Phs1 and the synthesis of very long chain Fatty acids are required for ballistospore formation.

ABSTRACT: The production and dissemination of spores by members of the fungal kingdom is a major reason for the success of this eukaryotic lineage in colonizing most terrestrial ecosystems. Ballistospores are a type of spore produced by basidiomycete fungi, such as the mushrooms and plant pathogenic rusts. These spores are forcefully discharged through a unique liquid-drop fusion mechanism, enabling the aerosolization of these particles that can contribute to plant disease and human allergies. The genes responsible for this process are unknown due to technical challenges in studying many of the fungi that produce ballistospores. Here, we applied newly-developed techniques in a forward genetic screen to identify genes required for ballistospore formation or function in a tractable red yeast, a specie

SUBMITTER: Ianiri G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4141788 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature