A monokaryotization method and its use for genetic studies in wood-rotting basidiomycetes.

A monokaryotization method allows the recovery of the two monokaryotic components (= neohaplonts) from a dikaryon within a sample of few mycelial fragments. This relatively gentle, simple and rapid procedure makes use of glycine containing solutions low in phosphate and magnesium ions. It proved to be successful in all 14 strains (among them two multiple mutants) of the five species tested. No variant or mutant was found among the neohaplonts, not even in a sample of 1018 isolates from a single dikaryon. The method is useful for genetical studies and breeding work with sterile strains.