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<p><i>Starships</i> form a recently discovered superfamily of giant transposons in Pezizomycotina fungi, implicated in mediating horizontal transfer of diverse cargo genes between fungal genomes. Their elusive nature has long obscured their significance, and their impact on genome evolution remains poorly understood. Here, we reveal a surprising abundance and diversity of <i>Starships</i> in the phytopathogenic fungus <i>Verticillium dahliae</i>. Remarkably, <i>Starships</i> dominate the plastic genomic compartments involved in host colonization, carry multiple virulence-associated genes, and exhibit genetic and epigenetic characteristics associated with adaptive genome evolution. Phylogenetic analyses suggest extensive horizontal transfer of <i>Starships</i> between <i>Verticillium</i> species and, strikingly, from distantly related <i>Fusarium</i> fungi. Finally, homology searches and phylogenetic analyses suggest that a <i>Starship</i> contributed to de novo virulence gene formation. Our findings illuminate the profound influence of <i>Starship</i> dynamics on fungal genome evolution and the development of virulence.</p>

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Starship giant transposons dominate plastic genomic regions in a fungal plant pathogen and drive virulence evolution

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月24日

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  • Yukiyo Sato,
  • Roos Bex,
  • Grardy C. M. van den Berg,
  • Parthasarathy Santhanam,
  • Monica Höfte,
  • Michael F. Seidl,
  • Bart P.H.J. Thomma

摘要

Starships form a recently discovered superfamily of giant transposons in Pezizomycotina fungi, implicated in mediating horizontal transfer of diverse cargo genes between fungal genomes. Their elusive nature has long obscured their significance, and their impact on genome evolution remains poorly understood. Here, we reveal a surprising abundance and diversity of Starships in the phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae. Remarkably, Starships dominate the plastic genomic compartments involved in host colonization, carry multiple virulence-associated genes, and exhibit genetic and epigenetic characteristics associated with adaptive genome evolution. Phylogenetic analyses suggest extensive horizontal transfer of Starships between Verticillium species and, strikingly, from distantly related Fusarium fungi. Finally, homology searches and phylogenetic analyses suggest that a Starship contributed to de novo virulence gene formation. Our findings illuminate the profound influence of Starship dynamics on fungal genome evolution and the development of virulence.