Stable transformation of erysiphe graminis an obligate biotrophic pathogen of barley.

Barley powdery mildew, Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordei, is an obligate biotrophic pathogen and as such cannot complete its life cycle without a living host. The inability to transform this fungus and manipulate its genome has constrained research towards understanding its life cycle and pathogenicity. Here we describe an in planta transformation system based on delivery of DNA using a gold-particle gun and selection using benomyl or bialaphos. Using this method, we consistently obtained stable transformants with efficiencies comparable to other filamentous fungi. Stable expression of the beta-glucuronidase in E. graminis was demonstrated by co-transforming the uidA gene with the selectable markers.

A large pheromone and receptor gene complex determines multiple B mating type specificities in Coprinus cinereus.

Pheromone signaling plays an essential role in the mating and sexual development of mushroom fungi. Multiallelic genes encoding the peptide pheromones and their cognate 7-transmembrane helix (7-TM) receptors are sequestered in the B mating type locus. Here we describe the isolation of the B6 mating type locus of Coprinus cinereus. DNA sequencing and transformation analysis identified nine genes encoding three 7-TM receptors and six peptide pheromone precursors embedded within 17 kb of mating type-specific sequence. The arrangement of the nine genes suggests that there may be three functionally independent subfamilies of genes each comprising two pheromone genes and one receptor gene. None of the nine B6 genes showed detectable homology to corresponding B gene sequences in the genomic DNA from a B3 strain, and each of the B6 genes independently alter B mating specificity when introduced into a B3 host strain. However, only genes in two of the B6 groups were able to activate B-regulated development in a B42 host. Southern blot analysis showed that these genes failed to cross-hybridize to corresponding genes in the B42 host, whereas the three genes of the third subfamily, which could not activate development in the B42 host, did cross-hybridize. We conclude that cross-hybridization identifies the same alleles of a particular subfamily of genes in different B loci and that B6 and B42 share alleles of one subfamily. There are an estimated 79 B mating specificities: we suggest that it is the different allele combinations of gene subfamilies that generate these large numbers.

Molecular analysis of the isocitrate lyase gene (acu-7) of the mushroom Coprinus cinereus.

The nucleotide sequence of the structural gene for isocitrate lyase (acu-7) is presented and features of its coding sequence and predicted protein are described. Several motifs were identified within the promoter region which are potentially involved in transcriptional regulation. Surprisingly, some of these occur within the coding sequence of an adjacent gene of unrelated function that terminates within 371 bp upstream from acu-7. The sequence of this second gene identified an N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase.

Derepression of the glyoxylate cycle in mutants of Neurospora crassa accelerated for growth on acetate.

Two spontaneous allelic mutations have been isolated with the unusual semi-dominant phenotype of faster-than-wild-type growth on acetate as sole carbon source. The mutants were designated Aag-1 (accelerated acetate growth) and mapped on linkage group II. Upon re-isolation of both the Aag-1 alleles from repeated back-crosses to wild-type, between 1 and 6% of the progeny were found to be acu (acetate non-utilizing) mutants. Ten of these were selected for heterokaryon complementation analysis with known acu mutants; nine proved to be new alleles of acu-5 (deficient in acetyl-CoA synthetase), and one was a new acetate non-utilizing class, designated acu-14. Although the Aag-1 mutants clearly have no acetate-growth-related enzyme deficiencies, they did exhibit significant constitutive enzyme levels for acetyl-CoA synthetase and the glyoxylate cycle enzymes (isocitrate lyase and malate synthase) on the non-inducing carbon source, sucrose. The derepression was restricted to these enzymes, as representative enzymes from other carbon-assimilatory pathways remained repressed and subject to carbon catabolite repression. Northern blot analysis of the mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA synthetase and the glyoxylate cycle enzymes from the mutants demonstrated the derepression to occur at the level of transcription. These data suggest that the physiological explanation for the accelerated acetate growth phenotype lies in the standing levels of the acetate-assimilatory enzymes, which enable the mutants to forgo some of the normal time required for adaption to growth on acetate.

Isolation and characterization of new fluoroacetate resistant/acetate non-utilizing mutants of Neurospora crassa.

Sixty-two mutants of the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa were isolated on the basis of resistance to the antimetabolite fluoroacetate. Of these, 14 were unable to use acetate as sole carbon source (acetate non-utilizers, acu) and were the subject of further genetic and biochemical analysis. These mutants fell into four complementation groups, three of which did not complement any known acu mutants. Mutants of complementation group 3 failed to complement acu-8, demonstrated similar phenotypic properties and proved to be closely linked (less than 2% recombination) but not allelic. Representatives of groups 2 and 4 were mapped to independent loci; the single representative of group 1 could not be mapped. The four complementation groups were therefore designated as genes acu-10 to acu-13 respectively. All the mutants demonstrated normal acetate-induced expression of acetyl-CoA synthetase and the unique enzymes of the glyoxylate cycle and gluconeogenesis. The nature of these mutations is therefore quite different to those reported for other fungal species. Mutant acu-11 was unable to fix labelled acetate, indicating the loss of an initial transport function; partial enzyme lesions were observed for acu-12 (acetyl-CoA hydrolase) and acu-13 (acetate-inducible NAD(+)-specific malate dehydrogenase).