Heterologous expression of the Aspergillus nidulans alcR–alcA system in Aspergillus niger

Authors: Nikolaev I.¹; Mathieu M.¹; van de Vondervoort P.J.I.²; Visser J.³; Felenbok B.¹

Source: Fungal Genetics and Biology, Volume 37, Number 1, October 2002 , pp. 89-97(9)

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $52.63 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

The inducible and strongly expressed alcA gene encoding alcohol dehydrogenase I from Aspergillus nidulans was transferred together with the activator gene alcR, in the industrial fungus Aspergillus niger. This latter organism does not possess an inducible alc system but has an endogenously constitutive lowly expressed alcohol dehydrogenase activity. The overall induced expression of thealcA gene was of the same order in both fungi, as monitored byalcA transcription, alcohol dehydrogenase activity and heterologous expression of the reporter enzyme,-glucuronidase. However, important differences in the pattern of alcA regulation were observed between the two fungi. A high basal level of alcA transcription was observed in A. niger resulting in a lower ratio of alcAinducibility. This may be due to higher levels of the physiological inducer of the alc regulon, acetaldehyde, from general metabolism in A. niger which differs from that of A. nidulans.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Institut de Ge´ne´tique et Microbiologie, Universite´ Paris-Sud, UMR 8621 CNRS, Baˆtiment 409, Centre d'Orsay, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France 2: Department of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8025, 6700 EE Wageningen, The Netherlands 3: FGT Consultancy, P.O. Box 396, 6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands

Publication date: 2002-10-01