Reversion of a long-living, undifferentiated mutant of Podospora anserina by copper.

The Podospora anserina nuclear mutant grisea displays an undifferentiated growth phenotype (diminished production of aerial hyphae), is female sterile (lack of perithecia), has a prolonged life-span compared to the wild-type strain, and lacks detectable phenoloxidase (laccase and tyrosinase) activity. Reversion of all of these characteristics to those of the wild-type phenotype was accomplished by supplementing the growth medium with extra amounts of copper salts. These results indicate that the primary defect of the grisea strain is in its copper uptake and/or distribution in the cells.