This article provides an overview of sexual reproduction in the ascomycetes, a phylum of
fungi that is named after the specialized sacs or “asci” that hold the sexual spores. They …

Reproductive gene evolution is commonly invoked as a source of reproductive isolation
during speciation. This possibility has not been adequately explored in the Ascomycota, the …

Sexual development in filamentous ascomycetes requires mating-type genes to mediate
recognition of compatible cell and nuclear types. Characterization of mating-type genes from …

In heterothallic ascomycete fungi, idiomorphic alleles at the MAT locus control two sex
pheromone-receptor pairs that function in the recognition and chemoattraction of strains with …

The significance of sexual selection, the component of natural selection associated with
variation in mating success, is well established for the evolution of animals and plants, but …

The largest subdivision of fungi is the Ascomycotina, whose sexual progeny (ascospores)
are enclosed in sac-like structures called asci. This extremely diverse group is composed …

Sexual reproduction likely evolved as protection from environmental stresses, specifically, to
repair DNA damage, often via homologous recombination. In higher eukaryotes, meiosis …

The ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi have contributed much to our understanding of
eukaryotic cell biology. The study of mate recognition, in particular, has provided detailed …

Pheromones are ubiquitous from bacteria to mammals–a testament to their importance in
regulating inter-cellular communication. In fungal species, they play a critical role in …

Background We investigated the determinants of sexual identity in the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The higher fungi are divided into the ascomycetes and the …