Mating in Fungi

Mating in fungi is a complex process governed by mating types. Research on fungal mating has focused on only a few model species. Since not all of the fungi reproduce sexually and many that do are isogamous, the terms male and female do not apply to this kingdom. Homothallic species are able to mate with themselves, while in heterothallic species only isolates of opposite mating types can mate.

Mating between isogamous fungi may consist only of a transfer of nuclei from one cell to another. Vegetative incompatibility within species often prevent a fungal isolate from mating with another isolate. Isolates of the same incompatibility group do not mate or mating does not lead to successful offspring. High variation has been reported including same chemotype mating, sporophyte to gametophyte mating and biparental transfer of mitochondria.