A strain of an organism, especially a fungus or protozoan, that can undergo conjugation and sexual reproduction only with another, genetically distinct, strain of the same species.
Origin
1930s.
Definition of mating type in US English:
mating type
noun
Biology
A strain of an organism, especially a fungus or protozoan, that can undergo conjugation and sexual reproduction only with another, genetically distinct, strain of the same species.