Structure and Function of the Mating-type Locus in the Homothallic Ascomycete, Didymella zeae-maydis

Sung-Hwan Yun; Olen C. Yoder; B. Gillian Turgeon

doi:10.1007/s12275-013-3465-2

Articles

Page Path: HOME > J. Microbiol > Volume 51(6); 2013 > Article

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Structure and Function of the Mating-type Locus in the Homothallic Ascomycete, Didymella zeae-maydis: Sung-Hwan Yun ¹, Olen C. Yoder ^2,3, B. Gillian Turgeon ²; Journal of Microbiology 2013;51(6):814-820.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-013-3465-2
Published online: December 19, 2013

¹Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University, Asan 336-745, Republic of Korea, ²Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, ³Celgene Corp., 10300 Campus Point Drives, San Diego, CA 92121, USA¹Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University, Asan 336-745, Republic of Korea, ²Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, ³Celgene Corp., 10300 Campus Point Drives, San Diego, CA 92121, USA

Corresponding author: Sung-Hwan Yun , Tel: +82-41-530-1288,

Received: 4 September 2013 • Accepted: 7 October 2013

prev next

53 Views
0 Download
12 Crossref
15 Scopus

Full Article

Abstract

Homothallic Didymella zeae-maydis undergoes sexual reproduction by selfing. Sequence analysis of the mating type (MAT) locus from this fungus revealed that MAT carries both MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 genes found in heterothallic Dothideomycetes, separated by ~1.0 kb of noncoding DNA. To understand the mechanistic basis of homothallism in D. zeae-maydis, each of the MAT genes was deleted and the effects on selfing and on ability to cross in a heterothallic manner were determined. The strain carrying an intact MAT1-1-1 but defective MAT1-2-1 gene (MAT1-1-1;ΔMAT1-2-1) was self-sterile, however strains carrying an intact MAT1-2-1 but defective MAT1-1-1 gene (ΔMAT1-1-1;MAT1-2-1), when selfed, showed delayed production of a few ascospores. Attempts to cross the two MAT deletion strains yielded fewer ΔMAT1-1-1;MAT1-2-1 than MAT1-1-1;ΔMAT1-2-1 progeny and very few ascospores overall compared to WT selfs. This study demonstrates that, as in the other homothallic Dothideomycetes, both MAT genes are required for full fertility, but that, in contrast to other cases, the presence of a single MAT1-2-1 gene can induce homothallism, albeit inefficiently, in D. zeae-maydis.

Keywords: Didymella zeae-maydis;mating-type genes;sexual reproduction;homothallism

Figure & Data

References

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Structure and number of mating pheromone genes is closely linked to sexual reproductive strategy in Huntiella
Andi M. Wilson, Michael J. Wingfield, Brenda D. Wingfield
BMC Genomics.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
The Role of Chromatin and Transcriptional Control in the Formation of Sexual Fruiting Bodies in Fungi
Minou Nowrousian
Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
First Characterisation of the Phoma Species Complex on Maize Leaves in Central Europe
Lucia Ramos Romero, Dagmar Tacke, Birger Koopmann, Andreas von Tiedemann
Pathogens.2021; 10(9): 1216. CrossRef
Integrative Activity of Mating Loci, Environmentally Responsive Genes, and Secondary Metabolism Pathways during Sexual Development of Chaetomium globosum
Zheng Wang, Francesc López-Giráldez, Junrui Wang, Frances Trail, Jeffrey P. Townsend, Alexander Idnurm
mBio.2019;[Epub] CrossRef
Transition from heterothallism to homothallism is hypothesised to have facilitated speciation among emerging Botryosphaeriaceae wheat-pathogens
Elisha Thynne, Megan C. McDonald, Peter S. Solomon
Fungal Genetics and Biology.2017; 109: 36. CrossRef
Molecular manipulation of the mating-type system and development of a new approach for characterizing pathogen virulence in Pyrenophora tritici-repentis
Gazala Ameen, Gayan Kariyawasam, Gongjun Shi, Timothy L. Friesen, Justin D. Faris, Shaukat Ali, Jack B. Rasmussen, Zhaohui Liu
Fungal Genetics and Biology.2017; 109: 16. CrossRef
Genetic Dissection of Sexual Reproduction in a Primary Homothallic Basidiomycete
Márcia David-Palma, José Paulo Sampaio, Paula Gonçalves, Joseph Heitman
PLOS Genetics.2016; 12(6): e1006110. CrossRef
Mating-Type Gene Structure and Spatial Distribution ofDidymella tanacetiin Pyrethrum Fields
Tamieka L. Pearce, Jason B. Scott, Frank S. Hay, Sarah J. Pethybridge
Phytopathology®.2016; 106(12): 1521. CrossRef
Fungal Sex: The Ascomycota
Richard J. Bennett, B. Gillian Turgeon, Joseph Heitman
Microbiology Spectrum.2016;[Epub] CrossRef
Characterization and distribution of mating-type genes of the turfgrass pathogen Sclerotinia homoeocarpa on a global scale
Alexander I. Putman, Lane P. Tredway, Ignazio Carbone
Fungal Genetics and Biology.2015; 81: 25. CrossRef
Unisexual versus bisexual mating in Cryptococcus neoformans: Consequences and biological impacts
Ci Fu, Sheng Sun, R.B. Billmyre, Kevin C. Roach, Joseph Heitman
Fungal Genetics and Biology.2015; 78: 65. CrossRef
Pondering Mating: Pneumocystis jirovecii, the Human Lung Pathogen, Selfs without Mating Type Switching, in Contrast to Its Close Relative Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Patrik Inderbitzin, B. Gillian Turgeon
mBio.2015;[Epub] CrossRef

Cite this Article

Cite this Article: export Copy Download Format; Close

Download Citation

Download a citation file in RIS format that can be imported by all major citation management software, including EndNote, ProCite, RefWorks, and Reference Manager.

Format:

RIS — For EndNote, ProCite, RefWorks, and most other reference management software
BibTeX — For JabRef, BibDesk, and other BibTeX-specific software

Include:

Citation for the content below
Citation and abstract for the content below

Structure and Function of the Mating-type Locus in the Homothallic Ascomycete, Didymella zeae-maydis

J. Microbiol. 2013;51(6):814-820. Published online December 19, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-013-3465-2

Related articles