Different cell types in Neurospora crassa

Neurospora possesses more cell types than are commonly recognized. We have been able to identify 28 morphologically distinct types. Having the cell types clearly defined will be important for genome annotation, describing new mutant phenotypes, and determining sites of gene expression. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License. This regular paper is available in Fungal Genetics Reports: http://newprairiepress.org/fgr/vol50/iss1/8 Number 50, 2003 17 Different cell types in Neurospora crassa George N. Bistis, David D. Perkins, and Nick D. Read Department of B iology, Drew University, M adison, NJ 07940, Department of B iological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh, Rutherford Building, Edinburgh EH8 9QU, U.K. Fungal Genet. Newsl. 50:17-19 Neurospora possesses more cell types than are commonly recognized. We have been able to identify 28 morphologically distinct types. Having the cell types clearly defined will be important for genome annotation, describing new mutant phenotypes, and determining sites of gene expression. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Neurospora is a morphologically complex multicellular organism with many more cell types than the unicellular yeast Saccharomyces. Most workers are familiar with mycelia, macroconidia, perithecia, asci, and ascospores, but the diversity of cell types produced by Neurospora may not be fully appreciated. Now that the products of specific genes can be localized using GFP and o ther fluorescent proteins, attention will be focused increasingly on particular cell types that differ in morphology, physiology, or developmental origin. D istinguishing different cell types is also important for genome annotation. For convenience, we need to use the terms ‘cell’ and ‘cell type’ rather loosely to cover both cellular elements such as hyphae and discrete cells such as spores (see discussion by Read, 1994). The basic undifferentiated, totipotent cellular element is the compartmentalized vegetative hypha at the colony periphery (the leader hypha). Certain other cell types are comprised of differentiated hyphae (e.g., fusion hyphae, ascogonia, trichogynes, ascogenous hyphae, asci, paraphyses, and periphyses). At the other extreme are highly differentiated nonhyphal cells such as ascospores, microconidia, and the different wall cells of protoperithecia and perithecia. Twenty-eight morphologically distinct cell types are listed and described below. Designation of protoperithecia and microconidia as vegetative or sexual is arbitrary. Additional types or subtypes will no doubt be revealed.