Abstract
In the last decade, the genome of several dozen filamentous fungi have been
sequenced. Interestingly, vast diversity in genome size was observed
(Fig. 2.1) with 14-fold differences between the 9 Mb of the human pathogenic
dandruff fungus (Malassezia globosa; Xu, Saunders, et al., 2007)
and the 125 Mb of the ectomycorrhizal black truffle of Périgord (Tuber
melanosporum;
Martin, Kohler, et al., 2010). Recently, Raffaele and Kamoun
(2012) highlighted that the genomes of several lineages of filamentous plant
pathogens have been shaped by repeat-driven expansion. Indeed, repeated
elements are ubiquitous in all prokaryote and eukaryote genomes; however,
their frequencies can vary from just a minor percentage of the genome to
more that 60 percent of the genome. Repeated elements can be classified in
two major types: satellites DNA and transposable elements. In this chapter,
the different types of repeated elements and how these elements can impact
genome and gene repertoire will be described. Also, an intriguing link
between the transposable elements richness and diversity and the ecological
niche will be highlighted.