An acetylsalicylic acid-sensitive aggregation phenomenon in Dipodascopsis uninucleata

Aggregation of ascospores has been discovered in the yeast Dipodascopsis un inucleata. When this yeast is cultivated to reach the sexual reproductive s tage, small ascospores are individually released from the tip of a sac-like ascus which then aggregate in orderly clusters. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) inhibited ascospore release and subsequent ordered aggregation process. We suggest that novel ASA-sensitive oxidised fatty acids (3R-hydroxy-oxylipin s) and small hooks located on the surface of these ascospores, are involved .