title: A New Mating Compatibility Locus in PHYSARUM POLYCEPHALUM.
abstract: The rate and extent of plasmodium formation were studied in mating tests involving pairs of largely isogenic amoebal strains compatible for mating-type (mt) alleles. A systematic variability was observed: plasmodia formed either rapidly and extensively or slowly and inefficiently. Plasmodium formation was found to be 10(3)- to 10(4)-fold more extensive in "rapid" crosses than in "slow" crosses. A genetic analysis revealed that the variability reflects the influence of a multiallelic compatibility locus that determines mating efficiency. This compatibility locus (designated matB), together with the original mating type locus, mt (in this work designated matA), constitute a tetrapolar mating specificity system in Physarum polycephalum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Youngman
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pallotta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hosler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Struhl
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Holt