Living Beings
    Source-identified Neurospora crassa; Source-identified documentary image; see the original file for method and context. Framed for display
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    Neurospora crassahyphae.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Source-identified documentary image; see the original file for method and context. Roland Gromes · CC BY-SA 3.0

    Field guide · species

    Neurospora crassa

    Shear & B. O. Dodge 1927

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    The authority credits the formal scientific description of the name. A year records publication of that description.

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    FungiSordariomycetesSordarialesSordariaceae

    Neurospora crassa is a filamentous fungus known for orange spore masses and its role in the history of genetics. A branching mycelium, rather than a single yeast cell, is its principal vegetative growth form.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomFungi
    4. PhylumAscomycota
    5. ClassSordariomycetes
    6. OrderSordariales
    7. FamilySordariaceae
    8. GenusNeurospora
    9. SpeciesNeurospora crassa
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Opisthokonta clade
    4. Fungi kingdom
    5. Dikarya subkingdom
    6. Ascomycota phylum
    7. saccharomyceta clade
    8. Pezizomycotina subphylum
    9. leotiomyceta clade
    10. sordariomyceta clade
    11. Sordariomycetes class
    12. Sordariomycetidae subclass
    13. Sordariales order
    14. Sordariaceae family
    15. Neurospora genus
    16. Neurospora crassa species
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    Structure and identification

    Hyphae form a spreading network and produce abundant orange-colored asexual spores under suitable conditions.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Habitat and range

    Plant-derived organic substrates support growth. Laboratory media make it possible to follow the development of an individual fungal lineage.

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    Nutrition and metabolism

    External enzymes and nutrient uptake allow the fungus to use organic carbon sources, including sugars.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Biological activity

    Hyphal extension and branching spread the colony. Daily timing of development has made this species useful in circadian research.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Reproduction and life cycle

    Asexual conidia disperse growth. Sexual reproduction between compatible mating types produces spores in sac-like asci inside fruiting structures.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    Culture collections contain isolates from different localities. Their holdings do not by themselves establish the full current geographic range.

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    Ecological role

    The fungus participates in the breakdown and recolonization of plant-derived material.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Distinctive adaptations

    Genome-defense processes, including repeat-induced point mutation, distinguish its genetic biology from that of many other model fungi.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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