Home • Allomyces macrogynus ATCC 38327
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Allomyces macrogynus. Photo from Liu et al. BMC Evolutionary Biology 2006 6:74

This genome was sequenced by the Broad Institute.

Description of Allomyces macrogynus has been quoted from Broad.

According to traditional taxonomy, Allomyces macrogynus was a member of the Blastocladiales in the Chytridiomycota (chytrids), one of the four major phyla of Fungi. As chytrids develop (in most cases uni-) flagellated zoospores (resembling flagellated cells in animals) at various stages of their life cycle, they are also known as zoosporic fungi. Because the Chytridiomycota are not monophyletic in some phylogenetic analyses (although currently without compelling statistical support), they have been subdivided into three phyla: Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Neocallimastigomycota.

Allomyces macrogynus is found worldwide, particularly in aquatic environments of tropical regions. It alternates between isomorphic sporophytic sexual and gametophytic asexual cycles of growth, producing three forms of uniflagellated cells: mitospores (zoospores), meiospores, and male and female gametes. When encysting, these flagellated cells withdraw their flagellum. Bipolar spore germination then leads to the development of a rhizoidal system, and a thallus that branches into hyphae that are separated by pseudoseptae (i.e., they are not closed but contain pores). The wild-type strain Burma 3-35 (ATCC 38327) is autotetraploid in the sporophytic cycle, and produces diploid gametophytes. Ploidy can be reduced experimentally, which is useful for isolation of mutants and for genetic experiments. For instance, prolonged growth at 35°C or treatment with para-fluoro-phenylalanine reduces diploid cells (28 chromosomes) to haploid (14 chromosomes). Allomyces has been widely used as a teaching aid, to demonstrate sexual reproduction and alternation of generations.

 

Genome Reference(s)

Credit

  • Origins of Multicellularity Sequencing Project, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT