Parasexual Cycle
There are many species of Deuteromycota in which a sexual stage is not known. Of these, there are, undoubtedly, species in which sexual reproduction occurs only in a restricted set of environmental conditions so that the occurrence of the sexual stage is infrequent. However, it is also apparent that some species have lost the ability to reproduce, sexually. Yet, many of the Deuteromycota are highly successful in their environment. Since sexual reproduction is the means by which genetic diversity is maintained in eukaryotic organisms, and diversity is the the key to survival in species, how would a species that has apparently lost the ability to reproduce, sexually, survive? A possible mechanism that provides an answer to this question is the parasexual cycle. This is a process in which plasmogamy, karyogamy and haploidization takes place, but not in any particular place in the thallus nor at any specific period during its lifecycle.
Parasexuality was first discovered by Pontecorvo and Roper (1952) in Aspergillus nidulans. During the parasexual cycle, the following events take place: