GSA Journals Fungal Genetics and Genomics Series Highlights – Gene to Genome

The Fungal Genetics and Genomics Series, published in GSA Journals, brings together work that spans molecular mechanisms, evolutionary insights, quantitative genetics, and applied genomics in the fungal kingdom. As the community prepares for the upcoming 33rd Fungal Genetics Conference, this collection offers a timely reminder of how fungal systems continue to illuminate basic biology while driving translational innovation.

Two recent papers in the collection, one in Genetics and one in G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, highlight this breadth.

In Genetics, Joseo Chen etc Dissect the role of the emerging yeast ortholog of human PIN1, essential 1 (Ess1) protein, in telomere biology. PIN1 is known to modulate telomere maintenance in humans through Telomeric Repeat Binding Factor 1 (TRF1). i Saccharomyces cerevisiaeHowever, Ess1 acts through a mechanistically distinct pathway. The authors demonstrated that Ess1 is required for efficient RNA polymerase II transcription termination, repression of TERRA (telomeric repeat-containing RNA), and prevention of accumulation of telomeric R-loops.

Intriguingly, Ess1 does more than regulate transcription. It binds directly to telomeric DNA to promote telomere end resection. Acting in concert with the MRX (Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2) complex, Ess1 facilitates both telomerase-mediated elongation and maintenance-dependent survival pathways. When Ess1 is depleted, telomeres shorten, and telomerase-deficient cells become senile. By functionally linking RNA polymerase II dynamics to telomere processing, this study demonstrates how a conserved prolyl isomerase (Ess1/PIN1) family coordinates transcriptional control and chromosome end maintenance to protect genome stability in eukaryotes.

Other research published in G3 turns to a very different fungal system: edible mushrooms Lentinola eddus. Xia Zhao etc provides a transcriptomic roadmap of pilus development, shifting the emphasis away from the traditionally studied stipe elongation phase. Using RNA sequencing across three developmental stages, the team identified 283 conserved, differentially expressed genes that define cap morphogenesis.

Three of these candidates are standing. Alpha-amylase (α-Amy) causes rapid expansion of the cap possibly by mobilizing glucose stores. Phosphatidylserine decarboxylase (PSD) supports autophagy through key lipid modifications, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) maintains proteostasis by facilitating the degradation of ubiquitinated protein aggregates. Together, these processes suggest a coordinated redistribution of metabolic and proteostatic resources during maturation. Complementary physiological data—in particular, a marked increase in superoxide dismutase activity during maturation—support the idea that cap opening is linked to a programmed aging trajectory. Beyond developmental insights, this dataset provides actionable targets for molecular breeding of high-quality cultivars.

From chromosome ends in budding yeast to cap architecture in basidiomycetes, these studies exemplify the intellectual range of the fungal genetics and genomics series. As the field gathers at Fungal 2026 next month, work like this highlights why fungal systems remain indispensable to mechanisms, evolution and applications in modern genetics.