted proteins, and transcriptional factors, which may be potentially attributed to a lifestyle adaptation. Furthermore, 72 genes involved in the biosynthesis of 6 different organic acids were identified and expected to be crucial for the fungal survival in the glass environment. To form biofilm against stress, the fungal strain utilized 32 genes responsible for exopolysaccharide production. These findings will foster a better understanding of the biology of C. eragrostidis and the mechanisms behind fungal biodeterioration in the future.

Whole-genome sequencing of marine water-derived Curvularia verruculosa KHW-7: a pioneering study

“…The comparative analysis of CAZymes from all studied genomes of Curvularia spp. showed similar patterns of CAZymes found in C. verruculosa KHW-7 ( Quach et al, 2022 ). Other than GHs and AAs, the genome of C. verruculosa KHW-7 also possesses 71 GTs family members largely involved in the biosynthesis of various polysaccharides and oligosaccharides ( Lairson et al, 2008 ).…”

“…Another reported Curvularia spp. was also reported to have a genome size of 33–36 Mb and an average 50% G + C content ( Quach et al, 2022 ). Comparative genome features of reported Curvularia spp.…”

“…Presently, there are a mere eight Curvularia genomes that have been sequenced and stored in the GenBank database maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and at the species level, C. verruculosa KHW-7 is the first sequenced genome. The 31.59 Md genome of C. verruculosa KHW-7 contained a total of 9,877 genes, which is somehow lower (33 Mb, 9,469 protein-coding genes) (Quach et al, 2022). The presence of repetitive components, such as interspersed repetitions and low-complexity DNA sequences, was detected in the genome assembly of C. verruculosa KHW-7.…”

“…Curvularia infections can range from moderate to severe and affect numerous regions of the body, including the skin, lungs, and nails ( da Cunha et al, 2013 ). To date, there are 131 species of Curvularia reported worldwide as per the list of Fungorum ( Quach et al, 2022 ). Among these species, C. verruculosa is a significant plant pathogen associated with causing various diseases such as leaf spot, blight, and ear rot in different plant species ( Wei et al, 2022 ).…”

“…For fungi, accurate taxonomic classification is essential. WGS enables precise species identification and phylogenetic analysis, contributing to a better understanding of fungal evolution and relationships between different species ( Quach et al, 2022 ). By analyzing the entire genome, it is possible to pinpoint specific genes or gene clusters associated with virulence and pathogenicity in fungi.…”