title: The genome sequence of the model ascomycete fungus Podospora anserina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The dung-inhabiting ascomycete fungus Podospora anserina is a model used to study various aspects of eukaryotic and fungal biology, such as ageing, prions and sexual development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We present a 10X draft sequence of P. anserina genome, linked to the sequences of a large expressed sequence tag collection. Similar to higher eukaryotes, the P. anserina transcription/splicing machinery generates numerous non-conventional transcripts. Comparison of the P. anserina genome and orthologous gene set with the one of its close relatives, Neurospora crassa, shows that synteny is poorly conserved, the main result of evolution being gene shuffling in the same chromosome. The P. anserina genome contains fewer repeated sequences and has evolved new genes by duplication since its separation from N. crassa, despite the presence of the repeat induced point mutation mechanism that mutates duplicated sequences. We also provide evidence that frequent gene loss took place in the lineages leading to P. anserina and N. crassa. P. anserina contains a large and highly specialized set of genes involved in utilization of natural carbon sources commonly found in its natural biotope. It includes genes potentially involved in lignin degradation and efficient cellulose breakdown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The features of the P. anserina genome indicate a highly dynamic evolution since the divergence of P. anserina and N. crassa, leading to the ability of the former to use specific complex carbon sources that match its needs in its natural biotope.
authors.affiliation: Univ Paris-Sud, Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, UMR8621, 91405 Orsay cedex, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Espagne
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lespinet
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malagnac
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jaillon
authors.forename: Betina M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Porcel
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Couloux
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aury
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ségurens
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poulain
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anthouard
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grossetete
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coppin
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Déquard-Chablat
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Contamine
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arnaise
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bourdais
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berteaux-Lecellier
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gautheret
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Evy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Pedro M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Etienne Gj
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Danchin
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Henrissat
authors.forename: Riyad El
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sainsard-Chanet
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boivin
authors.forename: Bérangère
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pinan-Lucarré
authors.forename: Carole H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sellem
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Debuchy
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wincker
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weissenbach
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Silar
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D020440:Gene Duplication; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics; D048468:Podospora / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon