Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Ascomycota

Fungal Phylum Ascomycota

Phylum Ascomycota, a major division within the subkingdom Dikarya, comprises a diverse range of fungal species, including both unicellular yeasts and filamentous molds such as Aspergillus and Penicillium. These fungi thrive in a variety of habitats, from aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial environments, playing crucial ecological and economic roles.Morphology and ReproductionThe defining characteristic of Ascomycetes, commonly referred to as sac fungi, is the ascus—a sac-like structure that...

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...

Diversity of Protists IV

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...

Overview of Fungi

Overview of Fungi

Fungi are a diverse group of eukaryotes more closely related to animals than other eukaryotes. Fungal cell walls comprise chitin, a polysaccharide that provides structural strength, and glucans, which contribute to flexibility and integrity. Other polysaccharides, such as mannans and galactosans, may supplement or replace chitin in some fungi. These adaptations, along with their preference for acidic environments and tolerance for high osmotic pressure, enable fungi to thrive in various...

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota

Basidiomycota is a diverse phylum of fungi that includes ecologically significant decomposers such as white rot fungi, symbionts like mycorrhizal fungi, plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts, and edible species like Agaricus bisporus (the common button mushroom). These fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, symbiotic relationships, and even human health. Their defining feature is the basidium, a microscopic club-shaped structure responsible for producing basidiospores.Fruiting Bodies...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Impact of Fungal Developmental Structures on Mechanical Properties of Mycelial Materials.

Engineering in life sciences·2026

Same author

Genetic, structural, and functional characterization of allomelanin from black yeast Exophiala viscosa, a chassis for fungal melanin production.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2025

Same author

Regulation of melanin production in fungi.

Frontiers in fungal biology·2025

Same author

Genetic analysis of pigment production in the fungus Exophiala dermatitidis mutant strains obtained via nontargeted UV mutagenesis.

G3 (Bethesda, Md.)·2025

Same author

Duplicating the mold: Branching of fungal hyphae.

Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B·2025

Same author

Aspergillus nidulans cell wall integrity kinase, MpkA, impacts cellular phenotypes that alter mycelial-material mechanical properties.

Fungal biology and biotechnology·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum

Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum

Published on: March 29, 2012

Evolution of modular conidiophore development in the aspergilli.

Steven D Harris¹

¹Department of Plant Pathology, and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

|December 13, 2012

Summary

Fungal conidiophores, like those in Aspergillus and Penicillium, show diverse structures. This study proposes the complex Aspergillus conidiophore evolved from simpler Penicillium types through cell cycle and Cdc42 regulation changes, offering fungal evo-devo insights.

More Related Videos

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus

Published on: June 6, 2025

Quantitative Analysis of Aspergillus nidulans Growth Rate using Live Microscopy and Open-Source Software

Quantitative Analysis of Aspergillus nidulans Growth Rate using Live Microscopy and Open-Source Software

Published on: July 24, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum

Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum

Published on: March 29, 2012

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus

Published on: June 6, 2025

Quantitative Analysis of Aspergillus nidulans Growth Rate using Live Microscopy and Open-Source Software

Quantitative Analysis of Aspergillus nidulans Growth Rate using Live Microscopy and Open-Source Software

Published on: July 24, 2021

Area of Science:

Mycology
Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)
Fungal Systematics

Background:

Conidiophores are crucial reproductive structures in filamentous fungi, essential for asexual spore production and dissemination.
Morphological diversity in conidiophores is a key characteristic used in fungal classification and systematics.
Aspergillus and Penicillium species, within the Trichocomaceae family, exhibit distinct conidiophore architectures.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose an evolutionary model for the development of complex conidiophore morphology in Aspergillus from simpler Penicillium-like ancestors.
To investigate the potential role of cell cycle regulators and the GTPase Cdc42 in this evolutionary transition.
To link the well-characterized transcriptional regulatory network of Aspergillus conidiophore development with key regulators of morphogenesis.

Main Methods:

Comparative morphological analysis of conidiophores in Aspergillus and Penicillium species.
Hypothesizing evolutionary pathways based on existing knowledge of fungal development and regulation.
Identifying key molecular players, including cell cycle regulators and Cdc42, potentially involved in morphological evolution.

Main Results:

The Penicillium conidiophore is characterized as a modified branched hyphal structure.
The Aspergillus conidiophore is presented as a more complex structure involving additional cell types.
A hypothesis is put forth suggesting the 'aspergillioid' conidiophore evolved from a 'penicillioid' ancestor.

Conclusions:

The evolution of complex fungal conidiophore morphology may be driven by alterations in the expression of cell cycle regulators and Cdc42.
Understanding the interplay between transcriptional networks and these regulators can illuminate fungal developmental evolution.
This research provides a framework for future studies in fungal evo-devo, focusing on the genetic basis of morphological diversification.