Transposons as Tools for Future Genome Engineering in Yeasts and Filamentous Fungi

Transposons are fundamental genetic elements that have profoundly shaped the architecture of eukaryotic genomes. Yeasts and filamentous fungi have emerged as important chassis organisms for bioingredient production in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. In this review, we summarise the current understanding and future opportunities in the development of transposon-based tools for genome engineering in these fungal systems. Fungal inverted terminal repeat (ITR) DNA transposons, as well as long terminal repeat (LTR) and non-LTR retrotransposons, can accelerate genomic mutagenesis, facilitating the screening of superior genotypes and phenotypes. CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) hold considerable potential for site-specific integration of large transgenes, bypassing the limitations imposed by low homologous recombination (HR) efficiency in non-Saccharomyces hosts. Overall, transposon-based tools represent a valuable and underexplored avenue to accelerate genome engineering and strain development in yeasts and filamentous fungi.