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Fig. 3. | BMC Biology

Fig. 3.

From: Starvation-induced cell fusion and heterokaryosis frequently escape imperfect allorecognition systems in an asexual fungal pathogen

Fig. 3.

Conidial/germling fusion (via CATs) supports stable growth of “incompatible” heterokaryotic colonies. The traditional (hyphal-based) VCG (a) and the new CAT-based (c) complementation assays for the detection of heterokaryotic growth are described schematically. The results from the two assays are summarized in b and d, respectively (see Additional file 6: Table S3 for details). A single-letter code has been assigned to each strain (details of strains are provided in Additional file 1: Table S1). HSI: heterokaryon self-incompatible. Vna: V. nonalfalfae. Each pairing (in both assays) was performed in at least three replicates. Pairings that produced very limited prototrophic growth in only one of the replicates were regarded as negative. Examples of strong and weak heterokaryons (21 days old) are shown for each method (right), as well as their morphological characteristics after subculturing them on fresh MM (arrows, last row) in d. Bars = 2 cm

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