Summary
Mutants of Mucor mucedo minus strain that are affected in their trisporic acid (TA) mediated zygophore formation have been isolated. We have found mutants with cold sensitive (cs), with temperature sensitive (ts) and without zygophore formation as well as mutants with lowered sensitivity to TA and mutants with unstable zygophores (Zst−). From the appearence of certain pleiotropic phenotypes we deduce a one-dimensional sequence of states of competence of the mycelium to form different organs. TA appears to be a growth substance for zygophores acting on one transient state of competence. The fact that all isolates with lowered response to TA also have a lowered response to the mating type specific TA-precursor P strongly suggests that P has to be converted into TA before inducing zygophore growth. Furthermore, one mutant with lowered sensitivity to TA exhibits an excess zygophore formation in the presence of high TA-concentrations, while high concentrations of P cause a depressed zygophore formation (Fig. 6). Our interpretation of this behaviour is that P acts as an antagonist to TA in the regulation of zygophore growth.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- NNMG:
-
1-methyl-[3-nitro]-1-nitrosoguanidine
References
Bu'Lock, J.D., Winstanley, D.J.: Trisporic acid production by Blakeslea trispora and its promotion by barbiturate. J. gen. Microbiol. 69, 391–394 (1971)
Burgeff, H.: Sexualität und Parasitismus bei Mucorineen I. Bot. Abh. 4, 1–135 (1924)
Ende, H. van den: Sexual morphogenesis in Phycomycetes. In: The filamentous fungi (Smith and Berry, eds.), Vol. III, in press. London: E. Arnold 1977
Ende, H. van den, Werkman, B.A., van den Briel, M.L.: Trisporic acid synthesis in mated cultures of the fungus Blakeslea trispora. Arch. Microbiol. 86, 175–186 (1972)
Ande, H. van den, Wiechmann, A.H.C.H., Reyngoud, D.J., Hendriks, T.: Hormonal interactions in Mucor mucedo and Blakeslea trispora. J. Bact. 101, 423–428 (1970)
Gomoni, G.: Preparation of buffers for use in enzyme studies. In: Methods in enzymology (Colowick and Kaplan, eds.), Vol. 1, pp. 138–146. New York: Academic Press 1955
Gooday, G.W.: Differentiation in the Mucorales. Symp. Soc. gen. Microbiol. 23, 269–294 (1973)
Gooday, G.W., Gauger, W.L.: control of sexuality in the Mucorales. Proc. IAMS congress, Tokyo (1974)
Köhler, F.: Genetische Studien an Mucor mucedo Bref. Z. indukt. Abstamm. u. Vererb.-L. 70, 1–54 (1935)
Mesland, D.A.M., Huisman, J.G., Ende, H. van den: Volatile sexual hormones in Mucor mucedo. J. gen. Microbiol. 80, 111–117 (1974)
Nieuwenhuis, M., Ende, H. van den: Sex specifity of hormone synthesis in Mucor mucedo. Arch. Microbiol. 102, 167–169 (1975)
Sutter, R.P.: Mutations affecting sexual development in Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 127–130 (1975)
Sutter, R.P.: Regulation of the first stage of sexual development in Phycomyces blakesleeanus and in other mucoraceous fungi. In: The biology of cells (O'Day and Horgan, eds.). New York: Marcell Dekker, Inc in press
Werkman, B.A.: Localisation and partial characterisation of a sex-specific enzyme in Mucorales. Arch. Microbiol. 109, 209–213 (1976)
Werkman, B.A., Ende, H. van den: Trisporic acid synthesis in Blakeslea trispora. Interaction between plus- and minus mating types. Arch. Microbiol. 90, 365–374 (1973)
Werkman, B.A., Ende, H. van den: Trisporic acid synthesis in homothallic and heterothallic Mucorales. J. gen. Microbiol. 82, 273–278 (1974)
Wurtz, T.: Dissertation, Universität Tübingen (1976)
Wurtz, T., Jockusch, H.: Sexual differentiation in Mucor: Trisporic acid response mutants and mutants blocked in zygospore development. Develop. Biol. 43, 213–220 (1975)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by F. Kaudewitz
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wurtz, T., Jockusch, H. Morphogenesis in Mucor mucedo: Mutations affecting gamone response and organ differentiation. Molec. Gen. Genet. 159, 249–257 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268261
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268261