Karyological characterization of meiosis, post-meiotic mitosis and nuclear migration in the ectomycorrhizal fungus Rhizopogon roseolus (= R. rubescens)

Abstract

Karyological characteristics during basidiosporogenesis of Rhizopogon roseolus, a member of the hypogeous Agaricomycetes, were studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. More than 1000 tissue fragments of young basidiomata were stained with HCl-Giemsa and observed by a light microscopy to evaluate nuclear behavior. Basidium morphology in the hymenium was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Meiosis and post-meiotic mitosis took place in the center of the basidium. Sterigmata appeared when the first meiotic division occurred, and the center of the basidium became constricted when the second meiotic division occurred. Asynchronous nuclear migration from the basidium into the basidiospores occurred after post-meiotic mitosis, producing eight uninucleate basidiospores. The nucleus migrated patchily into basidiospores. The pattern of post-meiotic mitosis of R. roseolus, in which post-meiotic mitosis took place in the center of the basidium, is reported for the first time.

Key words:

• basidiospores
• meiosis
• nuclear migration
• post-meiotic mitosis
• Rhizopogon roseolus

Acknowledgment

This research was partially supported by a grant from the Global Center of Excellence (COE) Program “Advanced Utilization of Fungus/Mushroom Resource for Sustainable Society in Harmony with Nature” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan.