Decoding the genome of the basidiomycetous yeast Vishniacozyma victoriae D19: a promising fungal model for biotechnology

BACKGROUND: Vishniacozyma victoriae is a ubiquitous yeast isolated from various regions across the globe, especially in extreme environments. It can produce several interesting extracellular compounds, including carotenoids and cold-active hydrolytic enzymes, that confer high potential for industrial production and biotechnological applications. However, insufficient knowledge in its biology, genetics and genomics are the primary obstacle of its development as a new chassis. The aim of this study was to provide a high-quality genome assembly and an in-depth genome analysis of V. victoriae strain D19. RESULTS: We isolated V. victoriae D19 (CBS 19383) from Trondheimfjordens, Norway. Here we present its high-quality genome assembly, along with comprehensive structural and functional annotation of the genome. The assembly consists of 10 nuclear scaffolds with a cumulative size of 18.1 Mb, an N50 value of 1.7 Mb (L50 = 3) and a complete circular mitochondrial genome. A total of 7,853 protein-coding genes were predicted. Intron structure and other features, such as rRNA, tRNA, transposable elements, telomeric repeats were also analyzed to contribute to a deeper understanding of the V. victoriae genome architecture. Functional gene annotation, performed using the go-FAnnoT and BlastKOALA tools, enabled the reconstruction of key metabolic pathways, providing potential functions for 6,434 and 3,626 proteins, respectively. Moreover, the analysis of protein targeting and in silico secretome analysis, followed by CAZymes identification, helped us to understand the metabolic potential of this yeast. CONCLUSION: These genomic resources establish a valuable foundation for future functional studies and provide keys for developing a new chassis for potential industrial applications.