Mitochondrial inheritance in basidiomycete fungi

• Published in: Fungal biology reviews Vol. 29; no. 3-4; pp. 209 - 219
• Main Authors: Xu, Jianping, Wang, Pengfei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2015
• Subjects: animals; Anisogamy; Bilateral nuclear migration; Coprinopsis cinerea; crossing; cytoplasmic inheritance; environmental factors; eukaryotic cells; fungi; genes; Heteroplasmy; Isogamy; Mating type genes; mitochondria; mitochondrial DNA; mtDNA mosaics; mtDNA recombination; plants (botany); Unilateral nuclear migration; Heteroplasmy; Anisogamy; mtDNA mosaics; mtDNA recombination; Mating type genes; Isogamy; Unilateral nuclear migration; Bilateral nuclear migration
• ISSN: 1749-4613; 1878-0253
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2015.02.001

The mitochondrion is a vital organelle in eukaryotic cells. Unlike the inheritance of nuclear genes, that of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) does not follow Mendelian Laws. In the great majority of sexual plants and animals, mtDNA is uniparentally inherited from the maternal parent. However, there is a diversity of mtDNA inheritance patterns in basidiomycete fungi. In this commemorative review of mtDNA inheritance in basidiomycetes, we first summarize Dr. Lorna Casselton's pioneering contributions to the subject using Coprinopsis cinerea as a model organism. Using her findings as a benchmark, we then describe other mtDNA inheritance patterns found in basidiomycete fungi, both in laboratory crosses and in natural populations. We review recent research on the genes, molecular mechanisms, and environmental factors that impact mtDNA inheritance in basidiomycete fungi. The patterns and mechanisms of mitochondrial inheritance are compared between unicellular and filamentous basidiomycetes, and among basidiomycetes, ascomycetes and representatives from other groups of eukaryotes. Our analyses suggest that basidiomycetes can be excellent models for understanding the molecular, cellular, and evolutionary mechanisms governing mtDNA inheritance in eukaryotes. •Dr. Casselton made pioneering contributions to mtDNA inheritance research.•Basidiomycete fungi show a diversity of mtDNA inheritance patterns.•Signatures of mtDNA recombination in nature is commonly observed in basidiomycetes.•Basidiomycetes can help understand mtDNA inheritance in other eukaryotes.