Which of the following events follows cell fusion in an ascomycete?
a. Conidiophore formation
b. Conidiospore germination
c. Ascus opening
d. Ascospore formation
e. Conidiospore release

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the life cycle of ascomycetes, focusing on the sexual reproduction phase where cell fusion (plasmogamy) occurs.

Recall that after cell fusion, the next key event is karyogamy, where the nuclei fuse to form a diploid nucleus inside the ascus.

Following karyogamy, meiosis occurs within the ascus, leading to the formation of haploid ascospores.

Recognize that ascospore formation happens inside the ascus, making it the event that directly follows cell fusion.

Eliminate options related to asexual reproduction (conidiophore formation, conidiospore germination, and release) and ascus opening, which occurs after ascospore formation.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Cell Fusion in Ascomycetes

Cell fusion, or plasmogamy, is the process where two compatible fungal cells merge their cytoplasm without immediately fusing their nuclei. This event initiates the sexual reproductive cycle in ascomycetes and sets the stage for subsequent nuclear events leading to spore formation.

Ascospore Formation

Following cell fusion and nuclear fusion (karyogamy), the diploid nucleus undergoes meiosis to produce haploid nuclei, which develop into ascospores inside a sac-like structure called the ascus. Ascospore formation is a key step in the sexual reproduction of ascomycetes.

Conidiophore and Conidiospore Formation

Conidiophores are specialized hyphae that produce asexual spores called conidiospores. These structures and spores are involved in asexual reproduction and occur independently of the sexual cycle initiated by cell fusion in ascomycetes.

Recommended video:

Guided course

03:08

Formation & Breakdown of Polysaccharides

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Why is it significant that Trichomonas does not have a cyst stage? Name a protozoan parasite that does have a cyst stage.

1604

views

Textbook Question

Complete the following table.

751