Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus
05:34

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus

Published on: June 6, 2025

494

The frequency of sex in fungi

Bart P S Nieuwenhuis1, Timothy Y James2

  • 1Department of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden bart.nieuwenhuis@ebc.uu.se.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|September 14, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Fungi exhibit diverse reproductive strategies, balancing sexual and asexual reproduction. This review explores the costs, benefits, and genetic mechanisms influencing fungal reproduction, highlighting mixed reproductive modes in many species.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Population Genetics

Background:

  • Fungi display a wide spectrum of reproductive strategies, from predominantly asexual to obligate sexual reproduction.
  • Understanding the evolutionary trade-offs between sexual and asexual reproduction is crucial for fungal biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the costs and benefits of sexual and asexual reproduction in fungi.
  • To examine the molecular and population genetic mechanisms influencing fungal reproductive strategies.
  • To provide empirical data on the frequency of sex in fungal populations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of fungal reproduction.
  • Analysis of population genetic methods for estimating sex frequency.
  • Discussion of molecular mechanisms underlying fungal reproduction.

Main Results:

  • Most fungi possess the molecular machinery for sexual reproduction, suggesting a lack of ancient asexual lineages.
  • Empirical data support mixed reproductive modes in many fungal species, with varying frequencies of sexual reproduction.
  • Fungus-specific mechanisms evolve to mitigate the costs associated with both sexual and asexual reproduction.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal reproduction is characterized by a mixed strategy, balancing asexual and sexual cycles.
  • Population genetic approaches are valuable for quantifying the extent of sex in fungi.
  • The evolution of reproductive strategies in fungi is shaped by mechanisms that reduce the costs of both sexual and asexual reproduction.
Keywords:
Ascomycotaasexual reproductioninbreedinglinkage disequilibriummating systemssex

More Related Videos

Microscopy of Fission Yeast Sexual Lifecycle07:47

Microscopy of Fission Yeast Sexual Lifecycle

Published on: March 9, 2016

15.1K
Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum08:20

Sexual Development and Ascospore Discharge in Fusarium graminearum

Published on: March 29, 2012

22.5K

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Fungi01:29

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...
1.5K
Fungal Phylum Ascomycota01:28

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...
954
Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota01:26

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...
805
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

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...
367
Fungal Group Zygomycota01:29

Fungal Group Zygomycota

Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...
936
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

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...
698