Transformation of Aspergillus niger using the argB gene of Aspergillus nidulans

A mutant of Aspergillus niger defective in ornithine transcarbamylase function was transformed with plasmids carrying a functional copy of the argB gene of Aspergillus nidulans after treatment of spheroplasts in the presence of polyethylene glycol and calcium ions. The plasmid pDG3 gave stable transformants at a frequency of 4 per microgram of input DNA. Southern blot analysis of DNA from transformants showed that pDG3 DNA had integrated into the A. niger chromosomes at a variety of locations. The transformants were phenotypically stable for many mitotic divisions. This procedure may potentially be used to insert any gene into the genome of A. niger. A cosmid shuttle vector, pDG1, for cloning in Aspergillus was also constructed.     

The amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans: control by multiple regulatory signals

The amdS gene of A. nidulans has proved extremely favourable for the isolation of mutations affecting gene regulation. Trans-acting regulatory genes involved in amdS induction by small molecular weight effectors have been identified – amdR (ω-amino acids) facB (acetate) and amdA (acetate). Another gene, the areA gene, has properties expected of a major activator gene involved in nitrogen metabolite repression of amdS. All of these regulatory genes are also involved in the control of various other functions encoded by structural genes unlinked to amdS. Mutations in the 5′-region adjacent to amdS have been isolated and allow the identification of independent cis-acting sequences which are the target sites for the regulatory genes. The involvement of these sequences in regulatory product binding has been deduced from titration studies using transformants containing multiple copies of the 5′ sequences. A combination of genetics and molecular analysis is allowing a detailed characterization of this system.     

Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans by the argB gene

Aspergillus nidulans argB mutant was transformed with the plasmid DNA containing the argB gene. Analysis of transformants revealed that transformation was due to integration of either argB gene alone or the whole plasmid DNA into the A. nidulans genome. In 5 out of 23 transformants studied, integration took place in the locus different than the original argB locus. The amplification of integrated sequences was often observed. Integrated DNA was found to be mitotically stable, while the meiotic stability depends on the mode of integration. The activity of the ornithine carbamoyltransferase (the argB gene product) was measured and in some transformants bearing the amplified argB sequence was found to be strongly elevated.     

Identification of the sites of action for regulatory genes controlling the amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans.

The amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans, which encodes an acetamidase enzyme, is positively regulated by the trans-acting genes amdR, facB, amdA, and areA. Sequence changes in several cis-acting mutations in the 5' region of the gene which specifically affect amdS regulation were determined. The amdI9 mutation, which results in increased facB-dependent acetate induction, is due to a single-base change at base pair -210 relative to the start point of translation. The amdI93 mutation, which abolishes amdR-dependent omega-amino acid induction, is a deletion of base pairs -181 to -151. The amdI66 mutation, which causes increased gene activation in strains carrying amdA regulatory gene mutations, is a duplication of base pairs -107 to -90. Transformation of A. nidulans can generate transformants containing multiple integrated copies of plasmid sequences. When these plasmids carry a potential binding site for a regulatory gene product, growth on substrates whose catabolism requires genes activated by that regulatory gene can be reduced, apparently because of titration of the regulatory gene product. Introduction of 5' amdS sequences via cotransformation into strains of various genotypes was used to localize sequences apparently involved in binding of the products of the amdR, amdA, and facB genes. The position of these sequences is in agreement with the positions of the specific cis-acting mutations. Consistent with these results, a transformant of A. nidulans derived from a plasmid deleted for sequences upstream from -111 was found to have lost amdR- and facB-mediated control but was still regulated by the amdA gene. In addition, amdS expression in this transformant was still dependent on the areA gene.     

Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans using the argB gene

Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans has been achieved using a chimeric vector comprising Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus nidulans DNA. Protoplasts of argB^? strains (defective for the ornithine carbamoyl transferase [carbamoylphosphate: l-ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.3] gene) of A. nidulans were incubated with plasmid pSal43 containing the cloned argB⁺ gene in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol) and CaCl₂. Transformant progeny was of three types; the majority were small slow-growing colonies which were non-viable when transferred to MM. The remaining large colonies, which were recovered at a frequency of 50 μg^?1 DNA in the best experiments, made up the other two types. One group were mitotically stable, showing no evidence of instability; the other comprised unstable types which segregated apparent transformant and parental phenotypes. The apparent transformants showed similar segregational properties. Southern hybridizations with a stable transformant suggested that it arose following integration of the argB⁺ at the arg locus. Analysis of an unstable transformant suggested that possibly more than one copy of the plasmid was integrated and then subjected to rearrangement.     

Yeast proteins can activate expression through regulatory sequences of the amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans

The upstream regulatory region of the amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans contains a CCAAT sequence known to be important in setting both basal and derepressed levels of expression. We have investigated whether the CCAAT-binding HAP2/3/4 complex of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can recognise this sequence in an amdS context. Sequences from the 5′ region of amdS were cloned in front of the CYCI-lacZ fusion gene bearing a minimal promoter and transformed into wild-type and hap2 strains of yeast. This study has indicated that amdS sequences are capable of promoting regulated expression of the fusion gene in response to carbon limitation. The yeast HAP2/3/4 complex can recognise the amdS CCAAT sequence and activate expression from this sequence. In addition, the results indicate that other yeast proteins can also regulate expression from the A. nidulans amdS 5′ sequences under carbon-limiting conditions.     

黑曲霉电转化条件的研究

研究避免了繁琐的原生体制备过程,直接使用萌发的黑曲霉孢子进行电转化,以潮霉素B作为筛选标记,从孢子萌发时间、电场强度及质粒浓度等方面考察了电转化效率的影响因素。研究表明,针对A.nigerMGG029-ΔaamA,其理想的电转化条件:孢子龄为4d,孢子萌发时间为2h,电场强度为5kV/cm。在上述条件下分别使用1μg环状或线状pBC-Hygro质粒DNA进行转化,平均可以得到34个和51个转化子,而在同样条件下使用质粒pRS303H平均可以获得163个和258个转化子。     

Transformation of Aspergillus oryzae using the A. niger pyrG gene

Summary A transformation system for Aspergillus oryzae based on the orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase gene (pyrG) was developed. Transformation frequencies of up to 16 transformants per g of DNA were obtained with the vector pAB4-1, which carries the pyrG gene of A. niger. Southern blotting analysis showed that vector DNA sequences were integrated into the chromosomal DNA, in various copy numbers and presumably at different sites. Efficient cotransformation of an unselectable gene was also shown. Under the conditions used no transformants were obtained with the equivalent pyr4 gene of Neurospora crassa.     

Transformation by integration in Aspergillus nidulans

DNA-mediated genetic transformation of Aspergillus nidulans has been achieved by incubating protoplasts from a strain of A. nidulans carrying a deletion in the acetamidase structural gene with DNA of derivatives of plasmid pBR322 containing the cloned structural gene for acetamidase [Hynes et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 3 (1983) 1430-1439; p3SR2] in the presence of polyethylene glycol and CaCl2. The highest frequency obtained was 25 transformants per microgram of DNA. No enhancement of the transformation frequency was observed when DNAs of plasmids carrying either a fragment of the A. nidulans ribosomal repeat (p3SR2rr) or a fragment containing a possible A. nidulans mitochondrial origin of replication (p3SR2mo) in addition to the acetamidase gene were used. Both pBR322 and acetamidase gene sequences become integrated into the genome of A. nidulans in transformant strains. Integration events into the residual sequences adjacent to the deletion in the acetamidase gene, and probably (for p3SR2rr and p3SR2mo) into the ribosomal repeat unit are described.     

Expression and secretion in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger of a cell surface glycoprotein from the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus, by using the fungal amdS promoter system.

A cell surface glycoprotein (Bm86) from cells of the digestive tract of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus, which has been shown to elicit a protective immunological response in vaccinated cattle, was expressed and secreted in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger by using the fungal amdS promoter system. The cloned gene coded for the Bm86 secretory signal and all of the Bm86 mature polypeptide except for the hydrophobic carboxy-terminal segment. High levels of Bm86 mRNA were detected in the transformed cells. Bm86 polypeptide was secreted from the cells in a soluble form and it was glycosylated, probably to a similar extent to the native glycoprotein. The recombinant product had an apparent molecular mass of 83 to 87 kilodaltons, whereas that predicted from the amino acid sequence was 69 kilodaltons. The Bm86 was expressed at levels of up to 1.8 mg/liter, or approximately 6% of secreted protein under the growth conditions used. No intracellular Bm86 was detected. A general relationship was observed between transformants containing a high number of copies of the expression plasmid and high expression levels.     

Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans with the hygromycin-resistance gene, hph

Aspergillus nidulans strain G191 was transformed to hygromycin resistance using plasmid pDH25, which contains the bacterial hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene (hph) fused to promoter elements of the A. nidulans trpC gene. Southern hybridizations of transformants revealed multiple, integrated copies of the vector. A pleiotropic effect conferring increased hygromycin B sensitivity was found to be associated with the A. nidulans pyrG89 allele. Plasmid pDH25 features a ClaI site immediately preceding the hph start codon thus permitting convenient replacement of the trpC sequences with other eukaryotic promoters.     

A dominant selectable marker that is meiotically stable in Neurospora crassa: the amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans.

Summary When Neurospora crassa is transformed using a Neurospora gene as the selectable marker, the vegetatively stable transformants obtained cannot be used successfully in a cross because the selectable marker will be inactivated by the process of RIP (repeat-induced point mutation). Introduction of the acetamidase-encoding gene amdS of Aspergillus nidulans into N. crassa by transformation yielded transformants that would grow in minimal medium containing acetamide as a sole nitrogen source. In mitotically stable transformants containing a single copy of the amdS gene, the capacity to utilize acetamide as a sole nitrogen source was maintained in the progeny of a sexual cross. Therefore, the A. nidulans amdS gene is an appropriate dominant selectable marker for use in transformation analyses with N. crassa in which sexual crosses will be subsequently performed.     

Expression and secretion in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger of a cell surface glycoprotein from the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus, by using the fungal amdS promoter system

A cell surface glycoprotein (Bm86) from cells of the digestive tract of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus, which has been shown to elicit a protective immunological response in vaccinated cattle, was expressed and secreted in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger by using the fungal amdS promoter system. The cloned gene coded for the Bm86 secretory signal and all of the Bm86 mature polypeptide except for the hydrophobic carboxy-terminal segment. High levels of Bm86 mRNA were detected in the transformed cells. Bm86 polypeptide was secreted from the cells in a soluble form and it was glycosylated, probably to a similar extent to the native glycoprotein. The recombinant product had an apparent molecular mass of 83 to 87 kilodaltons, whereas that predicted from the amino acid sequence was 69 kilodaltons. The Bm86 was expressed at levels of up to 1.8 mg/liter, or approximately 6% of secreted protein under the growth conditions used. No intracellular Bm86 was detected. A general relationship was observed between transformants containing a high number of copies of the expression plasmid and high expression levels.     

Transformation of Aspergillus niger with the homologous nitrate reductase gene

A homologous transformation for Aspergillus niger was developed based on the nitrate reductase structural gene niaD. This system offered certain advantages over existing A. niger systems, such as the ease of recipient mutant isolation, absence of abortive transformants, convenient enzyme assay, ease of transformant stability testing, and complete absence of background growth. Transformation frequencies of up to 100 transformants per microgram DNA were obtained with the vector pSTA10 which carries the niaD gene of A. niger. Southern blotting analysis indicated that vector DNA had integrated into the genome of A. niger. Mitotic stability studies demonstrated that while some transformants were as stable as the wild-type (wt), others were markedly less so. No correlation was seen between plasmid integration, mitotic stability and nitrate reductase activity, which was markedly different from wt in only three of the transformants examined.     

Transformation of Aspergillus alliaceus using the Aspergillus niger niaD gene encoding nitrate reductase

Abstract A heterologous transformation system for Aspergillus alliaceus based on the Aspergillus niger nitrate reductase structural gene ( niaD ) has been developed. Two mutants of A. alliaceus (M3 and M17), each carrying an niaD mutation were isolated by screening UV-irradiated cells for the inability to grow on nitrate as sole nitrogen source. Using plasmid pSTA 10, transformation frequencies of 4 and 200 per μg DNA respectively were obtained for these two strains. All the niaD ⁺ transformants tested were mitotically stable. Southern hybridisation analyses showed that the vector DNA sequences were present.     

A mutation, adjacent to gene amdS, defining the site of action of positive-control gene amdR in Aspergillus nidulans

In Aspergillus nidulans the acetamidase enzyme is inducible by omega-amino acids, sources of acetyl-coenzyme A, and benzoate. The amdR (or intA) gene is a positive-control gene involved in omega-amino acid induction only. A cis-acting mutation amdI93 located in a complex controlling region adjacent to the acetamidase structural gene was found to abolish induction by omega-amino acids but not induction by other sources of induction. As predicted, this mutation was epistatic to constitutive amdR alleles but did not affect the expression of mutations in other regulatory genes.