ABSTRACT
We herein report the development of a molecular toolbox for the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, specifically a more efficient transformation and a gene expression system. We evaluated several parameters that influence Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT), such as co-cultivation conditions and host cell susceptibility. Our results show that cellular recovery and air drying of A. tumefaciens:P. brasiliensis mixtures are essential for ATMT. Overall, our data indicate a transformation efficiency of 78+/-9 transformants/co-cultivation (5+/-1 transformants/10(6) target cells). P. brasiliensis GFP-expressing isolates were also constructed by insertion of the GFP gene under the control of several fungal promoters. RT-PCR, epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analysis revealed Gfp visualization for all studied promoters but without significant differences in fluorescence and gene expression levels. Moreover, we present evidence for the occurrence of random single gene copy integration per haploid nuclei and the generation of homokaryon progeny, relevant for the future use in targeted mutagenesis and linking mutations to phenotypes.
Subject(s)
Molecular Biology/methods , Paracoccidioides/genetics , Agrobacterium tumefaciens/genetics , Azaserine/pharmacology , Blotting, Southern , Dermoscopy , Flow Cytometry , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal/drug effects , Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics , Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism , Isoxazoles/pharmacology , Paracoccidioides/drug effects , Paracoccidioides/growth & development , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Ribonucleosides/pharmacology , Transformation, GeneticABSTRACT
Twenty isolates of the dimorphic, pathogenic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum were divided into three classes based on comparisons of restriction enzyme digests of their mitochondrial DNA and rDNA. The majority of isolates, including most North American strains and the African H. capsulatum var. duboisii variants, belong to class 2. Isolates from Central America and South America make up class 3. The attenuated Downs strain is the only member of class 1.