M. Chamberlain et al., EFFECT OF EXTRACTS OF PYRENOPEZIZA-BRASSICAE ON THE REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER SPECIES OF FUNGI, Mycologia, 87(6), 1995, pp. 846-856
Studies on the effect of culture extracts were found to throw a new li
ght on the reproductive strategies of fungi. It was confirmed that ext
racts of mated cultures of Pyrenopeziza brassicae stimulated the devel
opment of ascocarp-like structures and suppressed asexual sporulation
in unmated cultures of the same species. In contrast, all culture extr
acts of P. brassicae, whether from mated or unmated cultures, affected
the reproductive development of about 30 other species of fungi. In t
hose species which are not known to reproduce sexually, the extracts s
timulated asexual sporulation. In those species which are known only t
o reproduce sexually the effect of the extracts was to stimulate sexua
l reproduction, whereas in those species which are known to sporulate
both sexually and asexually in culture, the effect of the extracts was
to alter the balance in favor of sexual reproduction. In species whic
h are known only to sporulate asexually, extract of uninoculated cultu
re medium was as effective as the culture extracts in stimulating asex
ual sporulation, presumably by supplying or replenishing spent nutrien
ts. The effect of medium extract on sexual reproduction was slight but
not statistically significant, suggesting that other substances, such
as morphogens, initiate and sustain the process.