In:
Eukaryotic Cell, American Society for Microbiology, Vol. 1, No. 5 ( 2002-10), p. 704-718
Abstract:
The sexual development and virulence of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is controlled by a bipolar mating system determined by a single locus that exists in two alleles, α and a . The α and a mating-type alleles from two divergent varieties were cloned and sequenced. The C. neoformans mating-type locus is unique, spans 〉 100 kb, and contains more than 20 genes. MAT -encoded products include homologs of regulators of sexual development in other fungi, pheromone and pheromone receptors, divergent components of a MAP kinase cascade, and other proteins with no obvious function in mating. The α and a alleles of the mating-type locus have extensively rearranged during evolution and strain divergence but are stable during genetic crosses and in the population. The C. neoformans mating-type locus is strikingly different from the other known fungal mating-type loci, sharing features with the self-incompatibility systems and sex chromosomes of algae, plants, and animals. Our study establishes a new paradigm for mating-type loci in fungi with implications for the evolution of cell identity and self/nonself recognition.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1535-9778
,
1535-9786
DOI:
10.1128/EC.1.5.704-718.2002
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Society for Microbiology
Publication Date:
2002
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2071564-X
SSG:
12
