Nonallelic interactions between het-c and a polymorphic locus, pin-c, are essential for nonself recognition and programmed cell death in Neurospora crassa.

ABSTRACT: Nonself recognition in filamentous fungi is conferred by genetic differences at het (heterokaryon incompatibility) loci. When individuals that differ in het specificity undergo hyphal fusion, the heterokaryon undergoes a programmed cell death reaction or is highly unstable. In Neurospora crassa, three allelic specificities at the het-c locus are conferred by a highly polymorphic domain. This domain shows trans-species polymorphisms indicative of balancing selection, consistent with the role of het loci in nonself recognition. We determined that a locus closely linked to het-c, called pin-c (partner for incompatibility with het-c) was required for het-c nonself recognition and heterokaryon incompatibility (HI). The pin-c alleles in isolates that differ in het-c specificity were extremely po

SUBMITTER: Kaneko I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1456284 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature