Sex in Fungi

Theme 6a
MBY 261

Dr Gerda Fourie
 Sex in Fungi – study outcomes

 Sexual reproduction in fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota)

 Processes involves - mate recognition, cell to cell fusion to yield a zygote, and
meiosis to generate gametes and ploidy changes
 Mating type idiomorphs and the basic functions of mating type genes
 Heterothallic, primary homothallic, pseudohomothallic, bi-directional mating-type
switching, unidirectional mating type switching and unisexual reproduction
 Why sexual reproduction is important
 Sex in Fungi – study outcomes

 Sexual reproduction in fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota)

 Processes involves - mate recognition, cell to cell fusion to yield a zygote, and
meiosis to generate gametes and ploidy changes
 Mating type idiomorphs and the basic functions of mating type genes
 Heterothallic, primary homothallic, pseudohomothallic, bi-directional mating-type
switching, unidirectional mating type switching and unisexual reproduction
 Why sexual reproduction is important
 Sex in Fungi

 Sexual reproduction evolved early in the Eukaryotic lineage

 Requires recognition between cells of opposite mating types (MAT 1 and MAT 2)
and nuclei in a common cytoplasm

 MAT 1 and MAT 2 male and female

 Most fungi are hermaphroditic (male/female)
 Female partner – trichogyne
 Male – conidium or hyphal cell

 Both outbreeding and inbreeding (self-fertile) takes place in fungi

Life cycle of Ascomycota

Dikaryotic
stage

Key
= Haploid (n)
= Diploid (2n)
= Dikaryotic
 Sexual reproduction – mate recognition

Dikaryotic
Dikaryotic
stage
stage

mate recognition

Key
= Haploid (n)
= Diploid (2n)
= Dikaryotic
 Sexual reproduction – mate recognition

 Mate recognition = pheromone-based communication between individuals of

opposite mating types

Mat 1 idiomorph Mat 2 idiomorph

(Wilson et al. 2019 Genes doi:10.3390/genes10050330)

 Sexual reproduction – mate recognition

MAT 1 specific pheromone MAT 2 specific receptor

Mat 1 idiomorph Mat 2 idiomorph

(Wilson et al. 2019 Genes doi:10.3390/genes10050330)

MAT 1 specific receptor MAT 2 specific pheromone

 Sexual reproduction – mate recognition

Mat 1 idiomorph Mat 2 idiomorph

(Wilson et al. 2019 Genes doi:10.3390/genes10050330)

 Male conidium attract the female hyphae

 Sexual reproduction – mate recognition

Mat 1 idiomorph = male partner Mat 2 idiomorph = female partner

Mat 2 idiomorph = female partner Mat 1 idiomorph = male partner

Sexual reproduction – cell to cell fusion
cell-cell fusion
Dikaryotic
Dikaryotic
stage
stage

Key
= Haploid (n)
= Diploid (2n)
= Heterokaryotic
 Sexual reproduction – cell to cell fusion

Plasmogamy

Fertilization Protoperithecium

 Males cell nucleus enters the trichogyne

 Nuclei divide in the cytoplasm until a fruiting body is formed, but the nuclei have
not fused yet (Dikaryotic stage)
 Sexual reproduction – cell to cell fusion

Karyogamy

 Nuclei from opposite mating type discriminate self from non-self

 The apical cell of the ascogenous cells differentiate into a hook-like crozier
 Nuclei fuse to form diploid zygote
Life cycle of fungi – meiosis

Dikaryotic
Dikaryotic
stage
stage

Key
= Haploid (n)
= Diploid (2n)
= Dikaryotic
 Sexual reproduction – meiosis

 Cell differentiates into a meiocyte and meiosis occurs

 Meiosis = reduction and division, the diploid meiocyte divides into four
genetically different haploid gametes
 Mitosis follow meiosis and the mature ascus therefore contains 8 spores (4 sets
of twins)
Life cycle - Ascomycetes

Dikaryotic
Dikaryotic
stage
stage
Sexual reproduction - Basidiomycetes
 Sexual reproduction - Basidiomycetes

 Mating types
Polar Mating Types:
• Two mating types referred to as "plus" and "minus"

Tetrapolar Mating Types:

• Agaricus bisporus - the white button mushroom
• Four mating types = Ax, Ay and Bx, By (allelic variants)
 Sexual reproduction - Basidiomycetes
Tetrapolar Mating Types:
• Ax and Ay are different alleles
Alternative form of a gene
• Bx and By are different alleles

• DNA is transcribed into RNA

• RNA is translated into proteins

• Proteins = building blocks of life

= enables function
Ax and Ay
 Sexual reproduction - Basidiomycetes

 Mating types
Polar Mating Types:
• Two mating types referred to as "plus" and "minus"

Tetrapolar Mating Types:

• Agaricus bisporus - the white button mushroom
• Four mating types = Ax, Ay and Bx, By (allelic variants)
• AxBx + AyBy mycelia = compatible interaction
• AxBy + AyBx mycelia or AyBx + AxBy mycelia = compatible interaction
• Increase the genetic variability in the offspring
 Sexual reproduction - Basidiomycetes

 Mating recognition
• Pheromone-based communication between individuals of opposite mating types
• Reciprocal exchange of pheromones from opposite mating types
• Both strains of opposite mating type express pheromone and receptor genes
Sexual reproduction - Basidiomycetes

extended dikaryotic phase

 Sex in Fungi – study outcomes

Sexual reproduction in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

 Processes involves - mate recognition, cell to cell fusion to yield a zygote, and
meiosis to generate gametes and ploidy changes