Data from: Continental-level population differentiation and environmental adaptation in the mushroom Suillus brevipes

Recent advancements in sequencing technology allowed researchers to better
address the patterns and mechanisms involved in microbial environmental
adaptation at large spatial scales. Here we investigated the genomic basis
of adaptation to climate at the continental scale in Suillus brevipes, an
ectomycorrhizal fungus symbiotically associated with the roots of pine
trees. We used genomic data from 55 individuals in seven locations across
North America to perform genome scans to detect signatures of positive
selection and assess whether temperature and precipitation were associated
with genetic differentiation. We found that S. brevipes exhibited overall
strong population differentiation, with potential admixture in Canadian
populations. This species also displayed genomic signatures of positive
selection as well as genomic sites significantly associated with distinct
climatic regimes and abiotic environmental parameters. These genomic
regions included genes involved in transmembrane transport of substances
and helicase activity potentially involved in cold stress response. Our
study sheds light on large-scale environmental adaptation in fungi by
identifying putative adaptive genes and providing a framework to further
investigate the genetic basis of fungal adaptation.