She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not: On the Dualistic Asexual/Sexual Nature of Dermatophyte Fungi

Metin B., Heitman J.

Mycopathologia, vol.185, no.1, pp.87-101, 2020 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 185 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s11046-019-00390-3
  • Journal Name: Mycopathologia
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.87-101
  • Keywords: Dermatophytes, Mating, Mating type (MAT) locus, Sexual reproduction
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Dermatophytes are ascomycetous fungi whose sexuality is greatly influenced by their ecology. Sexual reproduction is ubiquitous among soil-related geophiles and some animal-associated zoophiles. In contrast, anthropophiles are generally present as a single mating type in the population and appear to reproduce asexually. In this article, the current knowledge on the sexuality of dermatophytes including reproduction modes, mating conditions, mating type distributions and the mating type (MAT) locus is presented in the context of revised taxonomy and discussed from an evolutionary perspective.