Neosartorya Fischeri Research Articles

A Second Heterothallic Aspergillus

SUMMARYA new heterothallic fungus, Neosartorya fennelliae (asexual state: Aspergillus fennelliae), was isolated from the eyeballs of laboratory rabbits. The conidial and ascosporic states resemble those of Neosartorya fischeri (Aspergillus fischeri). The strains occur in two mating types, A and a, of an allelic pair. Although interspecific crossing does not occur with any known members of the N. fischeri group, stimulation of the growth of N. fischeri var. glaber by the new species was observed. The fungus survives in mouse tissue for several weeks without evidence of multiplication.

A Second Heterothallic Aspergillus

SUMMARY A new heterothallic fungus, Neosartorya fennelliae (asexual state: Aspergillus fennelliae), was isolated from the eyeballs of laboratory rabbits. The conidial and ascosporic states resemble those of Neosartorya fischeri (Aspergillus fischeri). The strains occur in two mating types, A and a, of an allelic pair. Although interspecific crossing does not occur with any known members of the N. fischeri group, stimulation of the growth of N. fischeri var. glaber by the new species was observed. The fungus survives in mouse tissue for several weeks without evidence of multiplication. Heterothallism in the genus Aspergillus was first reported by Kwon, Fennell, and Raper (1) in A. heterothallicus. The ascosporic state of this fungus was later transferred to the genus Emericella as E. heterothallica (Kwon, Fennell & Raper) Malloch & Cain (7). A second heterothallic species of Aspergillus was isolated from the eyeballs of laboratory rabbits by one of the authors (K-C) in April, 1972. Morphological characteristics of the asexual and sexual fruiting structures place the new species in the A. fischeri series (11), for which Malloch and Cain have established the new generic name Neosartorya (8). This paper provides a description of the species, observations on ascocarp formation, proof of heterothallism, and a discussion of the relationship of the new species to the other species of Neosartorya.