Ultraviolet Light-Induced Heterokaryon Formation and Parasexuality in Cryphonectria parasitica

Rizwana, R., and Powell, W. A. 1995. Ultraviolet light-induced heterokaryon formation and parasexuality in Cryphonectria parasitica. Experimental Mycology 19, 48-60. The effect of ultraviolet-light on heterokaryon formation, vegetative compatibility, and parasexuality in Cryphonectria parasitica was examined. Heterokaryons of complementary auxotrophic strains could not be made by hyphal anastomosis if the strains belonged to different vegetative compatibility groups. Protoplast fusions overcame incompatibility of strains differing in the alleles of a single but not multiple vegetative incompatibility loci. Fusion of protoplasts from ultraviolet light-treated complementary auxotrophs increased heterokaryon formation by 10⁴ to 10⁵ using the strains differing in alleles of a single vegetative incompatibility gene but had no detectable effect on strains differing in multiple vegetative incompatibility genes. Vegetative compatibility tests of single conidial isolates resolved from these heterokaryons suggest that diploids had formed followed by the loss of one of the VIC alleles. Presence of both auxotrophic markers in some of these single conidial isolates confirms the occurrence of a parasexual cycle. These experiments demonstrate that ultraviolet-light can enhance heterokaryon formation and parasexuality in C. parasitica .