Control of DNA methylation in fungi

Abstract

Fungi represent an evolutionarily diverse set of eukaryotic organisms including, for example, mushrooms, slime molds, true molds and yeasts. Methylation of cytosines in DNA has been observed in many but not all fungi (Table 1). Considering the diversity of eukaryotic organisms with DNA methylation, it is possible that this modification serves distinct roles in higher and lower eukaryotes and even distinct roles in different fungi. The control of methylation may also differ in different eukaryotes. Why study methylation in fungi? First, studying methylation in fungi may reveal novel biological phenomena. The discovery of repeat- induced point mutation (RIP) occurred in this way (Selker et al., 1987b; Selker, 1990b). Second, fungi offer favorable systems to address general questions having to do with DNA methylation. Some fungi are extremely amenable to both genetic and molecular approaches, and may provide the easiest, fastest and cheapest means to understand the basics of the control and function of DNA methylation in eukaryotes. Since studies of DNA methylation in fungi are still in their infancy, in this chapter I will point out some attractions of studying methylation in fungi such as the ascomycete Neurospora crassa, the organism with which I am most familiar.KeywordsNeurospora CrassaSlime MoldMitotic CyclePhysarum PolycephalumSchizophyllum CommuneThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.