Microbial Genome Sequencing: The Coprinus cinereus Genome Project

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Abstract

The fungal kingdom includes remarkably diverse organisms of considerable economic and scientific importance. These organisms have a rich evolutionary history. They also provide experimental models that are fundamental to the understanding of a wide range of biological processes. Recently, their suitability for genomic-level analyses has resulted in the rapid release of several draft genome sequences, including that of the mushroom, Coprinus cinereus. C. cinereus was one of the first fungi to be sequenced because its numerous experimental advantages have resulted in its becoming an important model system in the higher fungi. While the draft sequence quality is high, at least 418 gaps remain. Furthermore, current information is inadequate to annotate the genome, due to the small number of gene sequences available from C. cinereus or related basidiomycetes, whose gene structure differs from the ascomycete genomes analyzed to date. Mapping data, necessary for comparative studies of fungal chromosome organization and stability, are also lacking. Thus, the scientific merit of this work will include the closure of the remaining gaps in the sequence, the annotation of the genome using information from additional cDNA sequences from a variety of cell types, the construction of a high resolution genetic map, and the design of a model organism database using open-source tools to permit ongoing collaborative annotation and curation of the genome. The research will be carried out by a small consortium of investigators from institutions with distinct educational missions. The broader impacts of the project will include mechanisms to integrate research and education in these distinct settings. The emphasis will be on a range of inquiry-based approaches, including large undergraduate courses, upper-division laboratories, and formalized mentoring of undergraduate research. These collaborations will serve as models for efficient and cost-effective genome finishing and annotation, which cannot be carried out as effectively in high-throughput sequencing centers, and which can have a considerable impact on education by allowing large numbers of students to engage in original inquiry.