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explain dikaryon

The dikaryon is a nuclear feature which is unique to some fungi (the alga Derbesia is an exception.The mushroom life cycle is similar to that of the filamentous Ascomycota in that following monokaryons formation, there is a prolonged dikaryon stage prior to to karyogamy. However, a significant difference is that sexual organs are absent. It is thought that sexual organs of Basidiomycetes were lost during their evolution and that vegetative hyphae have taken over the function of sexual organs. Dikaryon formation begins with the fusion of hyphal cells between compatible monokayons . The monokaryon stage of the Basidiomycotina is short-lived and fusion with a compatible monokaryon occurs soon after basidiospore germination. The dikaryon is the mycelium that produces the basidiocarp, and as in the Ascomycota, only certain dikaryotic cells will function in basidia and basidiospore formation, e.g. dikaryotic cells in the hymenium . 


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