title: Evolution of pathogenicity and sexual reproduction in eight Candida genomes.
abstract: Candida species are the most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection worldwide. Here we report the genome sequences of six Candida species and compare these and related pathogens and non-pathogens. There are significant expansions of cell wall, secreted and transporter gene families in pathogenic species, suggesting adaptations associated with virulence. Large genomic tracts are homozygous in three diploid species, possibly resulting from recent recombination events. Surprisingly, key components of the mating and meiosis pathways are missing from several species. These include major differences at the mating-type loci (MTL); Lodderomyces elongisporus lacks MTL, and components of the a1/2 cell identity determinant were lost in other species, raising questions about how mating and cell types are controlled. Analysis of the CUG leucine-to-serine genetic-code change reveals that 99% of ancestral CUG codons were erased and new ones arose elsewhere. Lastly, we revise the Candida albicans gene catalogue, identifying many new genes.
authors.affiliation: UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. geraldine.butler@ucd.ie
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Manuel A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Sharadha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakthikumar
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rheinbay
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grabherr
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forche
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Reedy
authors.forename: Ino
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Agrafioti
authors.forename: Martha B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Arnaud
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Alistair J P
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brunke
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: Piet W J
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Lois L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hoyer
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hube
authors.forename: Frans M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Klis
authors.forename: Chinnappa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kodira
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lennard
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Logue
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Neiman
authors.forename: Elissavet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quail
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Florian F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Schmitzberger
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sherlock
authors.forename: Prachi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Kevin A T
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: Marek S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Skrzypek
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Soll
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Staggs
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stansfield
authors.forename: Michael P H
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Stumpf
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Sudbery
authors.forename: Thyagarajan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Srikantha
authors.forename: Qiandong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berriman
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heitman
authors.forename: Neil A R
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Gow
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Birren
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kellis
authors.forename: Christina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cuomo
mesh_terms: D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004171:Diploidy; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D016681:Genome, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*; D012440:Saccharomyces / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D003062:Codon