Origin, Evolution, and Extinction of Asexual Fungi: Experimental Tests Using Cryptococcus neoformans

This chapter reviews and discusses recent experimental studies using the model basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans to test the effects of spontaneous mutations and biological interactions that may have contributed to the distribution of asexual fungal strains and species in nature. To begin with, the author first introduces some background information on fungal sexuality and spontaneous mutations. The study of fungal sexuality could …