The Wickerhamiella and Starmerella genera form a clade (W/S clade) that branches close to Yarrowia lipolytica in the Saccharomycotina species tree. It comprises approximately 90 recognized species and 50 putative new species not formally described yet. The large majority of the members of the W/S clade are ecologically associated with flowers and floricolous insects. Many species exhibit unusual metabolic traits, like fructophily and the production of sophorolipids, which are glycolipids that can be used as environmentally friendly biosurfactants. Genomic data have not only firmly established the W/S clade but have also revealed a tumultuous evolution of metabolism marked by losses and gains of important metabolic pathways, among which alcoholic fermentation. Possibly the most surprising finding brought to light by comparative genomics concerned the large number of genes acquired by some species of the W/S clade from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, many of which were shown to be functional in their new setting. This was facilitated by the genetic tractability of one species in the clade, Starmerella bombicola, which is used for the industrial production of sophorolipids. We suggest that high-density coverage of genome sequencing in this clade, combined with the possibility to conduct molecular genetics experiments in at least one species, has the potential to set the stage for yet more exciting discoveries concerning the evolution of yeast metabolism.

中文翻译：

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Wickerhamiella / Starmerella进化枝-研究酵母代谢演变的宝库。

Wickerhamiella和Starmerella属形成分支（W / S分支），在酵母菌种树中分支到解脂耶氏酵母。它包括大约90种公认物种和50种尚未正式描述的新物种。W / S进化枝的大多数成员在生态上都与花朵和花状昆虫有关。许多物种表现出不同寻常的代谢特征，如果糖嗜酸性和槐糖脂的产生，槐糖脂是可以用作环境友好型生物表面活性剂的糖脂。基因组数据不仅牢固地建立了W / S进化枝，而且还揭示了以重要的代谢途径（包括酒精发酵）的损失为特征的新陈代谢的演变。比较基因组学可能揭露的最令人惊讶的发现涉及一些W / S进化枝物种通过水平基因转移从细菌获得的大量基因，其中许多基因在其新环境中发挥了作用。进化枝中的一种物种的遗传可延展性促进了它的发展，Starmerella bombicola被用于工业生产槐糖脂。我们建议，在这一进化枝中高密度的基因组测序覆盖，再加上在至少一个物种中进行分子遗传学实验的可能性，有可能为酵母菌进化的更激动人心的发现奠定基础。其中许多功能在其新设置中可以正常运行。进化枝中的一种物种的遗传可延展性促进了它的发展，Starmerella bombicola被用于工业生产槐糖脂。我们建议，在这一进化枝中高密度的基因组测序覆盖，再加上在至少一个物种中进行分子遗传学实验的可能性，有可能为酵母菌进化的更激动人心的发现奠定基础。其中许多功能在其新设置中可以正常运行。进化枝中的一种物种的遗传可延展性促进了它的发展，Starmerella bombicola被用于工业生产槐糖脂。我们建议，在这一进化枝中高密度的基因组测序覆盖，再加上在至少一个物种中进行分子遗传学实验的可能性，有可能为酵母代谢进化方面更激动人心的发现奠定基础。