The Mating Type System of the Myxomycete Physarum flavicomum

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Intralsolate crosses of 6 geographical isolates of an organism identified as P. flavicomum proved all 6 isolates to be heterothallic and permitted separating them into 2 mating types characteristic of a 1-locus, 2 -allele mating type system. When interisolate crosses were made, the 6 isolates could be fitted into 3 groups according to their ability to cross with one another. Group 1 contained 3 isolates, groups 2 contained 2 isolates, and group 3 contained 1 isolate with multiple alleles existing at the incompatibility locus in groups 1 and 2. These results established the existence of 3 series of alternate incompatibility alleles. When a comparative study was made of the 6 isolates using morphological characters, it was found that the 6 isolates could also be placed in 3 morphological groups corresponding to the 3 genetic groups.