Coprinopsis cinerea as a Model Fungus to Evaluate Genes Underlying Sexual Development in Basidiomycetes

Abstract

Coprinopsis cinerea is an excellent model for study of sexual reproduction and development in basidiomycetes because of its short-life cycle, capability to grow and fruit on artificial media under laboratory conditions. Deepening the understanding of genes underlying sexual reproduction and development in this mushroom model is expected to help in the future the world mushroom cultivation of any other basidiomycetes concerning the potential agronomic, economic and environmental benefits. This study presents findings with clear statements from the literature as well as own results focusing on the genetic analysis of genes acting in sexual reproduction and development in C. cinerea. Sexual reproduction and development in C. cinerea are regulated by the A and B mating type genes that encode two types of homeodomain transcription factors, pheromones and pheromone receptors, respectively. Coprinopsis cinerea has two different mycelial stages defined as the monokaryotic-(primary) and dikaryotic-(secondary) mycelium. When two compatible haploid monokaryons with different mating type alleles at A and B loci are fused, the fertile dikaryons are formed and developed into fruiting bodies, indicating that mating type genes regulate sexual development in C. cinerea. Self-fertile homokaryon AmutBmut strain with mutations in the A and B mating loci is ideal for production of mutants in fruiting body formation. Co-isogenic strains were generated by the repeated back-crossing against AmutBmut to analyze the genetic background of such mutants and the functions of genes in the fruiting pathway. Genetic analysis of AmutBmut fruiting mutants that are blocked at different stages in fruiting pathway will be described.

Discovery of microRNA-like RNAs during early fruiting body development in the model mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea

“…Mycelia were cultivated on agar plates at 37 °C for about 4–5 days until the mycelium grew over the whole agar surface and reached the edge of plates. Fruiting body formation was induced by incubating the mycelium culture at 25 °C under a light/dark regime of 12/12 h [ 22 , 42 , 43 ]. The incubator was kept at a relative humidity > 60% for the production of fruiting bodies.…”

Cultivation of Tanzanian <i>Coprinus cinereus</i> (sisal compost mushroom) on three non-composted sisal waste substrates supplemented with chicken manure at various rates

“…Coprinus cinereus previously classified as species of Agaricaceae is currently named as Caprinosis cinerea classified under Psathyrellaceae (Redhead et al, 2001;Srivilai and Loutchnwoot, 2009). However, in this paper the name Coprinus cinereus (Schaeff) S. Gray s.lat of Tanzanian material established by conventional morphological taxonomy by Härkönen et al (2003) was used until molecular characterization of Tanzanian material established.…”

Cloning of the Lentinula edodes B mating-type locus and identification of the genetic structure controlling B mating

“…The number of B mating-type genes is considerable for most fungal species, as illustrated by Coprinopsis cinerea, estimated to have a worldwide variation of 80 B mating-type specificities (Srivilai and Loutchanwoot, 2009) and Schizophyllum commune having an estimated 81 theoretical combinations (Fowler et al, 2001). The estimated amount of mating-type factors for L. edodes in Chinese natural populations has been put to 121 A mating type factors and 151 B mating type factors, putatively allowing 18,271 different mating types (Lin et al, 2003).…”