Genome sequencing of evolved aspergilli populations reveals robust genomes, transversions in A. flavus, and sexual aberrancy in non-homologous end-joining mutants

Background Aspergillus spp. comprises a very diverse group of lower eukaryotes with a high relevance for industrial applications and clinical implications. These multinucleate species are often cultured for many generations in the laboratory, which can unknowingly propagate hidden genetic mutations. To assess the likelihood of such events, we studied the genome stability of aspergilli by using a combination of mutation accumulation (MA) lines and whole genome sequencing.