Sexual reactions in Mortierellales are mediated by the trisporic acid system.
Several species of Mortierella (Mortierellales, Zygomycota) were examined for substances regulating their sexual reactions. Compounds isolated from both mated and single growing Mortierella strains were purified by thin layer chromatography. Some of these compounds showed UV absorbance-characteristics similar to those of trisporoids, a group of compounds involved in sexual regulation in Mucorales. A compound with a 4-dihydromethyltrisporate-like absorbance spectrum was detected. To test for the interspecific sexual responses typically induced by trisporoids, the compounds extracted from Mortierella spp. were tested against the Mucorales Mucor mucedo and Phycomyces blakesleeanus and were found to induce sexual reactions in both tester strains. A gene encoding 4-dihydromethyltrisporate dehydrogenase was identified in several Mortierella species and the activity of the gene product was shown using a histochemical assay. We suggest that the regulation of sexual processes by trisporoids is common to both Mucorales and Mortierellales and may be more widespread within the Zygomycota.
Schimek
Christine
C
Department of General Microbiology and Microbial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Neugasse 24, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
Kleppe
Kathrin
K
Saleem
Abdel-Rahman
AR
Voigt
Kerstin
K
Burmester
Anke
A
Wöstemeyer
Johannes
J
D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003470:Culture Media; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D020094:Mortierella / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D009090:Mucorales / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D003470:Culture Media; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; C004574:trisporic acid; D010088:Oxidoreductases