HittingerLab

Discovery of additional ancient genome duplications in yeasts Whole-genome duplication (WGD) has had profound macroevolutionary impacts on diverse lineages,1,2 preceding adaptive radiations in vertebrates,3,4,5 t…

With the @rokaslab.bsky.social, three novel whole genome duplication (WGD) events were discovered in the Saccharomycotina yeast species in the Dipodascales
clade. Before now, only four WGD events were known in fungi. This work suggests WGD may be underreported.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

We're excited to announce that Chris will be attending the Yeast Genetics Meeting organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA) @genetics-gsa.bsky.social in CA on June 13-17! #Yeast26

If you are interested in attending or presenting, follow this link to register!
genetics-gsa.org/yeast-2026/

a group of people are standing next to each other in front of a wall . ALT: a group of people are standing next to each other in front of a wall .

How much do growth morphologies in the Saccharomycotina subphylum vary? 🤔 With the @rokaslab.bsky.social, integrated datasets of 1,051 species were examined to assess filamentation evol. history and variation. ML models predicted morphologies with 70% accuracy.
academic.oup.com/femsyr/advan...

In collaboration with the Pfleger Lab, Josh Dietrich et al. investigated 2-ketoacid decarboxylase (KDC) substrate specificities to identify KDCs with preference for 2-ketoisovalerate over pyruvate. This work will help guide future S. cerevisiae engineering efforts.
urldefense.com/v3/__http://...

Congratulations to our wonderful PI, Chris Todd Hittinger, on receiving the Vilas Mid-Career Investigator Award from the UW–Madison Laboratory of Genetics! This recognition highlights his continued excellence in research, teaching, training, and mentorship. 🎉

genetics.wisc.edu/2025/12/09/d...

If you are interested in being added to the mailing list for Yeast, follow this link to sign-up. urldefense.com/v3/__http://...

We were featured in the Yeast Newsletter, published in June and December every year with Western University, serving as an informal communication method for those interested in all things yeast-biology. Checkout pages 18-23! www.uwo.ca/biology/Yeas...

urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...

The Macroevolution of Filamentation Morphology Across the Saccharomycotina Yeast Subphylum Saccharomycotina yeasts are a highly diverse and widely distributed subphylum of ascomycete fungi that exhibit diversity in their asexual growth morphologies; the human commensal yeast Candida albican...

New preprint with @rokaslab.bsky.social! We used genomic, metabolic, environmental, and phenotypic data sets from 1,154 Saccharomycotina strains to asses filamentation variability and predict filamentation types across the subphylum. 🧩
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Stable Hypermutators Revealed by the Genomic Landscape of Genes Involved in Genome Stability Among Yeast Species Abstract. Mutator phenotypes are short-lived due to the rapid accumulation of deleterious mutations. Yet, recent observations reveal that certain fungi can

Gonçalves, @rokaslab.bsky.social @hittingerlab.bsky.social et al. surveyed 1,154 yeast genomes to examine gene repertoires linked to genome stability and elevated evolutionary rates, showing hypermutators persist across macroevolutionary timescales.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf285

#evobio #molbio

Thank you!

Stable hypermutators revealed by the genomic landscape of genes involved in genome stability among yeast species Abstract. Mutator phenotypes are short-lived due to the rapid accumulation of deleterious mutations. Yet, recent observations reveal that certain fungi can

New work led by members of the @rokaslab.bsky.social! ☺️ 1,154 yeast genomes in the Saccharomycotina subphylum were surveyed for their relationship between reduced gene repertoires broadly associated with genome stability functions and elevated evolutionary rates.🧬
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...

a man in a blue shirt and tie is pointing at a bulletin board with a lot of papers on it . ALT: a man in a blue shirt and tie is pointing at a bulletin board with a lot of papers on it .

Together, these studies help unravel the metabolic, genomic, and morphological diversity found across yeast species and reveal how evolution can both shape and constrain the traits that emerge.

This work is also follow-up to our previously posted article, led by @linder-surprise.bsky.social: bsky.app/profile/hitt...

The rate of glucose metabolism sets the cell morphology across yeast strains and species Yeasts are a diverse group of unicellular fungi that have developed a wide array of phenotypes and traits over 400 million years of evolution. However…

We expanded upon this study from a group in the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, located in the Netherlands:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

With @linder-surprise.bsky.social and the @rokaslab.bsky.social, we recently expanded upon an analysis where glucose uptake rates were inversely correlated with the cell surface area-to-volume ratio, testing 282 species in the Saccharomycotina yeast subphylum.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.02.679963v2

ECAR variation is associated with glycolyitc genes across the yeast subphylum (Figure 1 in this work)

Convergent evolution of aerobic fermentation through divergent mechanisms acting on key shared glycolytic genes As the tree of life becomes increasingly accessible to molecular investigations, describing mechanisms underlying evolutionary convergence and constraint will be crucial to understanding diversificati...

In a preprint with the @rokaslab.bsky.social , @linder-surprise.bsky.social developed a high-throughput extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) assay to evaluate glycolytic rate. We highlight how genetic traits, such as aerobic fermentation, can arise convergently with strong constraints. 🧬

Machine Learning Reveals Genes That Help Yeasts Resist Stress Scientists used machine learning to analyze the genetic blueprints of hundreds of yeasts. This analysis allowed them to identify which groups of genes are most important for resistance to reactive oxy...

This work has also been featured on the DOE Science News Source initiative, Newswise, which promotes credible research news to the public. By publishing accessible summaries of recent studies that reach thousands of media outlets, it helps experts share their work with a broader audience.

Machine Learning Reveals Genes That Help Yeasts Resist Stress Scientists used machine learning to analyze the genetic blueprints of hundreds of yeasts. This analysis allowed them to identify which groups of genes are most important for resistance to reactive oxy...

This work has also been featured on the DOE Science News Source initiative, Newswise, which promotes credible research news to the public. By publishing accessible summaries of recent studies that reach thousands of media outlets, it helps experts share their work with a broader audience.

Machine Learning Reveals Genes That Help Yeasts Resist Stress Study provides a framework for connecting genetic mechanisms and trait variation across diverse yeast species.

We are honored to share that our work, led by @katarina-aranguiz.bsky.social and @linder-surprise.bsky.social, has been featured as a Science Highlight on the DOE's Office of Science website. 200 articles are selected annually to be highlighted. Check it out! 🧫
www.energy.gov/science/ber/...

Convergent evolution of aerobic fermentation through divergent mechanisms acting on key shared glycolytic genes As the tree of life becomes increasingly accessible to molecular investigations, describing mechanisms underlying evolutionary convergence and constraint will be crucial to understanding diversificati...

What started as a project characterizing variation in metabolic rates across yeasts turned into an interesting story about convergent evolution acting on the same key genes through distinct molecular mechanisms with @hittingerlab.bsky.social & @rokaslab.bsky.social.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Discovery of additional ancient genome duplications in yeasts Whole genome duplication (WGD) has had profound macroevolutionary impacts on diverse lineages, preceding adaptive radiations in vertebrates, teleost fish, and angiosperms. In contrast to the many know...

We often talk about THE whole genome duplication in yeasts, but we find new evidence of additional whole genome duplications in other yeast species!

Check out this preprint led by @kylethedavid.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

We report evidence of three previously unknown whole genome duplications (WGD) in Dipodascales yeasts. These events show striking parallels to the WGD of Saccharomyces cerevisae, the only known ancient WGD in the yeast subphylum Saccharomycotina.

Discovery of additional ancient genome duplications in yeasts Whole genome duplication (WGD) has had profound macroevolutionary impacts on diverse lineages[1][1],[2][2], preceding adaptive radiations in vertebrates[3][3]–[5][4], teleost fish[6][5],[7][6], and an...

Checkout our new preprint with the @rokaslab.bsky.social!:

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Taxogenomic Analysis of a Novel Yeast Species, Lachancea rosae Sp. Nov. F.A., Isolated From the Wild Rose Rosa californica The discovery, description, and taxogenomic analysis of a novel species of Lachancea revealed correlations between gene content and carbon and nitrogen physiological assays.

With the Opulente Lab at Villanova Univ., we describe a new yeast species: Lachancea rosae sp. nov. f.a., isolated from the hip bud of a wild California rose 🌹. This species unique traits adds to the biodiversity of the Lachancea genus. Open access article:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Taxogenomic Analysis of a Novel Yeast Species, Lachancea rosae Sp. Nov. F.A., Isolated From the Wild Rose Rosa californica The discovery, description, and taxogenomic analysis of a novel species of Lachancea revealed correlations between gene content and carbon and nitrogen physiological assays.

New #Yeast paper out from the series #FantasticYeasts!!! @hittingerlab.bsky.social , Dana Opulente & team describe a novel species, Lachancea rosae, isolated from the wild rose Rosa californica 🌹

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Taxogenomic analysis of Pichia senei sp. nov. and new insights into hybridization events in the Pichia cactophila species complex Abstract. Three strains of a novel yeast species were isolated from necrotic cactus tissues of Cereus saddianus and Micranthocereus dolichospermaticus and

Taxogenomic analyses place P. senei in the Pichia cactophila complex, shaped by evolutionary hybridization events.

Read the open-access article in FEMS Yeast Research:

academic.oup.com/femsyr/advan...

We’re excited to share our latest paper, an international collaboration led by Katharina O. Barros and Jassim Al-Oboudi, describing Pichia senei sp. nov., a novel yeast species isolated from cactus necrosis and bromeliad phytotelmata in Brazil’s Cerrado ecosystem. 🌵🇧🇷

WE ARE #HIRING‼️

Join the @hittingerlab.bsky.social to study yeast evolution, ecology, and bioenergy applications of yeast species as a Research Associate. Apply by August 15 www.glbrc.org/about/job-op...
#research #job