The genetic structure of the A mating-type locus of Lentinula edodes

- We identified the A mating-type locus of Lentinula edodes.
- Two intron-length polymorphism markers were developed.
- Homeodomain regions of the A mating-type genes are conserved across the Agaricales.
- Atypical gene order was observed around the A locus of L. edodes.
- The mip gene of L. edodes is not closely linked to the A locus.

The Shiitake mushroom, Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler is a tetrapolar basidiomycete with two unlinked mating-type loci, commonly called the A and B loci. Identifying the mating-types in shiitake is important for enhancing the breeding and cultivation of this economically-important edible mushroom. Here, we identified the A mating-type locus from the first draft genome sequence of L. edodes and characterized multiple alleles from different monokaryotic strains. Two intron-length polymorphism markers were developed to facilitate rapid molecular determination of A mating-type. L. edodes sequences were compared with those of known tetrapolar and bipolar basidiomycete species. The A mating-type genes are conserved at the homeodomain region across the order Agaricales. However, we observed unique genomic organization of the locus in L. edodes which exhibits atypical gene order and multiple repetitive elements around its A locus. To our knowledge, this is the first known exception among Homobasidiomycetes, in which the mitochondrial intermediate peptidase (mip) gene is not closely linked to A locus.