The scope for nuclear selection within Termitomyces fungi associated with fungus-growing termites is limited.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We investigate the scope for selection at the level of nuclei within fungal individuals (mycelia) of the mutualistic Termitomyces cultivated by fungus-growing termites. Whereas in most basidiomycete fungi the number and kind of nuclei is strictly regulated to be two per cell, in Termitomyces mycelia the number of nuclei per cell is highly variable. We hypothesised that natural selection on these fungi not only occurs between mycelia, but also at the level of nuclei within the mycelium. We test this hypothesis using in vitro tests with five nuclear haplotypes of a Termitomyces species.

Results

First, we studied the transition from a mixture of five homokaryons (mycelia with identical nuclei) each with a different nuclear haplotype to heterokaryons (mycelia with gen

SUBMITTER: Nobre T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4085734 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature