R. Vilgalys

Decoding the chemical language of Suillus fungi: genome mining and untargeted metabolomics uncover terpene chemical diversity

This study combines genomics and metabolomics to identify terpene diversity in Suillus fungi, revealing metabolites involved in fungal communication and host interactions.

From populations to pan-genomes: investigating the role of ecology and genomic architecture in maintaining species boundaries in the porcini mushroom, Boletus edulis

The paper investigates hybridization in Boletus edulis, finding that ecological preferences, not genome structure, primarily drive reproductive barriers despite ongoing introgression.

The establishment of Populus x Laccaria bicolor ectomycorrhiza requires the inactivation of MYC2 coordinated defense response with a key role for root terpene synthases

This paper shows that MYC2.1 and MYC2.2 transcription factors in poplar repress defense genes, including terpene synthases, which are critical for Laccaria bicolor to establish ectomycorrhizal symbiosis.

Vegetation and Microbes Interact to Preserve Organic Matter in Wooded Peatlands

The paper investigates how vegetation and microbes interact to preserve organic matter in wooded peatlands, finding that slow-growing microbes and plant-induced recalcitrant carbon reduce carbon loss despite climate stressors.

Phylogenetic diversity of 200+ isolates of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Cenococcum geophilum associated with Populus trichocarpa soils in the Pacific Northwest, USA and comparison to globally distributed representatives

The paper analyzes phylogenetic diversity of Cenococcum geophilum isolates from Populus trichocarpa soils in the Pacific Northwest and globally distributed isolates, revealing cryptic species and recombination patterns.

Incipient local adaptation in a fungus: evolution of heavy metal tolerance through allelic and copy-number variation

This study identifies allelic and copy-number variation in Suillus luteus linked to heavy metal tolerance in response to soil contamination.