scholarly journals EVIDENCE FOR CO-DOMINANCE OF THE HOMOTHALLIC GENES, HMα/hmα AND HM  a/hm  a, IN SACCHAROMYCES YEASTS

Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Kenji Arima ◽  
Isamu Takano
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Type Conversion ◽  
Fusion Of Protoplasts ◽  
Fusion Products ◽  
Saccharomyces Yeasts

ABSTRACT To investigate the dominance and recessiveness of the homothallism genes, HMα/hmα and HMa/hma, for mating-type conversion, we constructed hybrids with various configurations of the homothallic genes by fusion of protoplasts prepared from haploid strains having identical mating types. Eight different combinations of the homothallic genes were tested for their function by observing the mating and sporulation abilities of the fusion products. With few exceptions, nonmating and sporogenous fusion products were obtained from the following combinations: α HO hmα  HMa + α ho hmα hma, α HO hmα HMa + α ho HMα hma, α HO hmα HMa + α ho HMα HMa, α HO HMα hma + a ho hmα hma, a HO HMα hma + a ho hmα HMa and a HO HMα hma + α ho HMα HMa. All the fusion products from the α HO hmα HMa + α ho hmα HMa and a HO HMα hma + a ho HMα hma combinations showed mating types identical to those of the respective haploid strains. These results clearly support the co-dominance of the HMα/hmα and HMa/hma alleles and indicate that the hmα allele has the same function as the HMa allele and that the hma allele has the same function as the HMα allele.

scholarly journals EVIDENCE OF THE INSENSITIVITY OF THE α-inc ALLELE TO THE FUNCTION OF THE HOMOTHALLIC GENES IN SACCHAROMYCES YEASTS

Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-254
Author(s):  
Isamu Takano ◽  
Kenji Arima
Keyword(s):  
Cell Size ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Diploid Cell ◽  
Tetrad Analysis ◽  
Type Allele ◽  
Fusion Of Protoplasts ◽  
Diploid Cells ◽  
Functional Combination ◽  
Fusion Products ◽  
Saccharomyces Yeasts

ABSTRACT The possible function of the α-inc allele (an α mating-type allele that is insensitive to the function of the homothallic gene system) was investigated by means of protoplast fusion. The fusion of protoplasts prepared from haploid strains of α-inc  HO HMα HMa and α ho hmα HMa gave rise mainly to nonmating clones (58 of 64 isolates) and a few clones (six of 64 isolates) showing a mating type. Thirty of the 56 nonmating clones showed the diploid cell size and 28 clones had a larger cell size. Tetrad analysis of the nonmating clones with diploid cell size indicated that they were a/α-inc diploid; the normal α allele in α/α-inc cells was preferentially switched to an a allele. This observation further indicated that the HO/ho HMα/hmα HMa/HMa genotype is effective for the conversion of the α to a and that the inconvertibility of the a-inc allele is due to the insensitivity of the mating-type allele to the functional combination of the homothallic genes. It was suspected that fusion products larger than diploid cells might have been caused by multiple fusion of protoplasts.

Evidence for mitochondrial gene control of mating types in Phytophthora

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 934-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Huan Gu ◽  
Wen-Hsiung Ko
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Phytophthora Capsici ◽  
Nuclear Genes ◽  
Gene Control ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Phytophthora Parasitica ◽  
Decisive Effect ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Fusion Products

When protoplasts carrying metalaxyl-resistant (Mr) nuclei from the A1 isolate of Phytophthora parasitica were fused with protoplasts carrying chloroneb-resistant (Cnr) nuclei from the A2 isolate of the same species, fusion products carrying Mr nuclei were either the A2 or A1A2 type, while those carrying Cnr nuclei were the A1, A2, or A1A2 type. Fusion products carrying Mr and Cnr nuclei also behaved as the A1, A2, or A1A2 type. The result refutes the hypothesis that mating types in Phytophthora are controlled by nuclear genes. When nuclei from the A1 isolate of P. parasitica were fused with protoplasts from the A2 isolate of the same species and vice versa, all of the nuclear hybrids expressed the mating type characteristics of the protoplast parent. The same was true when the nuclei from the A1 isolate of P. parasitica were fused with the protoplasts from the A0 isolate of Phytophthora capsici and vice versa. These results confirm the observation that mating type genes are not located in the nuclei and suggest the presence of mating type genes in the cytoplasms of the recipient protoplasts. When mitochondria from the A1 isolate of P. parasitica were fused with protoplasts from the A2 isolate of the same species, the mating type of three out of five regenerated protoplasts was changed to the A1 type. The result demonstrated the decisive effect of mitochondrial donor sexuality on mating type characteristics of mitochondrial hybrids and suggested the presence of mating type genes in mitochondria. All of the mitochondrial hybrids resulting from the transfer of mitochondria from the A0 isolate of P. capsici into protoplasts from the A1 isolate of P. parasitica were all of the A0 type. The result supports the hypothesis of the presence of mating type genes in mitochondria in Phytophthora.Key words: mating type, mitochondrial gene, Phytophthora parasitica, Phytophthora capsici.

scholarly journals FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE AND CO-DOMINANCE OF HOMOTHALLIC GENES HMα/hmα AND HM  a/hm  a IN SACCHAROMYCES YEASTS

Genetics ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 819-831
Author(s):  
Satoshi Harashima ◽  
Yasuji Oshima
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
The Other ◽  
Functional Equivalence ◽  
Single Pair ◽  
Type Conversion ◽  
Chromosome Iii ◽  
Saccharomyces Yeasts

ABSTRACT The specificity of mating type in Saccharomyces yeasts is controlled by a pair of alleles, a and α, on chromosome III. They are mutually interconverted by the function of three kinds of homothallic genes, each consisting of a single pair of alleles, HO/ho, HMα/hmα and HMa/hma. For the a to α conversion, HO HMα HMa, HO hmα HMa and HO hmα hma genotypes are effective; whereas, the α to a conversion occurs in HO HMα HMa, HO HMα hma and HO hmα hma cells. To explain these observations, Naumov and Tolstorukov (1973) and Harashima, Nogi and Oshima (1974) suggested that hma and HMα are functionally equivalent and effective for the α to a conversion in combination with HO; whereas, hmα and HMa are functionally equivalent and effective for the a to α conversion with the function of HO. To test this idea and to compare it with two other possible mechanisms, some of the tetrad segregants from four kinds of a/a/α/α tetraploids homozygous for the HO allele and for one of the HMα/hmα and HMa/hma loci, while heterozygous for the other one with +/+/-/- configuration, were investigated with respect to their thallism by self-sporulation. Results indicated the functional equivalence of both the HMα and hma alleles and the hmα and HMα alleles in mating-type conversion, and the co-dominance of the alleles of each locus. From these findings and other data, we agree with the revision of the nomenclature of the HMα/hmα and HMa/hma genes to HMRa/HMRα and HMLα/HMLa, respectively.

scholarly journals Differential Gene Expression between Fungal Mating Types Is Associated with Sequence Degeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Juan Ma ◽  
Fantin Carpentier ◽  
Tatiana Giraud ◽  
Michael E Hood
Keyword(s):  
Differential Expression ◽  
Differentially Expressed Genes ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Sex Chromosomes ◽  
Sex Chromosome ◽  
Gc Content ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Sexual Antagonism ◽  
Recombination Suppression

Abstract Degenerative mutations in non-recombining regions, such as in sex chromosomes, may lead to differential expression between alleles if mutations occur stochastically in one or the other allele. Reduced allelic expression due to degeneration has indeed been suggested to occur in various sex-chromosome systems. However, whether an association occurs between specific signatures of degeneration and differential expression between alleles has not been extensively tested, and sexual antagonism can also cause differential expression on sex chromosomes. The anther-smut fungus Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae is ideal for testing associations between specific degenerative signatures and differential expression because 1) there are multiple evolutionary strata on the mating-type chromosomes, reflecting successive recombination suppression linked to mating-type loci; 2) separate haploid cultures of opposite mating types help identify differential expression between alleles; and 3) there is no sexual antagonism as a confounding factor accounting for differential expression. We found that differentially expressed genes were enriched in the four oldest evolutionary strata compared with other genomic compartments, and that, within compartments, several signatures of sequence degeneration were greater for differentially expressed than non-differentially expressed genes. Two particular degenerative signatures were significantly associated with lower expression levels within differentially expressed allele pairs: upstream insertion of transposable elements and mutations truncating the protein length. Other degenerative mutations associated with differential expression included nonsynonymous substitutions and altered intron or GC content. The association between differential expression and allele degeneration is relevant for a broad range of taxa where mating compatibility or sex is determined by genes located in large regions where recombination is suppressed.

scholarly journals Deletion of the Schizophyllum commune Aα Locus: The Roles of Aα Y and Z Mating-Type Genes

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 1437-1444
Author(s):  
C Ian Robertson ◽  
Kirk A Bartholomew ◽  
Charles P Novotny ◽  
Robert C Ullrich
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Sexual Development ◽  
Schizophyllum Commune ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Developmental Pathway ◽  
Mating Type Gene ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
Regulatory Loci ◽  
Type Gene

The Aα locus is one of four master regulatory loci that determine mating type and regulate sexual development in Schizophyllum commune. We have made a plasmid containing a URA1 gene disruption of the Aα Y1 gene. Y1 is the sole Aα gene in Aα1 strains. We used the plasmid construction to produce an Aα null (i.e., AαΔ) strain by replacing the genomic Y1 gene with URA1 in an Aα1 strain. To characterize the role of the Aα genes in the regulation of sexual development, we transformed various Aα Y and Z alleles into AαΔ strains and examined the acquired mating types and mating abilities of the transformants. These experiments demonstrate that the Aα Y gene is not essential for fungal viability and growth, that a solitary Z Aα mating-type gene does not itself activate development, that Aβ proteins are sufficient to activate the A developmental pathway in the absence of Aα proteins and confirm that Y and Z genes are the sole determinants of Aα mating type. The data from these experiments support and refine our model of the regulation of A-pathway events by Y and Z proteins.

scholarly journals A PCR-based Assay for Distinguishing between A1 and A2 Mating Types of Phytophthora capsici

2017 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-264
Author(s):  
Ping Li ◽  
Dong Liu ◽  
Min Guo ◽  
Yuemin Pan ◽  
Fangxin Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Phytophthora Capsici ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Sequence Repeat ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Plant Parasite ◽  
Dna Fragment ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Microsatellite Diversity

Sexual reproduction in the plant parasite Phytophthora capsici Leonian requires the interaction of two distinct mating types, A1 and A2. Co-occurrence of these mating types can enhance the genetic diversity of P. capsici and alter its virulence or resistance characteristics. Using an intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) screen of microsatellite diversity, we identified, cloned, and sequenced a novel 1121-base pair (bp) fragment specific to the A1 mating type of P. capsici. Primers Pcap-1 and Pcap-2 were designed from this DNA fragment to specifically detect the A1 mating type. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using these primers amplified an expected 997-bp fragment from known A1 mating types, but yielded a 508-bp fragment from known A2 mating types. This PCR-based assay could be adapted to accurately and rapidly detect the co-occurrence of A1 and A2 P. capsici mating types from field material.

The alpha-mating type locus of Cryptococcus neoformans contains a peptide pheromone gene

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1962-1970
Author(s):  
T D Moore ◽  
J C Edman
Keyword(s):  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Type Locus ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Cloning Method ◽  
Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Specific Fragment

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has two mating types, MATa and MAT alpha. The MAT alpha strains are more virulent. Mating of opposite mating type haploid yeast cells results in the production of a filamentous hyphal phase. The MAT alpha locus has been isolated in this study in order to identify the genetic differences between mating types and their contribution to virulence. A 138-bp fragment of MAT alpha-specific DNA which cosegregates with alpha-mating type was isolated by using a difference cloning method. Overlapping phage and cosmid clones spanning the entire MAT alpha locus were isolated by using this MAT alpha-specific fragment as a probe. Mapping of these clones physically defined the MAT alpha locus to a 35- to 45-kb region which is present only in MAT alpha strains. Transformation studies with fragments of the MAT alpha locus identified a 2.1-kb XbaI-HindIII fragment that directs starvation-induced filament formation in MATa cells but not in MAT alpha cells. This 2.1-kb fragment contains a gene, MF alpha, with a small open reading frame encoding a pheromone precursor similar to the lipoprotein mating factors found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ustilago maydis, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The ability of the MATa cells to express, process, and secrete the MAT alpha pheromone in response to starvation suggests similar mechanisms for these processes in both cell types. These results also suggest that the production of pheromone is under a type of nutritional control shared by the two cell types.

The origin of multiple mating types in mushrooms

1993 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-230
Author(s):  
U. Kues ◽  
L.A. Casselton
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Multiple Mating ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Mating Partner ◽  
Binucleate Cells ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
And Function ◽  
Developmental Switch ◽  
Sterile Mycelium

Having multiple mating types greatly improves the chances of meeting a compatible mating partner, particularly in an organism like the mushroom that has no sexual differentiation and no mechanism for signalling to a likely mate. Having several thousands of mating types, as some mushrooms do, is, however, remarkable - and even more remarkable is the fact that individuals only recognise that they have met a compatible mate after their cells have fused. How are such large numbers of mating types generated and what is the nature of the intracellular interaction that distinguishes self from non- self? Answers to these fascinating questions come from cloning some of the mating type genes of the ink cap mushroom Coprinus cinereus. A successful mating in Coprinus triggers a major switch in cell type, the conversion of a sterile mycelium with uninucleate cells (monokaryon) to a fertile mycelium with binucleate cells (dikaryon) which differentiates the characteristic fruit bodies. The mating type genes that regulate this developmental switch map to two multiallelic loci designated A and B and these must both carry different alleles for full mating compatibility. A and B independently regulate different steps in the developmental switch, making it possible to study just one component of the system and work in our laboratory has concentrated on understanding the structure and function of the A genes. It is estimated that some 160 different A mating types exist in nature, any two of which can together trigger the A-regulated part of sexual development. The first clue to how such large numbers are generated came from classical genetic analysis, which identified two functionally redundant A loci, (alpha) and beta. Functional redundancy is, indeed, the key to multiple A mating types and, as seen in Fig.1, molecular cloning has identified many more genes than was possible by recombination analysis.

Identification of biosynthetic intermediates for the mating hormone α2 of the plant pathogen Phytophthora

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suguru Ariyoshi ◽  
Yusuke Imazu ◽  
Ryuji Ohguri ◽  
Ryo Katsuta ◽  
Arata Yajima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Plant Pathogen ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Synthetic Intermediates ◽  
The Cross

Abstract The heterothallic group of the plant pathogen Phytophthora can sexually reproduce between the cross-compatible mating types A1 and A2. The mating hormone α2, produced by A2 mating type and utilized to promote the sexual reproduction of the partner A1 type, is known to be biosynthesized from phytol. In this study, we identified two biosynthetic intermediates, 11- and 16-hydroxyphytols (1 and 2), for α2 by administering the synthetic intermediates to an A2 type strain to produce α2 and by administering phytol to A2 strains to detect the intermediates in the mycelia. The results suggest that α2 is biosynthesized by possibly two cytochrome P450 oxygenases via two hydroxyphytol intermediates (1 and 2) in A2 hyphae and secreted outside.

INTERCONVERSION OF YEAST MATING TYPES II. RESTORATION OF MATING ABILITY TO STERILE MUTANTS IN HOMOTHALLIC AND HETEROTHALLIC STRAINS

Genetics ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 373A-393
Author(s):  
James B Hicks ◽  
Ira Herskowitz
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Type Locus ◽  
Mating Ability ◽  
Mating Type Locus ◽  
Regulatory Information ◽  
Ho Gene

ABSTRACT The two mating types of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be interconverted in both homothallic and heterothallic strains. Previous work indicates that all yeast cells contain the information to be both a and α and that the HO gene (in homothallic strains) promotes a change in mating type by causing a change at the mating type locus itself. In both heterothallic and homothallic strains, a defective α mating type locus can be converted to a functional a locus and subsequently to a functional α locus. In contrast, action of the HO gene does not restore mating ability to a strain defective in another gene for mating which is not at the mating type locus. These observations indicate that a yeast cell contains an additional copy (or copies) of α information, and lead to the "cassette" model for mating type interconversion. In this model, HM  a and hmα loci are blocs of unexpressed α regulatory information, and HMα and hm  a loci are blocs of unexpressed a regulatory information. These blocs are silent because they lack an essential site for expression, and become active upon insertion of this information (or a copy of the information) into the mating type locus by action of the HO gene.

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