Effects of the tol mutation on allelic interactions at het loci in Neurospora crassa

A mutant at the tol locus of Neurospora crassa can suppress heterokaryon (vegetative) incompatibility associated with differences at the mating-type locus. We tested the ability of this allele to suppress the vegetative incompatibility reactions that can occur when strains differ at one of nine het loci (het-C, -D, -E, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9, and -10). We found no cases in which the tol mutant suppresses a heteroallelic het locus interaction. Thus, the interaction(s) that leads to vegetative incompatibility because of differences at the mating-type locus is distinct from the interaction(s) that leads to vegetative incompatibility because of differences at any of these nine het loci.