Dataset Information

A High-Resolution Map of Meiotic Recombination in Cryptococcus deneoformans Demonstrates Decreased Recombination in Unisexual Reproduction.

ABSTRACT: Multiple species within the basidiomycete genus Cryptococcus cause cryptococcal disease. These species are estimated to affect nearly a quarter of a million people leading to ?180,000 mortalities, annually. Sexual reproduction, which can occur between haploid yeasts of the same or opposite mating type, is a potentially important contributor to pathogenesis as recombination can generate novel genotypes and transgressive phenotypes. However, our quantitative understanding of recombination in this clinically important yeast is limited. Here, we describe genome-wide estimates of recombination rates in Cryptococcus deneoformans and compare recombination between progeny from ?-? unisexual and a-? bisexual crosses. We find that offspring from bisexual crosses have modestly higher average rates of recombination than those derived from unisexual crosses. Recombination hot and cold spots across the C. deneoformans genome are also identified and are associated with increased GC content. Finally, we observed regions genome-wide with allele frequencies deviating from the expected parental ratio. These findings and observations advance our quantitative understanding of the genetic events that occur during sexual reproduction in C. deneoformans, and the impact that different forms of sexual reproduction are likely to have on genetic diversity in this important fungal pathogen.

SUBMITTER: Roth C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5972427 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A High-Resolution Map of Meiotic Recombination in <i>Cryptococcus deneoformans</i> Demonstrates Decreased Recombination in Unisexual Reproduction.

Roth Cullen C Sun Sheng S Billmyre R Blake RB Heitman Joseph J Magwene Paul M PM

Genetics 20180406 2

Multiple species within the basidiomycete genus <i>Cryptococcus</i> cause cryptococcal disease. These species are estimated to affect nearly a quarter of a million people leading to ∼180,000 mortalities, annually. Sexual reproduction, which can occur between haploid yeasts of the same or opposite mating type, is a potentially important contributor to pathogenesis as recombination can generate novel genotypes and transgressive phenotypes. However, our quantitative understanding of recombination i ...[more]

PMID: 29625994

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Project description:In fungi, unisexual reproduction, where sexual development is initiated without the presence of two compatible mating type alleles, has been observed in several species that can also undergo traditional bisexual reproduction, including the important human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. While unisexual reproduction has been well characterized qualitatively, detailed quantifications are still lacking for aspects of this process, such as the frequency of recombination during unisexual reproduction, and how this compares with bisexual reproduction. Here, we analyzed meiotic recombination during α-α unisexual and a-α bisexual reproduction of C. neoformans. We found that meiotic recombination operates in a similar fashion during both modes of sexual reproduction. Specifically, we observed that in α-α unisexual reproduction, the numbers of crossovers along the chromosomes during meiosis, recombination frequencies at specific chromosomal regions, as well as meiotic recombination hot and cold spots, are all similar to those observed during a-α bisexual reproduction. The similarity in meiosis is also reflected by the fact that phenotypic segregation among progeny collected from the two modes of sexual reproduction is also similar, with transgressive segregation being observed in both. Additionally, we found diploid meiotic progeny were also produced at similar frequencies in the two modes of sexual reproduction, and transient chromosomal loss and duplication likely occurs frequently and results in aneuploidy and loss of heterozygosity that can span entire chromosomes. Furthermore, in both α-α unisexual and a-α bisexual reproduction, we observed biased allele inheritance in regions on chromosome 4, suggesting the presence of fragile chromosomal regions that might be vulnerable to mitotic recombination. Interestingly, we also observed a crossover event that occurred within the MAT locus during α-α unisexual reproduction. Our results provide definitive evidence that α-α unisexual reproduction is a meiotic process similar to a-α bisexual reproduction.

Dataset Information

A High-Resolution Map of Meiotic Recombination in Cryptococcus deneoformans Demonstrates Decreased Recombination in Unisexual Reproduction.

Publications

A High-Resolution Map of Meiotic Recombination in <i>Cryptococcus deneoformans</i> Demonstrates Decreased Recombination in Unisexual Reproduction.

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