The use of conserved cellulase family-specific sequences to clone cellulase homologue cDNAs from Fusarium oxysporum.

Five cDNAs from the cellulolytic fungi Fusarium oxysporum that code for five distinct cellulase homologues have been cloned and sequenced. The cloning strategy exploited the hydrophobic cluster analysis-based cellulase family classification of Henrissat and Bairoch [Biochem. J. 293 (1993) 781-788] to design degenerate oligodeoxyribonucleotides (oligos) that encoded amino-acid sequences conserved in an intra-family, but not inter-family, manner among cellulases from different species. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments using F. oxysporum genomic DNA primed with these 'family-specific' oligos were used to rapidly generate PCR fragments which were in turn used to probe cDNA libraries. Two distinct cDNAs coding for cellulase C-family homologues and one cDNA each coding for homologues to the B, F and K families, were isolated in this manner. This approach is an example of the power of multiple sequence analysis to generate cross-species, homology-based probes to rapidly clone homologues in a species of interest.

Molecular analysis of the argB gene of Aspergillus nidulans.

The transcriptional organization and sequence of the Aspergillus nidulans argB gene, encoding ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCTase; E.C. 2.1.3.3.), was determined. Transcription of the gene begins within a methionine-initiated open translation reading frame, indicating that a second methionine codon of the open reading frame is used for translation initiation. The predicted length of the OCTase precursor peptide is 359 amino acids, and it contains a highly basic amino terminus that is probably involved in mitochondrial targeting. There is extensive homology between Aspergillus OCTase and mammalian and bacterial OCTases and weaker homology between the Aspergillus polypeptide and bacterial arginine carbamoyl transferase.

Mitotic crossing over in chromosome I disomics of Aspergillus nidulans.

The frequency and pattern of homologous recombination in chromosome I disomics of Aspergillus nidulans is presented. Approximately 6% of randomly selected haploid breakdown sectors are recombinant. Most of these arise from double exchange events, one of which is located in the centromere region, the other distal on the left arm. Other marked regions are rarely involved in a recombination event. Reciprocal genotypes arise in approximately equal frequencies indicating that exchange results in reciprocally recombined non-sister chromatids at the four strand stage of mitosis. Possible theories for the extreme localisation of exchange events are discussed.

Genetic and molecular characterization of argB+ transformants of Aspergillus nidulans.

Thirty-three argB- to argB+ transformants of Aspergillus nidulans have been subjected to genetic and molecular analysis. Two showed high levels of mitotic instability although it is suggested that this is a consequence of heterokaryosis rather than instability of the transformation event. Most transformants resulted from the integration of the transforming DNA in tandem with the chromosomal argB locus. The maximum number of inserted sequences was two, to generate three copies of the argB locus. The other main transformant type showed replacement of the argB- mutation by the wild-type allele present on the transforming plasmid. Transformants were also recovered in which the transforming DNA had integrated into non-homologous chromosomal regions. Selfed or hybrid cleistothetica from all transformants, except the gene replacement types gave arginine requiring recombinants. Most transformants showed low levels of meiotic instability. Others displayed varying levels which in some cases differed between selfed and hybrid cleistotheticia. There was some correlation between meiotic instability and the nature of the transformation event. Diploid parasexual and aneuploid analysis located the integrated DNA in each transformant to chromosome III. Two transformants were isolated as heterozygous diploids. A third diploid was isolated as a stable mitotic segregant from one of the mitotically unstable transformants.

Mitotic recombination in stable and unstable chromosome III disomics of Aspergillus nidulans.

Approximately 2% of the haploid breakdown sectors of heterozygous chromosome III disomics of Aspergillus nidulans are the result of recombination between the homologous chromosomes. The exchanges are concentrated between the two mutations spanning the centromere. Comparisons are made between disomics hemizygous for the sodIII A1 mutation (Upshall et al. 1979) which are stable when grown at 37 degrees C, and disomics carrying the wild type allele of the sodIII A1 locus, which are unstable under all conditions. It is shown that neither temperature nor the sodIII A1 mutation affect the frequency or pattern of recombination between the homologues.

Identification and molecular analysis of a third Aspergillus nidulans alcohol dehydrogenase gene.

An Aspergillus nidulans functional cDNA encoding an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) was isolated by its ability to complement an adh1 mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Alignment of the cDNA and cloned genomic DNA sequences indicated that the ADH gene contains two small introns. The presence of ethanol in the growth medium was shown to result in ADH mRNA accumulation presumably due to transcriptional induction of the gene. However, ADH mRNA accumulation was at most only partially repressed by the presence of glucose. The ADH gene characterized here is designated ADH3 since it is distinct from the alcA gene which encodes ADH I and appears distinct from the gene which encodes ADH II. We demonstrated that the first intron in the A. nidulans ADH3 gene was not efficiently spliced in S. cerevisiae whereas the promoter region was utilized weakly. We also present a comparison of the primary structure of A. nidulans ADH III with the alcohol dehydrogenases of S. cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Paramorphogenic and genotoxic activity of Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate in Aspergillus nidulans.

The genotoxic activities of Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate in Aspergillus nidulans were assessed in order to evaluate their relative merits as paramorphogenic agents. Triton X-100 was found to be ideally suited to this purpose due to its efficient paramorphogenic effect and lack of genotoxicity. Sodium dodecyl sulphate was considered unsuitable since it reduced viability and was inconsistent in its paramorphogenic action.

Isolation of aneuploid-generating mutants of Aspergillus nidulans, one of which is defective in interphase of the cell cycle.

A method is described for isolating mutants potentially defective in loci involved in mitotic chromosome segregation. Conditional lethal, heat-sensitive (42 degrees ) mutants were assayed at a subrestrictive temperature of 37 degrees for an inflated production of colonies displaying phenotypes and behavior patterns of whole chromosome aneuploids. Of 14 mutants, three showed specificity for one disomic phenotype, whereas 11 generated colonies mosaic for different aneuploid phenotypes. This latter group is designated hfa (high frequency of aneuploid). For ten of the 11 mutants temperature sensitivity and aneuploid production cosegregated, indicating a single mutation in each. These mutations were recessive and nonallelic. Analysis was concentrated on the hfaB3 mutation which is mapped to chromosome VI tightly linked to the methB and tsB loci. The disruptive influence of hfaB3 on mitosis at 37 degrees was shown by (1) ploidy and whole chromosome-type segregation of markers in the breakdown sectors of phenotypically aneuploid colonies obtained from multiply marked homozygous hfaB3 disploids; (2) a high frequency of haploid and nondisjunctional diploid segregants among spontaneous yellow-spored parasexual recombinants taken from green-spored homozygous hfaB3 diploids. The mutation had no effect on meiotic chromosome segregation at 37 degrees. The single interphase nucleus in germlings at 42 degrees, coupled with changes in the mitotic index in temperature exchange experiments, showed hfaB3 to arrest the cell cycle in interphase at restrictive temperature. A conclusion drawn is that the hfaB gene product is required both for entry into mitosis and for normal chromosome segregation in dividing nuclei.

S-phase, G2, and nuclear division mutants of Aspergillus nidulans.

Twenty-two temperature-sensitive cell cycle mutants of the fungus Aspergillus nidulans, which block in interphase at restrictive temperature, were analyzed by the reciprocal shift method of Jarvik and Botstein (Proc. Nath Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 70:2046-2050, 1973) and Hereford and Hartwell (J. Mol. Biol. 84:445-461, 1974) to determine whether these mutations were blocked at the G1, S, or G2 phase of the cell cycle. We found five mutants to be blocked in S and nine to be blocked in G2. Two of the G2 mutants were atypical in that they were not able to accomplish the G2 to M transition at restrictive temperature but nevertheless could initiate subsequent cycles of DNA replication. None was blocked in G1. There were nine strains that could not be classified. The block imposed by restrictive temperature was irreversible in three of these strains, and the six other strains were unclassifiable due to their aberrant terminal nuclear phenotypes.

Mitotic aneuploidy induced by sodium deoxycholate in Aspergillus nidulans.

Sodium deoxycholate is shown to induce aneuploidy in a heterozygous diploid strain of Aspergillus nidulans. It is suggested that this is the result of interference with the normal functioning of the mitotic apparatus through disruption of the nuclear membrane. This effect limits the value of sodium deoxycholate as a paramorphogenic agent in the estimation of the genotoxic effects of environmental and genetic factors.

Naturally occurring diploid isolates of Aspergillus nidulans.

Six wild isolates belonging to heterokaryon compatibility group A of the Birmingham Aspergillus nidulans collection were shown to be diploid. Five were proven heterozygous for a naturally occurring conditional lethal haploid genotype. It is considered unlikely that these diploids arose by mutation in storage. Consequently, somatic diploidy is a regular occurrence in the natural population of this saprophytic species.

Detection and identification of translocations by increased specific nondisjunction in Aspergillus nidulans.

A meiotic technique for visual detection of translocations has been applied to ten mitotically identified interchanges, and three new translocations were discovered using this method. Testcrosses between "standard" strains and potential translocation strains-e.g. strains with newly induced mutants or descendants from translocation crosses-are inspected for the frequency of abnormal-looking colonies. In all heterozygous translocation crosses "abnormals" are increased at least tenfold compared to the average control level of 0.15%. Most of these are disomics, and can be recognized by their characteristic phenotypes. Each translocation produces a few specific types, since nondisjunction is increased mainly in the linkage groups involved in the translocation (50-100-fold over control values). Therefore, translocations were not only detected but often tentatively assigned to linkage groups from the analysis of the disomic progeny in crosses. In addition, this technique allows reciprocal and nonreciprocal translocations to be distinguished, since only the latter produce one-third phenotypically abnormal duplication progeny. While results are clearcut in most cases, occasionally problems are encountered, e.g. when morphological mutants segregate in crosses, or when other genetic factors which increase or reduce the frequency of nondisjunction are present in certain strains.