Background:
Hypocreales is a filamentous ascomycete characterized by a wide variety of lifestyles, including saprotrophs, plant pathogens, grass endophytes, mycoparasites, and nematophagous- and insect parasites. The genomic basis of these evolutionary transitions is relatively well understood thanks to the availability of genomic sequences for many families in the group and the interest that these fungi have as common agricultural pathogens and potential for biocontrol strategies. Illiosporiopsis christiansenii is a member of the lineage with an undefined phylogenetic position with a lichenicolous (i.e. lichen inhabiting) lifestyle that forms bright pink structures in their hosts (see picture).
Due to the composite nature of lichens and how difficult it is to grow them under laboratory conditions, the lichenicolous habit is severely underexplored in comparison with many other fungal lifestyles. However, the lichenicolous lifestyle is widespread in some fungal lineages, and the bioactive secondary metabolites that they produce have potential pharmacological properties. We expect that, by comparing the genome of Illiosporiopsis to the genomes of other Hypocreales, it should be possible to identify what is unique to this lifestyle and establish a model for the study of other lineages of lichenicolous fungi in the future.
The project:
In this project, you will generate a reference genome assembly and association for the lichenicolous Hypocreales Illiosporiopsis christiansenii using DNA extracted from field collected material. You will be involved with the preparation of the sequencing libraries, test the applicability of chromosome conformation techniques to the genomics of lichens and lichenicolous fungi, and contribute to the subsequent bioinformatic analyses. You will become member of the ISOP research group and be under the supervision of postdoc Miguel Naranjo-Ortiz and Prof. Mika Bendiksby. ISOP values a positive, dynamic, and collaborative working environment.