A gene cluster with positive and negative elements controls bistability and hysteresis of the crippled versus normal growth in the fungus Podospora anserina

•The CG phenomenon of Podospora anserina is a convenient model to study bistability and hysteresis in a natural signaling pathway.•Here, we identify the “86–11” locus containing twelve genes, ten of which are involved in controlling bistability and hysteresis of CG.•Evolution of 86–11 between P. anserina and its sibling species Podospora comata is puzzling.