Mobile Genetic Elements in Rare, Threatened, and Range-Restricted Lichenized Fungi

Faculty Mentor

Jessica Allen

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Start Date

5-7-2024 9:30 AM

End Date

5-7-2024 9:50 AM

Location

PAT 326

Primary Discipline of Presentation

Biology

Abstract

Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) are sequence features whose movement within a genome modulates gene expression and generates novel genetic diversity. They can have both positive and negative effects on host organisms. We hypothesize that population dynamics and environmental stressors in species with small, declining populations impact defense mechanisms developed by Eukaryotes to curb the proliferation of deleterious MGEs. We used comparative genomics to contrast the MGE content in rare, threatened, and range-restricted species of lichenized fungi with species that have large, stable populations. Twenty new reference genomes were generated and six previously published long-read genomes were gathered from online data repositories. New genomes were generated with standard laboratory workflows and MGEs were annotated using RepeatModeler2. MGEs accounted for 1.53–68.85% of the genome content in the species sampled, with a total of 596–103,790 elements recovered in a given genome. Retrotransposons were the most abundant type of MGE, averaging 16.76% (±5.21) of the genome content in rare species and 12.84% (±2.86) in common species. Total MGE content followed a similar pattern, with means of 25.71% (±8.69) and 20.32% (±3.56) recovered for rare and common species, respectively. The disproportionate distribution of MGEs, particularly retrotransposons, in rare, threatened, and range-restricted species may disrupt genomic stability, yet also create novel genetic diversity in isolated populations with limited gene flow. Investigation of associations between increased extinction risks and MGE expansions is essential to understand the potential implications that these genes have for species conservation.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
May 7th, 9:30 AM May 7th, 9:50 AM

Mobile Genetic Elements in Rare, Threatened, and Range-Restricted Lichenized Fungi

PAT 326

Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) are sequence features whose movement within a genome modulates gene expression and generates novel genetic diversity. They can have both positive and negative effects on host organisms. We hypothesize that population dynamics and environmental stressors in species with small, declining populations impact defense mechanisms developed by Eukaryotes to curb the proliferation of deleterious MGEs. We used comparative genomics to contrast the MGE content in rare, threatened, and range-restricted species of lichenized fungi with species that have large, stable populations. Twenty new reference genomes were generated and six previously published long-read genomes were gathered from online data repositories. New genomes were generated with standard laboratory workflows and MGEs were annotated using RepeatModeler2. MGEs accounted for 1.53–68.85% of the genome content in the species sampled, with a total of 596–103,790 elements recovered in a given genome. Retrotransposons were the most abundant type of MGE, averaging 16.76% (±5.21) of the genome content in rare species and 12.84% (±2.86) in common species. Total MGE content followed a similar pattern, with means of 25.71% (±8.69) and 20.32% (±3.56) recovered for rare and common species, respectively. The disproportionate distribution of MGEs, particularly retrotransposons, in rare, threatened, and range-restricted species may disrupt genomic stability, yet also create novel genetic diversity in isolated populations with limited gene flow. Investigation of associations between increased extinction risks and MGE expansions is essential to understand the potential implications that these genes have for species conservation.