Question

Neurospora crassa is widely used in genetical studies because of all the following except one.

• A. It is a haploid plant and mutations can be easily detected
• B. It can be easily cultured
• C. Life-cycle short
• D. Spores are not affected by mutagens

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Spores are not affected by mutagens

• Neurospora crassa is a fungus which belongs to the group of ascomycete. It is commonly called as the red bread mold.
• They have a short life cycle and can be easily cultured and maintained in the laboratory. They are haploid in nature and thus, even the recessive type of genes are able to be expressed.
• The fungus reproduces by spores. It produces two kinds of spores as conidia and ascospores. When the conidia of one mating type of Neurospora was exposed to ultraviolet rays.
• The individual irradiated spores were allowed to germinate on a complete medium. Once each had developed a mycelium, it was allowed to mate with the other mating type.
• The ascospores produced were dissected out individually and each one placed on the complete medium. There was no effect of mutagens.

Thus, the correct answer is option D.