INHERITANCE OF MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA IN SEXUAL CROSSES AND PROTOPLAST CELL FUSIONS IN LENTINULA EDODES

By using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction fragment length polymor phisms (RFLPs) as genetic markers, the modes of mitochondrial inherita nce in sexual crosses and protoplast cell fusions of the higher basidi omycete Lentinula edodes were examined. All newly established dikaryon s from reciprocal crosses between compatible monokaryons carrying diff erent mtDNA RFLP phenotypes retained mtDNA genotypes from one of the m onokaryons, suggesting that mitochondrial inheritance is principally u niparental. In contrast, it was shown that recombinant mtDNA genomes a rose in some dikaryons obtained after protoplast cell fusion, Based on these results, a possible mechanism for mitochondrial inheritance in L. edodes is discussed.