Strom Noah B, Bushley Kathryn E
Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, 826 Biological Sciences, 1445 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108 USA.
Fungal Biol Biotechnol. 2016 May 4;3:4. doi: 10.1186/s40694-016-0022-x. eCollection 2016.
Heterokaryosis is an integral part of the parasexual cycle used by predominantly asexual fungi to introduce and maintain genetic variation in populations. Research into fungal heterokaryons began in 1912 and continues to the present day. Heterokaryosis may play a role in the ability of fungi to respond to their environment, including the adaptation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to different plant hosts. The parasexual cycle has enabled advances in fungal genetics, including gene mapping and tests of complementation, dominance, and vegetative compatibility in predominantly asexual fungi. Knowledge of vegetative compatibility groups has facilitated population genetic studies and enabled the design of innovative methods of biocontrol. The vegetative incompatibility response has the potential to be used as a model system to study biological aspects of some human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. By combining distinct traits through the formation of artificial heterokaryons, fungal strains with superior properties for antibiotic and enzyme production, fermentation, biocontrol, and bioremediation have been produced. Future biotechnological applications may include site-specific biocontrol or bioremediation and the production of novel pharmaceuticals.
异核现象是主要为无性繁殖的真菌用于在种群中引入和维持遗传变异的准性生殖周期的一个组成部分。对真菌异核体的研究始于1912年，一直持续到今天。异核现象可能在真菌对环境的反应能力中发挥作用，包括丛枝菌根真菌对不同植物宿主的适应性。准性生殖周期推动了真菌遗传学的发展，包括在主要为无性繁殖的真菌中进行基因定位以及互补性、显性和营养体亲和性测试。营养体亲和群的知识促进了群体遗传学研究，并推动了创新生物防治方法的设计。营养体不亲和反应有可能被用作研究某些人类疾病（包括神经退行性疾病和癌症）生物学方面的模型系统。通过形成人工异核体来组合不同性状，已经培育出了在抗生素和酶生产、发酵、生物防治及生物修复方面具有优良特性的真菌菌株。未来的生物技术应用可能包括定点生物防治或生物修复以及新型药物的生产。
