Whole genome sequencing of historical specimens from the world's largest fungal collection yields high-quality assemblies.

High-throughput molecular studies of museum specimens (museomics) have great potential in biodiversity research, but fungal historical collections have scarcely been examined, leading to no comprehensive methodological assessments. Here we present a whole genome sequencing (WGS) project conducted at the Fungarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DNA was extracted from 2104 specimens collected between 1770 and 2023, and we found that the specimen age had the smallest effect, while DNA purification and taxonomic identity had the greatest effect on DNA yield.

Tapping Culture Collections for Fungal Endophytes: First Genome Assemblies for Three Genera and Five Species in the Ascomycota.

The Ascomycota form the largest phylum in the fungal kingdom and show a wide diversity of lifestyles, some involving associations with plants. Genomic data are available for many ascomycetes that are pathogenic to plants, but endophytes, which are asymptomatic inhabitants of plants, are relatively understudied. Here, using short- and long-read technologies, we have sequenced and assembled genomes for 15 endophytic ascomycete strains from CABI's culture collections.