Coprinopsis cinerea

Species of fungus
Speciesbox
| image = Coprinopsis spec. Lindsey 2a. jpg
| image caption =
| genus = Coprinopsis
| species = cinerea
| authority = (Schaeff.) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo (2001)
| synonyms ref = and the evolution of multicellularity of fungi. The genome sequence was published in 2010. It is considered to be particularly suited organism to study meiosis, due to its synchronous meiotic development and prolonged prophase.

Researchers in 2014 discovered a protein produced by Coprinopsis cinerea with antibiotic properties. The protein, known as copsin, has similar effects to other non protein organically derived antibiotics. To date, it has not been determined whether antibiotic medicine for humans and other animals can be developed from this protein.

Coprinopsis cinerea can be grown on complex (e. g. YMG, YMG/T) or minimal media (e. g. mKjalke medium), solid or liquid, with or without agitation, at 25 °C or optimally at 37 °C. It can be grown in dark or with 12 h light/12 h dark cycle.

C. cinereus strain PG78 (A6B42, trp1.1;1.6, pab1) is an AmutBmut monokaryon, self compatible strain, with trp and pab auxotrophic markers (requires tryptophan and p aminobenzoate).

Coprinopsis cinerea strain Okayama 7 (#130) was sequenced with 10x coverage in 2003. A third and most recent revision of the sequence of strain Okayama 7 (#130) was released in 2010. Its haploid genome is ca. 37.5 Mb.

Coprinopsis cinerea can be transformed with exogenous DNA by transformation when the fungus is a protoplast. It was found that disrupting (knockout or RNAi silencing) ku70 homologue can increase gene targeting via increased homologous recombination. Either protoplasts derived from oidia or vegetative mycelium can be used, however, gene targeting was found to be higher by 2% (based on phenotyping) when using vegetative mycelium. It was recently found that a TET (Ten Eleven translocation dioxygenases) homologue, CcTET, was identified in C. cinerea, which may have important human (or mammalian) implications like cancer. DNA methylation is vital in humans and dysfunction is associated with cancer, thus, studying methylation reactions in non mammalians may provide better insight into mammalian methylation reactions.

Coprinopsis cinerea can sense blue light. It was identified that gene Cc. wc 2 is involved in blue light photoreception.

Coprinopsis cinerea is an ideal model for studying meiosis because meiosis progresses synchronously in about 10 million cells within each mushroom cap. Meiosis is a specialized cell division process, occurring in diploid cells, in which a single round of DNA replication occurs, and is followed by two divisions to produce four haploid daughter nuclei. During meiosis homologous chromosomes pair with each other and undergo a DNA repair process in which DNA damage is removed and genetic information is recombined. Burns et al. Most reported cases have been respiratory infections, but cases involving the heart, skin, brain or gut have been reported, and the infections may rapidly become systemic. Whilst exceptionally rare, Coprinopsis cinerea infection is difficult to treat and often fatal in this vulnerable patient group. The infection is caused by the mould like asexual (non mushroom forming) anamorph of Coprinopsis cinerea which used to be known as Hormographiella aspergillata, and may be described under this name in the clinical literature.