TY - JOUR TI - Evidence for loss and reacquisition of alcoholic fermentation in a fructophilic yeast lineage AU - Gonçalves, Carla AU - Wisecaver, Jennifer H AU - Kominek, Jacek AU - Oom, Madalena Salema AU - Leandro, Maria José AU - Shen, Xing-Xing AU - Opulente, Dana A AU - Zhou, Xiaofan AU - Peris, David AU - Kurtzman, Cletus P AU - Hittinger, Chris Todd AU - Rokas, Antonis AU - Gonçalves, Paula A2 - Rainey, Paul B VL - 7 PY - 2018 DA - 2018/04/12 SP - e33034 C1 - eLife 2018;7:e33034 DO - 10.7554/eLife.33034 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.33034 AB - Fructophily is a rare trait that consists of the preference for fructose over other carbon sources. Here, we show that in a yeast lineage (the Wickerhamiella/Starmerella, W/S clade) comprised of fructophilic species thriving in the high-sugar floral niche, the acquisition of fructophily is concurrent with a wider remodeling of central carbon metabolism. Coupling comparative genomics with biochemical and genetic approaches, we gathered ample evidence for the loss of alcoholic fermentation in an ancestor of the W/S clade and subsequent reinstatement through either horizontal acquisition of homologous bacterial genes or modification of a pre-existing yeast gene. An enzyme required for sucrose assimilation was also acquired from bacteria, suggesting that the genetic novelties identified in the W/S clade may be related to adaptation to the high-sugar environment. This work shows how even central carbon metabolism can be remodeled by a surge of HGT events. KW - Starmerella KW - floral niche KW - alcoholic fermentation KW - fructophilic yeasts KW - sugar metabolism KW - horizontal gene transfer JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -