Inactivation of themat1-2-1mating type gene results in reduced asexual sporulation andcon10expression inFusarium verticillioides

Conidium production was significantly reduced in three independent ΔFvMAT1-2-1 gene disruption mutants of F. verticillioides as compared to the wild type parental strain, when fungi were incubated on carrot agar either under diurnal illumination conditions or in total darkness. The conidiation specific con10 gene was expressed constitutively at low levels in the wild type strain, whereas levels of con10 transcripts were drastically reduced in the the ΔFvMAT1-2-1/M15 mutant. These findings demonstrate that mutants, lacking the functional mat1-2-1 mating type gene have lost not only their sexual reproduction capability, but became also retarded in asexual sporulation indicating that mating type genes have positive functions during the asexual phase of the fungal life cycle.