Mating-type genes and hyphal fusions in  filamentous basidiomycetes

Publication date: December 2015 Source:Fungal Biology Reviews, Volume 29, Issues 3–4 Author(s): Marjatta Raudaskoski In the filamentous basidiomycetes Coprinopsis cinerea and Schizophyllum commune, mating is regulated by the tetrapolar mating-type system consisting of two unlinked genetic complexes, named A and B. In the nineties, the molecular structure of A and B mating type loci and genes was revealed side by side in C. cinerea and S. commune, first the A complex and quite soon thereafter the B complex genes. The clear molecular structure of C. cinerea mating type genes has led to their use as models for genomic approaches to investigate several other filamentous basidiomycetes. In filamentous fungi, hyphal fusions are important for the distribution of available nutrients in a fungal colony. In ascomycetes and basidiomycetes they are also important for sexual reproduction. These aspects have been approached, especially in filamentous ascomycetes, but in filamentous basidiomycetes the role of fusions in the fungal life cycle has received less attention. Several proteins encoded by the genes required for hyphal fusion in filamentous ascomycetes show homology with proteins forming the striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex in eukaryotic cells. Homologs to the genes encoding STRIPAK complex proteins can be identified in C. cinerea and S. commune genomes suggesting that a STRIPAK-like complex could also regulate hyphal fusions of filamentous basid...
Source: Fungal Biology Reviews - Category: Biology Source Type: research