What is Neurospora?

Neurospora is the name of a fungal genus containing several distinct species. Fungal genera propagate in one of two basic ways.

1. The fungi called yeasts are found as populations of individual cells, and each cell propagates by cell division.
2. Filamentous (mycelial) fungi have thread-like cells that propagate by tip extension and branching.

Both yeasts and filamentous fungi have been extensively used as model organisms for the study of genetics. The genus Neurospora is one of the main groups of filamentous fungi that have been used as model organisms because this genus has many features that lend themselves to this use.


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