It has a tetrapolar mating system with each cell containing two mating-type loci (called A and B) that govern different aspects of the mating process, leading to 4 possible phenotypes after cell fusion. Each locus codes for a mating type sublocus (α or β) and each type is multi-allelic: the A locus has 9 alleles for the α type and an estimated 32 for its β type, and the B locus has 9 alleles each for both its α and β types. When combined this gives an estimated 9 × 32 × 9 × 9 = 23328 potential mating type specificities. This does not mean all different mating types are compatible with one another, because compatibility between haploid individuals exists only when for both the A and the B mating-type locus at least the α or β are different. Strains are thus compatible with ( 1 − 1/ (9 × 32) ) × ( 1 − 1/ (9 × 9) ) ≈ 0.984 = 98.4 % of the population.
To save you a search:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophyllum_commune#Mating
Imagine how much easier dating would be if you’re default compatible with over 98% of the population. Making me jealous.
I’m just not into the A locus though
All 288 variations? Problematic.
And it’s wasted on plants, who just spread their cum around the whole damn planet and make me sneeze.
Fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants.
These aren’t plants? Are there even plants with mating types?
Most plants are both genders, they produce male and female parts.
Yep, I started writing something about that but then I figured it detracted from “fungi are not plants”.