Shifting fungal reproductive mode by manipulation of mating type genes:: obligatory heterothallism of Gibberella zeae

Fungi capable of sexual reproduction use heterothallic (self-sterile) or homothallic (self-fertile) mating strategies. In most ascomycetes, a single mating type locus, MAT, with two alternative forms (MAT1-1 and MAT1-2) called idiomorphs, controls mating ability. In heterothallic ascomycetes, these alternative idiomorphs reside in different nuclei. In contrast, most homothallic ascomycetes carry both MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 in a single nucleus, usually closely linked. An example of the latter is Gibberella zeae, a species that is capable of both selfing and outcrossing. G. zeae is a devastating cereal pathogen of ubiquitous geographical distribution, and also a producer of mycotoxins that threaten human and animal health. We asked whether G. zeae could be made strictly heterothallic by manipulation of MAT. Targeted gene replacement was used to differentially delete MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 from a wild-type haploid MAT1-1; MAT1-2 strain, resulting in MAT1-1; mat1-2, mat1-1; MAT1-2 strains that were self-sterile, yet able to cross to wildtype testers and, more importantly, to each other. These results indicated that differential deletion of MAT idiomorphs eliminates selfing ability of G. zeae, but the ability to outcross is retained. They also indicated that both MAT idiomorphs are required for self-fertility. To our knowledge, this is the first report of complete conversion of fungal reproductive strategy from homothallic to heterothallic by targeted manipulation of MAT. Practically, this approach opens the door to simple and efficient procedures for obtaining sexual recombinants of G. zeae that will be useful for genetic analyses of pathogenicity and other traits, such as the ability to produce mycotoxins.