Characterization of mating-type loci in rice false smut fungus Villosiclava virens.
Ascospores of Villosiclava virens are a primary infection source of rice false smut. This phytopathogenic fungus exists in heterothallic form, and mating compatibility is regulated by mating-type locus 1 (MAT1). However, the MAT1 locus structure remains unknown. The MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs of V. virens were characterized and annotated on the basis of cDNA sequencing. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed to identify the mating types of hyphae and sclerotia. The MAT1-1 locus of V. virens contains three mating-type genes: MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-2 and MAT1-1-3, and a pseudogene similar to MAT1-2-1. The MAT1-2 locus harbors the MAT1-2-1 gene and a new mating-type gene MAT1-2-8. The mRNA of MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-3 and MAT1-2-1, but not MAT1-1-2, was detectible by reverse transcription PCR in vegetative mycelia. However, the mRNA of MAT1-1-2 was detectible in the stroma, which is a sexual reproduction structure of V. virens. A multiplex PCR detection method was developed for the identification of the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs. All 20 wild-type strains harbored either the MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 idiomorphs. Sclerotia that harbored both the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs had potential to form fertile stromata, whereas those that harbored only the MAT1-1 idiomorph could not form mature stromata.
['Yu|Jun-jie|JJ|', 'Sun|Wen-xian|WX|', 'Yu|Mi-na|MN|', 'Yin|Xiao-le|XL|', 'Meng|Xiang-kun|XK|', 'Zhao|Jie|J|', 'Huang|Lei|L|', 'Huang|Li|L|', 'Liu|Yong-feng|YF|']
D049770:Genes, Mating Type, Fungal D056426:Genetic Loci D006999:Hypocreales D012275:Oryza D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction D012098:Reproduction D016415:Sequence Alignment D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA D013172:Spores, Fungal D014587:Ustilaginales
Villosiclava virens mating-type locus mating-type gene HMG domain α-box