Neurospora crassa

Neurospora crassa is a filamentous fungus used extensively to study genetics, molecular biology, and biological clocks. Its haploid life cycle and readily scored nutritional mutations make genetic experiments especially direct.

Haploid: A cell or organism with one complete set of chromosomes. Most of its life cycle is haploid, so recessive mutations appear directly in offspring.
One gene–one enzyme hypothesis: The hypothesis that each gene specifies a single enzyme involved in a biochemical reaction. Nutritional mutants helped Beadle and Tatum connect genes to individual metabolic steps.
Model organism: A species studied intensively to understand biological processes that apply more broadly. Its experimental tractability made it a standard system for general genetic questions.
George Wells Beadle: An American geneticist who helped establish the relationship between genes and biochemical pathways. His work with Neurospora made the fungus central to experimental genetics.
Neurospora crassa circadian clock: The molecular timing system that generates daily rhythms in Neurospora crassa. Its rhythmic spore production became a tractable case for studying clock genetics.
Ascomycota: A fungal phylum whose members produce sexual spores in saclike structures called asci. Its sexual spores develop in asci, placing the fungus among the ascomycetes.
Beadle and Tatum experiment: An experiment using X-rays and nutritional tests to link mutations in Neurospora to specific biochemical requirements. This classic study used the fungus to show that mutations can block particular reactions.
Neurospora crassa genome: The complete DNA sequence of Neurospora crassa, including its genes and regulatory regions. Genome resources let researchers connect mutant phenotypes with specific sequences and pathways.
Edward Tatum: An American geneticist and biochemist who studied gene-controlled biochemical reactions. His collaboration with Beadle used Neurospora mutants to identify nutritional requirements.
Neurospora crassa mating types: Two genetically distinct mating types that enable sexual reproduction in Neurospora crassa. Crosses between mating types allow researchers to track inheritance through sexual reproduction.

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