Journal
FUNGAL GENETICS AND BIOLOGY
Volume 78, Issue -, Pages 65-75Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2014.08.008
Keywords
Unisexual mating; Recombination; de novo genetic diversity; Muller's ratchet; Nutrient foraging; Filamentation
Categories
Funding
- NIH/NIAID [AI39115-17, R01 AI50113-10]
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Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen and can undergo both bisexual and unisexual mating. Despite the fact that one mating type is dispensable for unisexual mating, the two sexual cycles share surprisingly similar features. Both mating cycles are affected by similar environmental factors and regulated by the same pheromone response pathway. Recombination takes place during unisexual reproduction in a fashion similar to bisexual reproduction and can both admix pre-existing genetic diversity and also generate diversity de novo just like bisexual reproduction. These common features may allow the unisexual life cycle to provide phenotypic and genotypic plasticity for the natural Cryptococcus population, which is predominantly cc mating type, and to avoid Muller's ratchet. The morphological transition from yeast to hyphal growth during both bisexual and unisexual mating may provide increased opportunities for outcrossing and the ability to forage for nutrients at a distance. The unisexual life cycle is a key evolutionary factor for Cryptococcus as a highly successful global fungal pathogen. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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