Evolution and diversity of a fungal self/nonself recognition locus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Self/nonself discrimination is an essential feature for pathogen recognition and graft rejection and is a ubiquitous phenomenon in many organisms. Filamentous fungi, such as Neurospora crassa, provide a model for analyses of population genetics/evolution of self/nonself recognition loci due to their haploid nature, small genomes and excellent genetic/genomic resources. In N. crassa, nonself discrimination during vegetative growth is determined by 11 heterokaryon incompatibility (het) loci. Cell fusion between strains that differ in allelic specificity at any of these het loci triggers a rapid programmed cell death response.

Methodology/principal findings

In this study, we evaluated the evolution, population genetics and selective mechanisms operating at a nonself

SUBMITTER: Hall C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2988816 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature