Project
Isolation and characterization of ‘immortal’ P. anserina strains
Podospora anserina is a coprophilous fungus that grows exclusively on herbivore dung. Thus, in nature the fungus has only short period in which it has to form mycelium and obligatory sexual offspring, before the dung is completely decomposed.
Description:
Under laboratory conditions, unlimited resources can be offered to P. anserina, but the fungus appears so adapted to its lifestyle that it lives up to 3 weeks on rich medium in which it slowly senesces loses its fertility and finally dies. Some mutant strains have been isolated in laboratories that do not show senescence. These mutants are often hampered in their energy production and in general have lost their fertility. In this study we would like to isolate immortal strains that have retained their fertility and to characterize them on how they have lost their ageing but kept their fertility.
Used skills:
microbiological and molecular biology skills, bioinformatics, some statistical analysis to interpret the results.
Requirements:
Molecular and Evolutionary Ecology (GEN20304) and Genetic Analysis Tools and Concepts (GEN30306) are good preparations.
Reference:
(i) van der Gaag M, et al. 1998. The dynamics of pAL2-1 homologous linear plasmids in Podospora anserina. Mol. Gen. Genet. 258: 521-529; (ii) Hermanns J and Osiewacz HD. 1996. Induction of longevity by cytoplasmic transfer of a linear plasmid in Podospora anserina . Curr. Genet. 29: 250-256