CONJUGATION IN TREMELLA MESENTERICA

Abstract

Compatibility tests with 26 single-spore isolates of Tremella mesenterica Fr. suggest that heterothallism in this species is of a modified tetrapolar type. Formation of conjugation tubes apparently requires heterozygosity for a single pair of alleles, A and a, but production of a typical dikaryon is controlled by a series of "B factors". The results indicate that the latter are either multiple alleles or multiple factors. Conjugation appeared to occur between isolates with like B's, but the resultant mycelium was abnormal in form. No conjugation tubes formed when isolates with like A's were paired.