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Updated: May 17, 2026

Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum
Published on: March 29, 2012
Sexual reproduction in the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus terreus
Michael Arabatzis1, Aristea Velegraki
1Department of Microbiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. marabatz@med.uoa.gr
Abstract:
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.
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