Neurospora

Neurospora is a genus of Ascomycetous fungi that is used as a model organism in biology. It is particularly significant in the field of genetics and has been extensively studied for over a century.

Taxonomy

The genus Neurospora was first described by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon in 1796. It is classified under the family Sordariaceae in the order Sordariales. The genus contains about 12 species, the most well-known of which is Neurospora crassa.

Biology

Neurospora species are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions, where they grow on burnt plant material. They are saprophytic, meaning they obtain their nutrients from decaying organic matter. The fungi produce ascospores within a sac-like structure called an ascus, which is characteristic of the Ascomycota.

Use in research

Neurospora has been used as a model organism in biological research for many years. It was first used in the 1940s by George Wells Beadle and Edward Lawrie Tatum in their work on the one gene-one enzyme hypothesis, which earned them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1958. The organism's simple life cycle and ease of cultivation make it an ideal model for genetic studies.

See also

• Model organism
• Fungal genetics

External links

• Fungal Genetics Stock Center: Neurospora

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