Sexual reproduction in the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus terreus.

Aspergillus terreus has a worldwide distribution in soil, constitutes the third most important cause of invasive aspergillosis in humans and is classically regarded as a strictly asexual species. Strains of A. terreus were characterized by ITS, β-tubulin and calmodulin sequences. Mating type was identified by amplifying and sequencing MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 genes. One MAT1-2 strain produced hyphal masses when crossed with four MAT1-1 strains on mixed cereal agar after 3 wk at 37 C. Cleistothecia formed inside the hyphal masses and produced asci containing smooth-walled ascospores with an equatorial protuberance. This is the first report of sexual reproduction in A. terreus.

Citation

Michael Arabatzis, Aristea Velegraki. Sexual reproduction in the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus terreus. Mycologia. 2013 Jan-Feb;105(1):71-9

Mesh Tags

PMID: 23074177

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