Document
Unisexual reproduction in Huntiella moniliformis.
Identifier
DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2015.04.008
Contributors
Godlonton, T., Author
Van der Nest, M. A., Author
Wilken, P. M., Author
Wingfield, M. J., Author
Wingfield, B. D., Author
Publisher
Academic Press Inc.
Gregorian
2015-07
Language
English
Subject
English abstract
Sexual reproduction in fungi is controlled by genes present at the mating type (MAT) locus, which typically harbors transcription factors that influence the expression of many sex-related genes. The MAT locus exists as two alternative idiomorphs in ascomycetous fungi and sexual reproduction is initiated when genes from both idiomorphs are expressed. Thus, the gene content of this locus determines whether a fungus is heterothallic (self-sterile) or homothallic (self-fertile). Recently, a unique sub-class of homothallism has been described in fungi, where individuals possessing a single MAT idiomorph can reproduce sexually in the absence of a partner. Using various mycological, molecular and bioinformatic techniques, we investigated the sexual strategies and characterized the MAT loci in two tree wound-infecting fungi, Huntiella moniliformis and Huntiella omanensis. H. omanensis was shown to exhibit a typically heterothallic sexual reproductive cycle, with isolates possessing either the MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 idiomorph. This was in contrast to the homothallism via unisexual reproduction that was shown in H. moniliformis, where only the MAT1-2-1 gene was present in sexually reproducing cultures. While the evolutionary benefit and mechanisms underpinning a unisexual mating strategy remain unknown, it could have evolved to minimize the costs, while retaining the benefits, of normal sexual reproduction.
Member of
ISSN
1087-1845
Resource URL
Category
Journal articles