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ABSTRACT
An isolate of Comatricha lurida was analyzed genetically to determine the nature of its reproductive cycle. Of the 75 myxamoebal cultures isolated from a single mass-spore agarcultured sporophore, 33 formed Plasmodia. Forty-two parental myxamoebal clones failed to produce Plasmodia in serial subculture. However, Plasmodia were produced when the clones were crossed in appropriate pairwise combinations, indicating this isolate possessed two mating alleles, A1 and A2, at one locus. The analysis of the F1 generation clones obtained from two parental crosses (A11 × A24, A110 × A219) showed them to be predominantly of the A1 mating-type. Further, F1 generation analysis of one additional parental cross (A16 × A22) produced similar results; however, nearly all of the F1 clones were of mating-type A2. The theoretical implications of these skewed F1 mating-type ratios are discussed. A preliminary analysis of the F2 generation was begun by crossing 10 A1 F1 clones from crosses A11 × A24, A110 × A219 and 5 A2 F1 clones from cross A16 × A22 in all possible pairwise combinations. Plasmodia were produced only when clones of different mating-type were mixed, providing evidence that this isolate of C. lurida has a stable heterothallic life history.