Isolation and characterization of light-insensitive mutants of Neurospora crassa

As part of a genetic analysis of blue light photoreception in Neurospora, three mutants were isolated that do not exhibit photosuppression of circadian conidiation, i.e., they show periodic conidiation in constant light. The mutations have been given the designations lis-1, lis-2 and lis-3 ("light insensitive"). The three mutations segregate as single nuclear genes, are nonallelic and are recessive to wild type in heterokaryon tests. The linkage groups of the mutations are as follows: lis-1, I; lis-2, VI; and lis-3, V. The light -insensitive phenotype of the mutants is restricted to the photosuppression response; other responses such as photoinduced phase shifting of the conidiation rhythm and photoinduced carotenogenesis are not altered. The physiological or biochemical defects of the mutants have not been established, but they are not similar to previous reported cases (i.e., rib and poky) in which a reduction in light sensitivity has been observed.