Maintaining two mating types: structure of the mating type locus and its role in heterokaryosis in Podospora anserina.

ABSTRACT: Pseudo-homothallism is a reproductive strategy elected by some fungi producing heterokaryotic sexual spores containing genetically different but sexually compatible nuclei. This lifestyle appears as a compromise between true homothallism (self-fertility with predominant inbreeding) and complete heterothallism (with exclusive outcrossing). However, pseudohomothallic species face the problem of maintaining heterokaryotic mycelia to fully benefit from this lifestyle, as homokaryons are self-sterile. Here, we report on the structure of chromosome 1 in mat+ and mat- isolates of strain S of the pseudohomothallic fungus Podospora anserina. Chromosome 1 contains either one of the mat+ and mat- mating types of P. anserina, which is mostly found in nature as a mat+/mat- heterokaryotic mycelium harbo

SUBMITTER: Grognet P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4012498 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature