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Homothallic refers to the possession, within a single organism, of the resources to reproduce sexually; [1] i.e., having male and female reproductive structures on the same thallus. The opposite sexual functions are performed by different cells of a single mycelium. [2] It can be contrasted to heterothallic. It is often used to categorize fungi.
Mating in fungi is a complex process governed by mating types. Research on fungal mating has focused on several model species with different behaviour. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Not all fungi reproduce sexually and many that do are isogamous ; thus, for many members of the fungal kingdom, the terms "male" and "female" do not apply.
Some species are homothallic. The original report of sex in fungi, occurred two centuries ago, based on observations of the fungus Syzygites megalocarpus (Mucoromycotina) (reviewed by Idnurm [1]). This species, was subsequently used in 1904, to represent self-fertile species when the concept of two major mating strategies were developed for the ...
These fungi are said to be homothallic, versus the normal heterothallic species with mating types. Others are secondarily homothallic, in that two compatible nuclei following meiosis migrate into each basidiospore, which is then dispersed as a pre-existing dikaryon. Often such species form only two spores per basidium, but that too varies.
A zygospore is a diploid reproductive stage in the life cycle of many fungi and protists.Zygospores are created by the nuclear fusion of haploid cells. In fungi, zygospores are formed in zygosporangia after the fusion of specialized budding structures, from mycelia of the same (in homothallic fungi) or different mating types (in heterothallic fungi), and may be chlamydospores. [1]
The heterothallic life cycle of N. crassa is given in some detail, since similar life cycles are present in other heterothallic fungi. Certain heterothallic species (such as Neurospora tetrasperma) are called "pseudo-homothallic". Instead of separating into four individual spores by two meiosis events, only a single meiosis occurs, resulting in ...
Mucor mucedo (type species) use asexual reproduction. When erect hyphal sporangiophores are formed, the tip of the sporangiophore swells to form a globose sporangium that contains uninucleate, haploid sporangiospores.
A. nidulans is a homothallic fungus, meaning it is able to self-fertilize and form fruiting bodies in the absence of a mating partner. It has septate hyphae with a woolly colony texture and white mycelia.