INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR MOTILITY AND HYPHAL TIP GROWTH

Independent nuclear motility is involved in many important aspects of fungal life cycles, including the following: nuclear division; populat ion of hyphal tip cells, branches, and spores with nuclei; dikaryotiza tion; and karyogamy. Spindle pole bodies are almost constantly in moti on during all phases of the nuclear cycle, and they have been linked t o most instances of independent nuclear motility. A role for microtubu les in this process is now well established, and research is being foc used on which set of them, astral or cytoplasmic, is utilized as well as on the microtubule-associated motor proteins that may generate the force. In some cases, F-actin may interact with the microtubules or ev en provide an alternative cytoskeleton supporting nuclear migration. H yphal tip growth and independent nuclear motility are coordinated and interrelated processes, making the elucidation of the signals, process es, and structures involved an attractive area for further research.