Roles for Receptors, Pheromones, G Proteins, and Mating Type Genes During Sexual Reproduction in Neurospora crassa

• DOI: 10.1534/genetics.111.136358
• Publication Date: 2012-02-01T06:15:48Z
• Authors: Hyojeong Kim; Sara J Wright; Gyungsoon Park; Shouqiang Ouyang; Svetlana Krystofova; Katherine A Borko...
• Keywords: Sexual reproduction

Here we characterize the relationship between PRE-2 pheromone receptor and its ligand, CCG-4, general requirements for receptors, pheromones, G proteins, mating type genes during fusion of opposite mating-type cells sexual sporulation in multicellular fungus Neurospora crassa. is highly expressed mat a localized male female reproductive structures. Δpre-2 females do not respond chemotropically to A males (conidia) or form mature fruiting bodies (perithecia) meiotic progeny (ascospores). Strains with swapped identity due heterologous expression pre-2 ccg-4 behave normally crosses strains. Coexpression background leads self-attraction development barren perithecia without ascospores. Further perithecial achieved by inactivation Sad-1, gene required silencing. Findings from studies involving forced heterokaryons strains show that presence one compatible necessary sufficient ascospore production. Taken together, results demonstrate although receptors pheromones control identity, (mat a) must be two different nuclei allow meiosis occur.