The Neurospora crassa pangenome

Neurospora crassa is a widely distributed ascomycete with high genetic diversity. Leveraging de novo assemblies of 72 high-quality draft genomes, we constructed a comprehensive pangenome to investigate the molecular evolution of various gene families. Systematic phylogenetic analysis of the gene family demonstrated varying degrees of conservation and presence/absence variation across the lineages. Addressing the limitations of current genomic resources, this work provides a pangenomic framework to detect rapid adaptive evolution in filamentous fungi. This methodology serves as a robust template for identifying transcription factors, effectors, and structural variations critical to stress response and virulence in diverse fungi.