Neurospora
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox
Neurospora is a genus of Ascomycete fungi. The genus name, meaning "nerve spore" refers to the characteristic striations on the spores that resemble axons.
The best known species in this genus is Neurospora crassa, a common model organism in biology. Neurospora intermedia var. oncomensis is believed to be the only mold belonging to Neurospora which is used in food production (to make oncom).[1]
Characteristics
Neurospora species are molds with broadly spreading colonies, with abundant production of ascomata. Ascomata are superficial or immersed, perithecial and ostiolate or cleistothecial and non-ostiolate, hairy or glabrous, dark coloured. Peridium membranaceous, asci cylindrical, clavate or subspherical, with a persistent or evanescent wall, usually with a thickened and non-amyloid annular structure at the apex, usually 8-spored. Ascospores broadly fusiform, ellipsoidal, or nearly spherical, unicellular, hyaline to yellowish brown or olive-brown, becoming dark and opaque at maturity, ascospore wall with longitudinal ribs or pitted, occasionally nearly smooth, 1–2 (but rarely up to 12) germ pores disposed at the ends of the ascospores, gelatinous sheaths or appendages are absent. Anamorphs are known in only a relatively small number of species, which belong to the fungi imperfecti genus Chrysonilia. The type species of the genus is Neurospora sitophila Shear.[2]
Systematics
The former genus Gelasinospora is closely related and not resolved as a distinct monophyletic group,[3] thus the former genus is nowadays included as a synonym of Neurospora.[2]
Species
- Neurospora africana L.H.Huang & Backus (1969)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora autosteira (Alexop. & S.H.Sung) S.K.Huang & K.D.Hyde (2021)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora bonaerensis (Stchigel & Guarro) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora brevispora (R.S.Khan & J.C. Krug) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora caffra (Matsush.) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora calospora (Mouton) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora cerealis (Dowding) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora crassa Shear & B.O.Dodge (1927)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora cratophora (R.S.Khan & J.C.Krug) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora dictyophora (R.S.Khan & J.C.Krug) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora discreta D.D.Perkins & N.B.Raju (1986)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora dodgei P.E.Nelson & R.O.Novak (1964)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora endodonta (Malloch & Cain) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora erythraea (Möller) Shear & B.O.Dodge (1927)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora fallaciosa (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora foveaconica (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora galapagosensis Mahoney & Backus (1969)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora goundaensis (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora hapsidophora (R.S.Khan & J.C.Krug) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora heterospora (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora himalayensis (Y.Horie & Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora hippopotama (J.C.Krug, R.S.Khan & Jeng) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora hispaniola Villalta, D.J.Jacobson & J.W.Taylor (2009)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora indica (J.N.Rai, Wadhwani & J.P.Tewari) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora intermedia F.L.Tai (1935)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora inversa (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora kobi (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora lineolata Frederick & Uecker (1970)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora longispora (Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora macrospora (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora metzenbergii Villalta, D.J.Jacobson & J.W.Taylor (2009)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora micropertusa (Y.Horie & Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora mirabilis (Furuya & Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora multiforis (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora nigeriensis Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora novoguineensis (Takada) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora pannonica J.C.Krug & R.S.Khan (1992)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora perkinsii Villalta, D.J.Jacobson & J.W. Taylor (2009)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora pseudocalospora (Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora pseudoreticulata (Matsush.) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora reticulata (C.Booth & Ebben) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora retispora (Cain) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora saitoi (Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora santi-florii (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora seminuda (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora sitophila Shear & B.O.Dodge (1927)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora sphaerospora (Y.Horie & Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora stellata (Cailleux) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora sublineolata (Furuya & Udagawa) Arx (1982)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora terricola Goch. & Backus (1963)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora tetrasperma Shear & B.O.Dodge (1927)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora tetraspora Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora toroi F.L.Tai (1935)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora udagawae (R.S.Khan & J.C.Krug) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora uniporata Stchigel, Dania García & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora varians (Furuya & Udagawa) Dania García, Stchigel & Guarro (2004)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Neurospora xylopiae C.Ram (1968)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
As model organisms
Neurospora is widely used in genetics as a model organism (especially N. crassa) because it quickly reproduces, is easy to culture,[4] and can survive on minimal media (inorganic salts, glucose, water and biotin in agar).
The first studies of sexual reproduction in Neurospora were made by B. O. Dodge. Neurospora was later used by George Wells Beadle and Edward Lawrie Tatum in X-ray mutation experiments to discover mutants that would differ in nutritional requirements. The results of their experiments led them to the one gene-one enzyme hypothesis, in which they postulated that every enzyme was encoded with its own gene.
Research with Neurospora is reported semi-annually at the Neurospora Meeting at Asilomar, California, coordinated by the Fungal Genetics Stock Center. Mutant and wild-type strains of Neurospora are available from the FGSC. The FGSC also publishes the Fungal Genetics Reports.
Important people in Neurospora research:
- Bernard Ogilvie Dodge (1872–1960)[4]
- George Beadle (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1958)
- Edward Tatum (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1958)
- Esther Lederberg[5][6][7]
- Norman Giles[7]
- David Perkins
- Robert Metzenberg
- Norman Horowitz
- Herschel K. Mitchell[8]
- Mary B. Mitchell[9]
- Martha Merrow[10]
Sexual reproduction
In the heterothallic species Neurospora crassa, the interaction of haploid strains of opposite mating type is necessary for the occurrence of sexual reproduction and the production of ascospores by meiosis. Ascospores then restore haploid individuals of either mating type. The life cycle phase is thus predominantly haploid, however, upon mating, the nuclei do not immediately fuse: karyogamy is delayed until the very onset of meiosis. The resulting mycelium is called a heterokaryon and is neither diploid nor haploid. The genus Neurospora also includes homothallic species in which a single haploid individual carries both mating type loci and can undergo self-fertilization leading to meiosis and sexual reproduction. Neurospora africana is an example of such a species.[11][12] Additionally, some "Neurospora" species are said pseudohomothallic. They carry both mating types, but in separate nuclei in the same individual. Two haploid nuclei originating from the same meiosis are packaged into one ascospore.[13] The individual is thus permanently heterokaryotic. Examples of this mating system include "Neurospora tetrasperma" and "Neurospora tetraspora". Because heterothallic species necessarily undergo some degree of outcrossing they may benefit from a higher efficiency of selection because of higher effective recombination rates. In contrast, pseudohomothallic and homothallic species do not outcross (or rarely) and do not experience these benefits: in homothallics a reduced efficiency of negative selection has been shown.[14] However, both hetero- and pseudohomothallic species benefit from the masking of deleterious recessive alleles in the heterokaryotic phase. In addition, all species derive the benefits of meiosis that include the removal of stress-induced DNA damages by homologous recombinational repair, and the formation of stress-resistant ascospores.
References
External links
- Template:Commons category-inline
- [1] Template:Webarchive Fungal Genetics Stock Center
- [2] Neurospora Meeting website
- Neurospora strains at the FGSC
- Neurospora genome projects
- Fungal Cell Biology Group at University of Edinburgh, UK. Website includes many movies and images of Neurospora.
- [3] Fungal Genetics Reports
- [4] Montenegro-Montero A. (2010) "The Almighty Fungi: The Revolutionary Neurospora crassa". A historical view of the many contributions of this organism to molecular biology.
- [5] Neurospora crassa genome
Template:Taxonbar Template:Authority control
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Zimmer, E. M., August 1946, "MUTANT STRAINS OF NEUROSPORA DEFICIENT IN PARA-AMINOBENZOIC ACID", MA Thesis, Stanford University
- ↑ Hollaender, A., Sansome E. R., Zimmer, E., Demerec, M., April 1945, "Quantitative Irradiation Experiments with Neurospora crassa. II. Ultraviolet Irradiation", American Journal of Botany 32(4):226-235 Also: "Quantitative effects of radiation on mutation production in Neurospora crassa", Records of the Genetics Society of America, Number Thirteen, 1944
- ↑ a b Giles, N. H. Jr., Lederberg, E. Z., March 1948, "Induced reversions of biochemical mutants in Neurospora crassa", American Journal of Botany 35(3):150-157
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