Home • Circinella umbellata NRRL1351 v1.0
Figs 1 and 2) Multispored sporangia borne terminally on circinate and umbellate sporangiophores. Fig 3) Zygospores between opposed suspensors. Images by Kerry O'Donnell.
Figs 1 and 2) Multispored sporangia borne terminally on circinate and umbellate sporangiophores. Fig 3) Zygospores between opposed suspensors. Images by Kerry O'Donnell.

Circinella umbellata Tieghem & Le Monnier NRRL 1351 (Blakeslee C998 = ATCC 22819 = CBS 101.16 = CBS 144.56), which represents the + mating type of this heterothallic species, was isolated in 1940 from canine dung by A. Lendner.  During the asexual phase of the life cycle, Circinella species produce multispored sporangia that are borne terminally on circinate and umbellate sporangiophores (Figs. 1-2).  Sexual reproduction by this heterothallic (or self-sterile) species is initiated by the hyphal fusion of compatible + and – mating type strains, which leads to the production of zygospores between opposed suspensors (Fig. 3).  Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the genus Circinalla is non-monophyletic as currently circumscribed and that its traditional placement within the Mucoraceae requires revision (O’Donnell et al. 2000; Walther et al. 2013).  The whole-genome sequence of this early diverging mucoralean mold was generated as part of the 1000 Fungal Genome Project (http://1000.fungalgenomes.org/home/) to advance our knowledge of their evolution.

References:

O’Donnell K, Lutzoni F, Ward TJ, Benny GL. 2000. Evolutionary relationships among mucoralean fungi (Zygomycota): Evidence for family polyphyly on a large scale. Mycologia 93:286─296.
Walther G, Pawłowska J, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Wrzosek M, Rodriguez-Tudela JL, et al. 2013. DNA barcoding in Mucorales: an inventory of biodiversity. Persoonia 30:11–47.

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