ReviewMechanisms of cytokinesis in basidiomycetous yeasts

•Basidiomycetous yeasts undergo open mitosis.•Entry into cytokinesis may be controlled by pathways similar to metazoans.•C. neoformans forms primary septum and two secondary septa, similar to S. cerevisiae.•U. maydis forms primary septum and a single secondary septum.•Both yeasts have evolved alternative pathways operating in the absence of septins.

While mechanisms of cytokinesis exhibit considerable plasticity, it is difficult to precisely define the level of conservation of this essential part of cell division in fungi, as majority of our knowledge is based on ascomycetous yeasts. However, in the last decade more details have been uncovered regarding cytokinesis in the second largest fungal phylum, basidiomycetes, specifically in two yeasts, Cryptococcus neoformans and Ustilago maydis. Based on these findings, and current sequenced genomes, we summarize cytokinesis in basidiomycetous yeasts, indicating features that may be unique to this phylum, species-specific characteristics, as well as mechanisms that may be common to all eukaryotes.