Generation of nuclear hybrids overcoming the natural barrier of incompatibility: Transfer of nuclei from Lentinula edodes into protoplasts of Coriolus versicolor

Heterokaryotic nuclear hybrids overcoming the natural barriers of incompati bility have been studied in basidiomycetes. To produce these nuclear hybrid s between incompatible mushrooms, which have several potent pharmacological effects, nuclear transfer was performed between Lentinula edodes and Corio lus versicolor. Nuclei from serine auxotrophs of Lentinula edodes, LE207 (S er(-)) were transferred into the protoplasts of arginine auxotrophs of Cori olus versicolor, CV17 (Arg), using 30% polyethylene glycol 4000 in 10 mM Ca Cl2-glycine solution (pH 8.0). Nuclear transfer progenies were selected by nutritional complementation on minimal media supplemented with 0.6 M sucros e. The progenies were classified based on colony morphology to L. edodes-li ke, C. versicolor-like and non-parental type. Most of the progenies grew sl ower than either parent. The number of nuclei per cell was similar but the DNA content varied between progenies. The isozyme patterns of nuclear hybri ds resembled either of the parent profiles or showed a mixed profile.