Production of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) in Aspergillus niger

A protease-deficient strain of Aspergillus niger has been used as a host for the production of human tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). In defined medium, up to 0.07 mg t-PA (g biomass)(-1) was produced in batch and fed-batch cultures and production was increased two- to threefold in two-phase batch cultures in which additional glucose was provided as a single pulse at the end of the first batch growth phase. Production was increased [up to 1.9 mg t-PA (g biomass)(-1)] by the addition of soy peptone to the defined medium. The rate of t-PA production in batch cultures supplemented with soy peptone (0.2 to 0.6 mg t-PA L(-1) h(-1)) was comparable to rates observed previously in high-producing mammalian or insect cell cultures. In glucose-limited chemostat culture supplemented with soy peptone, t-PA was produced at a rate of 0.7 mg t-PA L(-1) h(-1). Expression of t-PA in A. niger resulted in increased expression of genes (bipA, pdiA, and cypB) involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR). However, when cypB was overexpressed in a t-PA-producing strain, t-PA production was not increased. The t-PA produced in A. niger was cleaved into two chains of similar molecular weight to two-chain human melanoma t-PA. The two chains appeared to be stable for at least 16 h in culture supernatant of the host strain. However, in general, <1% of the t-PA produced in A. niger was active, and active t-PA disappeared from the culture supernatant during the stationary phase of batch cultures, suggesting that the two-chain t-PA may have been incorrectly processed or that initial proteolytic cleavage occurred within the proteolytic domain of the protein. Total t-PA (detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay) also eventually disappeared from culture supernatants, confirming significant extracellular proteolytic activity, even though the host strain was protease-deficient.

C-terminal propeptide of the Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase: an intramolecular chaperone?

The Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase (CPO) is synthesised as a 372-aa precursor which undergoes two proteolytic processing events: removal of a 21-aa N-terminal signal peptide and of a 52-aa C-terminal propeptide. The Aspergillus niger expression system developed for CPO was used to get insight into the function of this C-terminal propeptide. A. niger transformants expressing a CPO protein from which the C-terminal propeptide was deleted failed in producing any extracellular CPO activity, although the CPO polypeptide was synthesised. Expression of the full-length gene in an A. niger strain lacking the KEX2-like protease PclA also resulted in the production of CPO cross-reactive material into the culture medium, but no CPO activity. Based on these results, a function of the C-terminal propeptide in CPO maturation is indicated.

The secretion pathway in filamentous fungi: a biotechnological view

The high capacity of the secretion machinery of filamentous fungi has been widely exploited for the production of homologous and heterologous proteins; however, our knowledge of the fungal secretion pathway is still at an early stage. Most of the knowledge comes from models developed in yeast and higher eukaryotes, which have served as reference for the studies on fungal species. In this review we compile the data accumulated in recent years on the molecular basis of fungal secretion, emphasizing the relevance of these data for the biotechnological use of the fungal cell and indicating how this information has been applied in attempts to create improved production strains. We also present recent emerging approaches that promise to provide answers to fundamental questions on the molecular genetics of the fungal secretory pathway.

Identification and characterization of a family of secretion-related small GTPase-encoding genes from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger: a putative SEC4 homologue is not essential for growth

DNA fragments containing genetic information for five secretion-related small GTPases of Aspergillus niger (srgA-E) were isolated and identified as members of different Rab/Ypt subfamilies. This isolation and the search for similar sequences in fungal genomic and EST databases showed that, in contrast to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, filamentous fungi also possess homologues of mammalian Rab2 GTPases. Multiple transcripts with unusually long 5' and 3' untranslated regions were found for all srg genes. Their level of expression was independent of the type of carbon source used for growth. Although the transcripts of srgA and srgB were abundant to the same extent throughout the cultivation, that of the other genes peaked during the early growth phase and then declined. Two genes, srgA and srgB, were characterized further. The protein encoded by srgA exhibited relatively low identity (58%) to its closest S. cerevisiae homologue SEC4, whereas the protein encoded by srgB showed 73% identity with S. cerevisiae YPT1. In contrast to other SEC4 homologues, srgA was unable to complement an S. cerevisiae sec4 mutant, and its disruption was not lethal in A. niger. SrgA mutants displayed a twofold increase in their hyphal diameter, unusual apical branching and strongly reduced protein secretion during growth on glucose.

The Effect of organic nitrogen sources on recombinant glucoamylase production by Aspergillus niger in chemostat culture

Aspergillus niger B1, a recombinant strain carrying 20 extra copies of the native glucoamylase gene, was grown in glucose-limited chemostat cultures supplemented with various organic nitrogen sources (dilution rate 0.12 +/- 0.01 h(-1), pH 5.4). In cultures supplemented with l-alanine, l-methionine, casamino acids, or peptone, specific glucoamylase (GAM) production rapidly decreased to less than 20% of the initial level. Reducing the pH of the culture to 4.0 resulted in stable GAM production for up to 400 h. Morphological mutants (a light brown and a dark brown mutant) appeared in each fermentation and generally displaced B1. Light brown mutants had higher selection coefficients relative to B1 than dark brown mutants and became the dominant strain in all fermentations except those maintained at pH 4.0. Several mutants isolated from these cultures had reduced ability to produce GAM in batch culture, although few had lost copies of the glaA gene. Some mutants had methylated DNA.

Studies on the production of fungal peroxidases in Aspergillus niger

To get insight into the limiting factors existing for the efficient production of fungal peroxidase in filamentous fungi, the expression of the Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin peroxidase H8 (lipA) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) H4 (mnp1) genes in Aspergillus niger has been studied. For this purpose, a protease-deficient A. niger strain and different expression cassettes have been used. Northern blotting experiments indicated high steady-state mRNA levels for the recombinant genes. Manganese peroxidase was secreted into the culture medium as an active protein. The recombinant protein showed specific activity and a spectrum profile similar to those of the native enzyme, was correctly processed at its N terminus, and had a slightly lower mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Recombinant MnP production could be increased up to 100 mg/liter upon hemoglobin supplementation of the culture medium. Lignin peroxidase was also secreted into the extracellular medium, although the protein was not active, presumably due to incorrect processing of the secreted enzyme. Expression of the lipA and mnp1 genes fused to the A. niger glucoamylase gene did not result in improved production yields.

Regulation of expression of the Aspergillus niger benzoate para-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 system

Cytochrome P450 enzyme systems are found throughout nature and are involved in many different, often complex, bioconversions. In the endoplasmic reticulum of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger a cytochrome P450 enzyme system is present that is capable of the para-hydroxylation of benzoate. The expression of the two genes encoding the components of this system, the cytochrome P450 gene encoding benzoate para-hydroxylase (bphA) and the gene encoding cytochrome P450 reductase (cprA), is inducible by benzoate. The BPH system was used as a model system to study the mechanisms that result in co-regulation of both components of an eukaryote cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Deletion analysis of the transcription control regions of cprA and bphA resulted in the identification of a region that was involved in benzoate induction of gene expression. The functional competence of the cprA Benzoate Responsive Region thus defined was demonstrated directly by cloning this fragment upstream of a constitutively expressed mini-promoter and analysing expression of the hybrid transcription control region in a lacZ reporter system. Further analysis of cprA gene expression revealed a clear quantitative discrepancy between induction at the protein level (approximately 4-fold) and at the transcription level (> 20-fold). The majority of the transcripts observed after benzoate induction (cprAbeta) were larger then the constitutively expressed cprAalpha transcript. The difference in size between the cprAalpha and cprAbeta transcript is caused by differential promoter use. As the longer cprAbeta transcript carries a small uORF we propose that post-transcriptional regulation of CPR expression underlies the discrepancy in the degree of induction at the protein and transcriptional level. Our results show that regulation of CPR expression is particularly complex, involving regulatory promoter elements, differential promoter use and regulation at the post-transcriptional level.

Can hTNF-alpha be successfully produced and secreted in filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger?

A gene-fusion expression strategy was applied for the heterologous expression of hTNF-alpha in A. niger AB1.13. The TNF-alpha gene was fused with the A. niger glucoamylase GII form as a carrier-gene, behind its transcription control and secretion signal. The protein was expressed in the cells in the form of a glucoamylase-fusion protein, but was not present in the culture medium. From the expression of two hTNF-alpha analogues, LK 811 (Cys95/148) and LK 802 (Cys95/148, His107/108) respectively, we concluded that oligomerisation was not the critical point for secretion of hTNF-alpha in A. niger, but more probably improper folding already at the stage of monomer formation, or even incorrect processing of the molecule during the secretion pathway.

Filamentous fungi as production organisms for glycoproteins of bio-medical interest

Filamentous fungi are commonly used in the fermentation industry for large scale production of glycoproteins. Several of these proteins can be produced in concentrations up to 20-40 g per litre. The production of heterologous glycoproteins is at least one or two orders of magnitude lower but research is in progress to increase the production levels. In the past years the structure of protein-linked carbohydrates of a number of fungal proteins has been elucidated, showing the presence of oligo-mannosidic and high-mannose chains, sometimes with typical fungal modifications. A start has been made to engineer the glycosylation pathway in filamentous fungi to obtain strains that show a more mammalian-like type of glycosylation. This mini review aims to cover the current knowledge of glycosylation in filamentous fungi, and to show the possibilities to produce glycoproteins with these organisms with a more mammalian-like type of glycosylation for research purposes or pharmaceutical applications.

Analysis of the role of the gene bipA, encoding the major endoplasmic reticulum chaperone protein in the secretion of homologous and heterologous proteins in black Aspergilli

The function of the endoplasmic-reticulum-localized chaperone binding protein (BiP) in relation to protein secretion in filamentous fungi was studied. It was shown that the overproduction of several homologous and heterologous recombinant proteins by Aspergillus strains induces the expression of bipA, the BiP-encoding gene from Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus awamori. As this result could imply that BiP plays a role in protein overproduction, the effect of modulation of bipA gene expression on protein secretion was studied in several recombinant strains expressing glucoamylase (glaA) fusion genes. For overproduction of BiPA in these strains, extra copies of the bipA gene under the control of an inducible promoter were introduced. To allow analysis of the effect of a decreased bipA expression level on protein secretion, replacement of the wild-type gene for a bipA gene driven by the glaA promoter was attempted. However, this endeavour failed because of the lethality of this replacement. Although the final amount of secreted recombinant protein did not change significantly in strains with increased BiPA levels, increased levels of unprocessed fusion protein were detected in the total protein extracts of these strains.

Optimization and stability of glucoamylase production by recombinant strains of Aspergillus niger in chemostat culture

When grown on a medium containing 5 g maltodextrin L-1, Aspergillus niger transformant N402[pAB6-10]B1, which has an additional 20 copies of the glucoamylase (glaA) gene, produced 320 +/- 8 mg (mean +/- S.E.) glucoamylase (GAM) L-1 in batch culture and 373 +/- 9 mg GAM L-1 in maltodextrin-limited chemostat culture at a dilution rate of 0.13 h-1. These values correspond to specific production rates (qp) of 5.6 and 16.0 mg GAM [g biomass]-1 h-1, respectively. In maltodextrin-limited chemostat cultures grown at dilution rates from 0.06 to 0.14 h-1, GAM was produced by B1 in a growth-correlated manner, demonstrating that a continuous flow culture system operated at a high dilution rate is an efficient way of producing this enzyme. In chemostat cultures grown at high dilution rates, GAM production in chemostat cultures was repressed when the limiting nutrient was fructose or xylose, but derepressed when the limiting nutrient was glucose (qp, 12.0), potassium (6.2), ammonium (4.1), phosphate (2.0), magnesium (1.5) or sulphate (0.9). For chemostat cultures grown at a dilution rate of 0.13 h-1, the addition of 5 g mycopeptone L-1 to a glucose-mineral salts medium resulted in a 64% increase in GAM concentration (from 303 +/- 12 to 496 +/- 10 mg GAM L-1) and a 37% increase in specific production rate (from 12.0 +/- 0.4 to 16.4 +/- 1.6 mg GAM [g biomass]-1 h-1). However, although recombinant protein production was stable for at least 948 h (191 generations) when A. niger B1 was grown in chemostat culture on glucose-mineral salts medium, it was stable for less than 136 h (27 generations) on medium containing mycopeptone. The predominant morphological mutants occurring after prolonged chemostat culture were shown to have selective advantage in the chemostat over the parental strain. Compared to their parental strains, two morphological mutants had similar GAM production levels, while a third had a reduced production level. Growth tests and molecular analysis revealed that the number of glaA gene copies in this latter strain (B1-M) was reduced, which could explain its reduced GAM production. Shake-flask cultures carried out with the various morphological mutants revealed that in batch culture all three strains produced considerably less GAM than their parent strains and even less than N402. We show that physiological changes in these morphological mutants contribute to this decreased level of GAM production.

Expression and secretion of defined cutinase variants by Aspergillus awamori

Several cutinase variants derived by molecular modelling and site-directed mutagenesis of a cutinase gene from Fusarium solani pisi are poorly secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The majority of these variants are successfully produced by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus awamori. However, the L51S and T179Y mutations caused reductions in the levels of extracellular production of two cutinase variants by A. awamori. Metabolic labelling studies were performed to analyze the bottleneck in enzyme production by the fungus in detail. These studies showed that because of the single L51S substitution, rapid extracellular degradation of cutinase occurred. The T179Y substitution did not result in enhanced sensitivity towards extracellular proteases. Presumably, the delay in the extracellular accumulation of this cutinase variant is caused by the enhanced hydrophobicity of the molecule. Overexpression of the A. awamori gene encoding the chaperone BiP in the cutinase-producing A. awamori strains had no significant effect on the secretion efficiency of the cutinases. A cutinase variant with the amino acid changes G28A, A85F, V184I, A185L, and L189F that was known to aggregate in the endoplasmic reticulum of S. cerevisiae, resulting in low extracellular protein levels, was successfully produced by A. awamori. An initial bottleneck in secretion occurred before or during translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum but was rapidly overcome by the fungus.

Cytochrome P450 enzyme systems in fungi

The involvement of cytochrome P450 enzymes in many complex fungal bioconversion processes has been characterized in recent years. Accordingly, there is now considerable scientific interest in fungal cytochrome P450 enzyme systems. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, where surprisingly few P450 genes have been identified, biochemical data suggest that many fungi possess numerous P450 genes. This review summarizes the current information pertaining to these fungal cytochrome P450 systems, with emphasis on the molecular genetics. The use of molecular techniques to improve cytochrome P450 activities in fungi is also discussed.

Isolation and analysis of functional homologues of the secretion-related SAR1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei

The Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei genes encoding the functional homologues of the small GTP-binding protein SAR1p, which is involved in the secretion pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been cloned and characterised. The A. niger gene (sarA) contains five introns, whereas the T. reesei gene (sar1) has only four. In both cases the first intron is at the same position as the single S. cerevisiae SAR1 intron. The encoded proteins show 70-80% identity to the SAR1 protein. Complementation of S. cerevisiae sar1 and sec12 mutants by expression vectors carrying the A. niger sarA and T. reesei sar1 cDNA clones confirmed that the cloned genes are functional homologues of the S. cerevisiae SAR1 gene. Three mutant alleles of the A. niger sarA gene (D29G, E109K, D29G/E109K), generated by site-directed mutagenesis, revealed a thermosensitive dominant-negative phenotype in the presence of the wild-type sarA allele. This result contrasts with the situation in S. cerevisiae, where similar mutations have a thermosensitive phenotype. Taken together, our results indicate that the sarA gene is involved in an essential function in A. niger.

The ER chaperone encoding bipA gene of black Aspergilli is induced by heat shock and unfolded proteins

We describe the cloning and characterisation of the BiP gene homologues of the filamentous fungi Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus awamori. The BiP genes of these black Aspergilli encode an identical protein of 672 amino acids, which has a high homology with the BiP protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and contains a putative signal sequence of 38 amino acids. The DNA sequences of the Aspergillus BiP genes diverge in particular in the three intronic sequences and the 5'- and 3'- noncoding regions. Sequences resembling Heat Shock Elements (HSE) and Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) elements, as found in the yeast KAR2 promoter, are present in the 5' non-transcribed regions of both genes. The expression of the A. niger bipA gene is increased by heat shock and tunicamycin treatment.

Glucoamylase gene fusions alleviate limitations for protein production in Aspergillus awamori at the transcriptional and (post) translational levels

In this study we have analyzed the effects of a glucoamylase gene fusion on the mRNA levels and protein levels for the human interleukin-6 gene (hil6) and the guar alpha-galactosidase gene (aglA). Previously it was shown that production of nonfused alpha-galactosidase and hIL-6 in Aspergillus awamori was limited at transcriptional and (post)translational levels, respectively (R. J. Gouka, P. J. Punt, J. G. M. Hessing, and C. A. M. J. J. van den Hondel, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:1951-1957, 1996). Vectors were constructed which contained either the hil6 or aglA gene fused to the Aspergillus niger glucoamylase gene (glaA) under control of the efficient 1,4-beta-endoxylanase A promoter and transcription terminator. For comparison, the vectors were integrated in a single copy at the pyrG locus of A. awamori. A glaA fusion to the 5' end of the hil6 gene resulted in a large increase in hIL-6 yield, whereas with a glaA fusion to the 3' end of the hil6 gene, almost no protein was produced. Nevertheless, the steady-state mRNA levels of both fusions were very similar and not clearly increased compared to those of a strain expressing nonfused hIL-6. Fusions of glaA to the 5' end of the wild-type guar aglA gene resulted in truncated mRNA lacking almost 900 bases (> 80%) of the aglA sequence. When the coding sequence of the wild-type aglA gene was replaced by a synthetic aglA gene with optimized Saccharomyces cerevisiae codon usage, full-length mRNA was obtained. Compared to a nonfused synthetic aglA gene, a glaA fusion with the synthetic aglA gene resulted in a 25-fold increase in the mRNA level and, as a consequence, a similar increase in the alpha-galactosidase protein level. The truncated transcripts derived from the wild-type aglA gene were further analyzed by nuclear run-on transcription assays. These experiments indicated that transcription elongation in the nucleus proceeded at least 400 bases downstream of the site where the truncation was determined, indicating that transcription elongation or premature termination was not the reason for the generation of truncated mRNAs. As the truncated mRNA also contained a poly(A) tail, truncation most likely occurs by incorrect processing of the aglA mRNA in the nucleus.

An improved colony-PCR method for filamentous fungi for amplification of PCR-fragments of several kilobases

A method was developed to perform PCR directly on mycelial pellets or colonies treated with NOVOzym 234. The method allows rapid screening of large numbers of transformants of both sporulating and non-sporulating fungi for the presence of (co)transforming plasmid copies or for specific genetic modifications such as gene disruption and site specific integration. PCR fragments of at least 3.2 kb can be obtained. Using this method the identification of specific disruption mutants from Aspergillus niger and Beauveria bassiana was carried out.

Efficient production of secreted proteins by Aspergillus: progress, limitations and prospects

Filamentous fungi are widely used for the production of homologous and heterologous proteins but, compared to homologous proteins, the levels of production of heterologous proteins are usually low. During the last 5 years, the levels of production of heterologous proteins have been drastically improved by fusing the corresponding gene to the 3' end of a homologous gene, encoding a well-secreted protein such as glucoamylase. Nevertheless, little research has been carried out to determine the limitations that hamper heterologous protein production. Recently we have carried out a detailed analysis of the levels of production of several proteins and glucoamylase fusion proteins in defined recombinant Aspergillus awamori strains. In this review we will focus on the use of filamentous fungi for the production of heterologous, especially non-fungal proteins. In particular, the effect of gene-fusion strategies will be reviewed. Furthermore, the remaining limitations in heterologous protein production and suggestions for improvement strategies for overproduction of these protein will be discussed.

The Aspergillus niger GCN4 homologue, cpcA, is transcriptionally regulated and encodes an unusual leucine zipper

The general control transcriptional regulator gene cpcA of Aspergillus niger was cloned by complementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae delta gcn4 mutant strain. The encoded protein conferred resistance to amino acid analogues when expressed in yeast. Disruption of cpcA in A. niger resulted in a strain which is sensitive towards 3-aminotriazole and fails to respond to amino acid starvation, cpcA encodes a transcript of approximately 2400 nucleotides in length that includes a 5' leader region of 900 nucleotides. The 5' leader region contains two small open reading frames, suggesting translational control of gene expression. Steady-state mRNA levels of cpcA increase by a factor of three upon amino acid starvation. The coding region of cpcA is interrupted by a 57 bp intron and the deduced amino acid sequence displays an approximately 30% overall identity to yeast GCN4p and Neurospora crassa cpc1p. Critical amino acid residues of the transcriptional activation domains of GCN4p are conserved in cpcAp. The basic DNA-binding domain shows up to 70% amino acid sequence identity to other basic zipper (bZIP)-type transcriptional activators. cpcAp binds specifically to a GCN4p recognition element in gel retardation experiments. The C-terminal dimerization domain encodes a leucine zipper with only a single leucine residue.

Secretion of active human mucus proteinase inhibitor by Aspergillus niger after KEX2-like processing of a glucoamylase-inhibitor fusion protein

We report the production of human mucus proteinase inhibitor (MPI) by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger to test the ability of this host organism to secrete low molecular weight, highly disulfide-bonded proteins in biologically active conformation. Fungal transformants have been obtained with an expression cassette consisting of a chimeric gene founded on a mpi cDNA, encoding mature MPI, fused in frame to sequences encoding A. niger glucoamylase (glaA), separated by a KEX2-like processing sequence. Expression of the glucoamylase fusion gene in these transformants resulted in secretion of MPI into the growth medium with yields up to 3 mg 1-1. N-terminal sequence analysis of the purified inhibitor confirmed that the glucoamylase-MPI fusion protein was correctly processed to mature MPI by a KEX2-type endopeptidase present in A. niger. Furthermore, recombinant MPI retains full inhibitory activity against chymotrypsin and leukocyte elastase indicating that the protein was folded properly.

Optimization of the benzoate-inducible benzoate p-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 enzyme system in Aspergillus niger

Introduction in the fungus Aspergillus niger of multiple copies of the A. niger bphA gene, encoding the cytochrome P450 enzyme benzoate p-hydroxylase, did not result in increased activities of this enzyme [Gorcom RFM van, et al. Mol Gen Genet (1990) 223: 192-197] probably because of low expression levels of the gene encoding the second component of the microsomal cytochrome P450 enzyme system, cytochrome P450 reductase. For improvement of this and other cytochrome-P450-dependent reactions, A. niger strains were constructed in which the copy number of the A. niger cprA gene (encoding cytochrome-P450 reductase) or the copy numbers of both cprA and the cytochrome-P450-encoding gene were increased. Expression of both genes was controlled by their own transcription control regions. Benzoate p-hydroxylase activity of different transformants was determined in microsomal fractions using a newly developed indirect in vitro assay. In transformants containing multiple copies of both genes, benzoate p-hydroxylase activity was significantly higher than in the wild-type strain or in transformants in which the copy number of only one of the genes was increased. These results clearly indicate the importance of co-expression of cytochrome-P450 reductase for achieving maximal cytochrome P450 activities in cytochrome-P450-overproducing filamentous fungi.

Kinetics of mRNA and protein synthesis of genes controlled by the 1,4-beta-endoxylanase A promoter in controlled fermentations of Aspergillus awamori

In this study, induction and repression kinetics of the expression of the Aspergillus awamori 1,4-beta-endoxylanase A (exlA) gene under defined physiological conditions was analyzed at the mRNA and the protein levels. Induction was analyzed by pulsing D-xylose to a sucrose-limited continuous culture of an A. awamori 1,4-beta-endoxylanase A (EXLA)-overproducing strain. Directly after the D-xylose pulse, exIA mRNA was synthesized, and it reached a constant maximal level after 45 to 60 min. This level was maintained as long as D-xylose was present. The kinetics of mRNA synthesis of the genes encoding Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (lplA) and Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase (uidA), which were also under the control of the exlA promoter, were similar to those observed for exlA mRNA. The repression of exlA expression was analyzed by pulsing D-glucose to a D-xylose-limited continuous culture. Immediately after the glucose pulse, the exlA mRNA level declined rapidly, with a half-life of approximately 20 to 30 min, and it reached a minimal level after 60 to 90 min. The time span between mRNA synthesis and the secretion of proteins was determined for EXLA and lipase. In both cases, mRNA became visible after approximately 7.5 min. After 1 h, both proteins became detectable in the medium but the rate of secretion of EXLA was faster than that of lipase.

Increased resistance to 14 alpha-demethylase inhibitors (DMIs) in Aspergillus niger by coexpression of the Penicillium italicum eburicol 14 alpha-demethylase (cyp51) and the A. niger cytochrome P450 reductase (cprA) genes

In this paper we describe the effects of over-expression of the Penicillium italicum gene encoding eburicol 14 alpha-demethylase (cyp51), in Aspergillus niger strains with one or multiple copies of the gene encoding cytochrome P450 reductase (cprA), on the eburicol 14 alpha-demethylase activity. Eburicol 14 alpha-demethylase activity was determined by measuring the resistance of transformants against some eburicol 14 alpha-demethylase inhibitors (DMIs). DMIs are widely used as fungicides in crop protection and human and veterinarian health care. DMI resistance in a transformant overexpressing both CPR and CYP51 was increased 5-30-fold compared to DMI resistance in the wild type strain, depending on the test compound used. Resistance in this strain was approximately 2-5-fold increased compared to DMI resistance in a transformant that was overexpressing the cyp51 gene but had only the wild type copy of the cprA gene and approximately 3-12-fold increased compared to a strain overexpressing the cprA gene (and having only the wild type copy of the cyp51 gene). These results show the importance of CPR overexpression for increasing cytochrome P450 activities in filamentous fungi.

The effect of pre- and pro-sequences and multicopy integration on heterologous expression of the Fusarium solani pisi cutinase gene in Aspergillus awamori

A synthetic derivative of the cutinase cDNA of Fusarium solani pisi was expressed in Aspergillus awamori using the A. awamori endoxylanase II (exlA) promoter and terminator. The influence of the origin of the pre-sequence and the presence of a pro-sequence on the efficiency of extracellular cutinase production was analysed in single-copy transformants containing an expression cassette integrated at the pyrG locus. Transformants containing a construct encoding a direct, inframe fusion of the xylanase pre-peptide to the mature cutinase showed a 2-fold higher cutinase production level compared to strains containing constructs with an additional cutinase pro-peptide. The effect of multicopy integration of the expression cassette on cutinase production was analysed in strains with different numbers of a cutinase construct containing its own pre-pro-sequence. The multicopy strains showed a 6-to 12-fold increased production of extracellular cutinase relative to the single-copy strains. No linear dose response relation to the number of expression cassettes present in the strains was observed. The amount of active enzyme produced by the strains correlated with the amount of cutinase-specific mRNA, suggesting that cutinase overproduction is not limited at the level of translation or secretion.

Analysis of heterologous protein production in defined recombinant Aspergillus awamori strains

A study was carried out to obtain more insight into the parameters that determine the secretion of heterologous proteins from filamentous fungi. A strategy was chosen in which the mRNA levels and protein levels of a number of heterologous genes of different origins were compared. All genes were under control of the Aspergillus awamori 1,4-beta-endoxylanase A (exlA) expression signals and were integrated in a single copy at the A. awamori pyrG locus. A Northern (RNA) analysis showed that large differences occurred in the steady-state mRNA levels obtained with the various genes; those levels varied from high values for genes of fungal origin (A. awamori 1,4-beta-endoxylanase A, Aspergillus niger glucoamylase, and Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase) to low values for genes of nonfungal origin (human interleukin 6 and Cyamopsis tetragonoloba [guar] alpha-galactosidase). With the C. tetragonoloba alpha-galactosidase wild-type gene full-length mRNA was even undetectable. Surprisingly, small amounts of full-length mRNA could be detected when a C. tetragonoloba alpha-galactosidase gene with an optimized Saccharomyces cerevisiae codon preference was expressed. In all cases except human interleukin 6, the protein levels corresponded to the amounts expected on basis of the mRNA levels. For human interleukin 6, very low protein levels were observed, whereas relatively high steady-state mRNA levels were obtained. Our data suggest that intracellular protein degradation is the most likely explanation for the low levels of secreted human interleukin 6.

The intergenic region between the divergently transcribed niiA and niaD genes of Aspergillus nidulans contains multiple NirA binding sites which act bidirectionally

The niaD and niiA genes of Aspergillus nidulans, which code, respectively, for nitrate and nitrite reductases, are divergently transcribed, and their ATGs are separated by 1,200 bp. The genes are under the control of the positively acting NirA transcription factor, which mediates nitrate induction. The DNA binding domain of NirA was expressed as a fusion protein with the glutathione S-transferase of Schistosoma japonicum. Gel shift and footprint experiments have shown that in the intergenic region there are four binding sites for the NirA transcription factor. These sites can be represented by the nonpalindromic consensus 5'CTCCGHGG3'. Making use of a bidirectional expression vector, we have analyzed the role of each of the sites in niaD and niiA expression. The sites were numbered from the niiA side. It appeared that site 1 is necessary for the inducibility of niiA only, while sites 2, 3, and to a lesser extent 4 (which is nearer to and strongly affects niaD) act bidirectionally. The results also suggest that of the 10 binding sites for the AreA protein, which mediates nitrogen metabolite repression, those which are centrally located are physiologically important. The insertion of an unrelated upstream activating sequence into the intergenic region strongly affected the expression of both genes, irrespective of the orientation in which the element was inserted.

Cloning and characterization of the NADPH cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase gene from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger

In this paper, we describe the cloning and molecular characterization of the Aspergillus niger cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) gene, cprA. Attempts to clone the cprA gene by heterologous hybridization techniques were unsuccessful. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with degenerate primers based on conserved regions found in cpr genes from other organisms, we were able to isolate a fragment that contained part of the gene. With the aid of this fragment, a genomic fragment containing the entire coding region and 5' and 3' untranslated ends of the cprA gene was isolated and sequenced. The cprA gene was introduced in multiple copies in A. niger strain N402 using the amdS transformation system. One of the resulting transformants, AB2-2, showed a 14-fold increase in CPR activity, indicating that the cloned cprA gene is functional. We analyzed the induction of cprA gene expression by several generally used cytochrome P450 inducers but did not find any induction of cprA gene expression. However, A. niger cprA gene expression could be induced by benzoic acid, which is the substrate of the highly inducible A. niger cytochrome P450 gene, bphA (cyp53). On the basis of a comparison of the deduced protein sequence of the A. niger cprA gene with CPR proteins isolated from other organisms, the structure-function relationship of some conserved regions is discussed.

Construction and heterologous expression of a synthetic copy of the cutinase cDNA from Fusarium solani pisi

A copy of the cutinase cDNA from Fusarium solani pisi was constructed starting from synthetic oligonucleotides. For this construction three separate cassettes were made, which were subsequently assembled to form the cutinase gene. Heterologous expression of the synthetic cutinase gene and the subsequent secretion of the recombinant enzyme was achieved in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus awamori.

A mini-promoter lacZ gene fusion for the analysis of fungal transcription control sequences

A system for the in vivo analysis of fungal transcription control sequences, based on a mini-promoter, was designed. The mini-promoter, providing all sequences necessary and sufficient for transcription initiation, was derived from the Aspergillus nidulans gpdA promoter region. Transcription initiation was not affected by the introduction of transcription control sequences directly upstream from the mini-promoter. Furthermore, the expression of the mini-promoter was not affected by wide-domain carbon or nitrogen control circuits. Using the mini-promoter vector, a previously identified upstream activating sequence from the A. nidulans gpdA gene was further characterized.

A novel strategy for the isolation of defined pyrG mutants and the development of a site-specific integration system for Aspergillus awamori

A homologous gene transfer system for Aspergillus awamori for site-specific integration is described, based on two components. First, a defined A. awamori pyrG mutant strain constructed by a selection strategy for gene-replacement in fungi. Second, a vector with a homologous pyrG selection marker containing a defined mutation at a site different from that of the mutations in the pyrG gene of the defined mutant strain. Defined mutation in the A. awamori pyrG gene, isolated from a genomic library by heterologous hybridisation with the A. niger pyrG gene as a probe, were introduced by specifically altering sequences at restriction sites in the coding region of the gene. After transformation of the A. awamori wild-type strain with vectors containing these mutated pyrG genes, and selection for 5-fluoro-orotic acid resistance (5-FOAR), on the average 60% of the 5-FOAR colonies originated from replacement of the wild-type pyrG gene by the mutated pyrG allele. After transformation of a mutant strain, carrying a mutation near the 5' end of the pyrG gene with vectors containing a mutation near the 3' end of the pyrG gene, 35% of the resulting transformants contained one copy of the vector at the pyrG locus.

Characterization of an efficient gene cloning strategy for Aspergillus niger based on an autonomously replicating plasmid: cloning of the nicB gene of A. niger

The development of an improved gene cloning strategy by complementation of mutant alleles in Aspergillus niger is described. The strategy is based on the use of a fungal autonomously replicating vector, pAB4-ARp1. This vector was constructed by the introduction of a previously described sequence involved in autonomous replication (AMA1), into a pyrG integrative vector, pAB4-1. With vector pAB4-ARp1, a 10-100-fold increase in transformation frequency was obtained, as compared to pAB4-1. Furthermore, the transformation frequency of a co-transformed plasmid is also increased using pAB4-ARp1. A. niger transformants containing pAB4-ARp1 are mitotically unstable. Co-transformed plasmids strictly co-segregated with the autonomously replicating vector, as a result of recombination between both vectors. The use of pAB4-ARp1 in gene cloning was demonstrated by the complementation of two linkage group-VII-specific A. niger mutants. Complementation of a lysF mutant was achieved by co-transformation of pAB4-ARp1 with total genomic A. niger DNA ('instant bank'). A nicB-deficient A. niger was complemented by co-transformation with pAB4-ARp1 and an A. niger cosmid library. The complementing DNA was re-isolated from a Nic+ transformant by transforming Escherichia coli with total genomic DNA of this transformant. Gene disruption and genetic analysis was carried out to prove that the previously unknown A. niger nicB gene had been cloned.

Protein targeting and secretion in filamentous fungi. A progress report

Although the application of filamentous fungi, such as Aspergillus niger for the production of extracellular proteins is well established for several decades, hardly any information is available about the molecular mechanisms of the process of protein secretion in these organisms. Two lines of research initiated towards a systematic analysis of the mechanism of protein targeting and secretion are presented in this paper. 1--To study routing and targeting of proteins in filamentous fungi the availability of a versatile reporter/carrier protein will be of considerable importance. Experiments towards the identification of such a protein are presented. 2--In analogy to the situation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the availability of defined (conditional) mutations in the secretion pathway will provide very important information about the organisation of the pathway. Therefore, based on results obtained in S. cerevisiae, the cloning of several fungal 'secretion' genes was started. The results of the cloning and characterisation of one of these genes is presented.

Isolation and characterization of a 1,4-beta-endoxylanase gene of A. awamori

An enzyme with a particular 1,4-beta-xylanase activity was identified and purified from wheat-bran culture medium of an Aspergillus awamori strain. With oligonucleotides based on the N-terminal amino-acid sequence of the enzyme, the exlA gene of A. awamori, encoding 1,4-beta-xylanase A, has been cloned. Based on the deduced amino-acid sequence, 1,4-beta-xylanase A is produced as a 211 amino-acid-residue-long precursor, which is converted post-translationally into a 184-aa residue-long mature protein. Transformation of the original A. awamori strain with multiple copies of the exlA gene resulted in a 40-fold overproduction of 1,4-beta-xylanase A. The overproduced enzyme has the same biochemical and enzymological properties as the wild-type enzyme.

Evaluation of molecular and genetic approaches to generate glucoamylase overproducing strains of Aspergillus niger

To evaluate the possibility of improving glucoamylase (GLA) production in Aspergillus niger strains carrying multiple copies of the GLA encoding gene (glaA), additional glaA copies were introduced either by genetic recombination or retransformation. For strains to be used in such experiments a genetic analysis was first carried out. The results of this analysis clearly revealed that in each transformant integration had occurred at a chromosome corresponding to a single linkage group (LG). The GLA production per gene copy showed considerable variation in these strains, indicating a clear effect of the site of integration on gene expression. Introduction of additional gene copies by genetic recombination experiments was carried out for different combinations of strains, carrying glaA copies in different chromosomes. The introduction of additional glaA gene copies by genetic recombination did not result in a considerable increase in GLA production compared to the parental strains. In some strains recombination resulted in genetic instability, observed by the frequent loss of glaA copies. Also, retransformation of multi-copy glaA strains did not result in an increase in GLA production. In several strains even a decrease in GLA production was found after retransformation. Southern analysis of these transformants suggested that newly introduced gene copies were heavily rearranged, which partly explains why GLA production was not increased. Further analysis of one such transformant provided evidence that the overexpression of the glaA gene is limited by the amount of trans-acting regulatory protein(s) available.

The effect of multiple copies of the upstream region on expression of the Aspergillus niger glucoamylase-encoding gene

The regulation of transcription of the glucoamylase-encoding gene (glaA) of Aspergillus niger was studied. To facilitate this study a reporter strain containing a fusion of the glaA promoter (PglaA) of A. niger to the beta-glucuronidase-encoding gene (uidA) of Escherichia coli was constructed. To analyze whether regulatory proteins are involved in the regulation of glaA, multiple copies of PglaA were introduced into this reporter strain. Analysis of the resulting strains revealed that introduction of an increasing number of PglaA copies resulted in lower expression of the uidA reporter gene and the endogenous glaA gene in cultures cultivated on different inducing carbon sources. However, repression by xylose was not influenced by the copy number of PglaA. These results indicate that the expression of genes under control of PglaA are regulated by specific trans-acting regulatory protein(s). Deletion analysis of PglaA indicated that regulatory proteins interact with DNA sequences within 0.5-kb upstream from the ATG, whereas sequences between about 0.8- and 0.5-kb upstream from the ATG are required for high-level expression of glaA.

The complete karyotype of Aspergillus niger: the use of introduced electrophoretic mobility variation of chromosomes for gene assignment studies

A method is described for unambiguous assignment of cloned genes to Aspergillus niger chromosomes by CHEF gel electrophoresis and Southern analysis. All of the eight linkage groups (LGs), with the exception of LG VII, have previously been assigned to specific chromosomal bands in the electrophoretic karyotype of A. niger. Using a LG VII-specific probe (nicB gene of A. niger) we have shown that LG VII corresponds to a chromosome of about 4.1 Mb. Furthermore, genetic localization of three unassigned genes (glaA, aglA and pepA) in strains in which these genes had been replaced by a selectable marker gene led to a revised karyotype for the chromosomes corresponding to LGs VIII and VI. The revised electrophoretic karyotype reveals only 5 distinct bands. The presence of three pairs of equally sized chromosomes precluded assignment of genes to one specific chromosome in the wild-type strain. However, unambiguous chromosome assignment of cloned genes using CHEF-Southern analysis was demonstrated using a set of A. niger strains with introduced chromosomal size variation. The availability of these tester strains obviates the need to isolate or construct mutant strains for the purpose of chromosome assignment.

Growth and product formation in chemostat and recycling cultures by Aspergillus niger N402 and a glucoamylase overproducing transformant, provided with multiple copies of the glaA gene

Continuous and recycling cultures were carried out with Aspergillus niger N402 wild-type and a glucoamylase overproducing transformant to investigate growth and product formation characteristics. In shake flask cultures, the amount of glucoamylase produced by the transformant was about five times more than by the wild-type strain. In contrast with these results, a twofold overproduction was found in glucose-limited continuous cultures, while no overproduction was found under maltodextrin-limitation. Two regions of specific growth rates could be distinguished, one at specific growth rates lower (domain I) and one at specific growth rates higher than 0.12 h-1 (domain II). In domain I changes in mycelium morphology and conidia formation were observed. It has been concluded that maintenance requirements are dependent on the specific growth rate over the whole range of measured growth rates. The deviation in linearity in the linear equation of substrate utilization, caused by this phenomenon, should be considered when continuous cultures with filamentous fungi are performed. In recycling cultures, xylose as limiting carbon source repressed glucoamylase production very strongly. Under maltodextrin-limitation a fivefold overproduction was found. After about 150 h , the total amount of glucoamylase produced was still increasing, while total amount of product, measured as carbon, remained constant. After this time no increase in the amount of biomass formed was observed. These results suggest autolysis and cryptic growth taking place in a recycling fermenter and cell death rate equalling growth rate.

Secretion of heterologous proteins by Aspergillus niger: production of active human interleukin-6 in a protease-deficient mutant by KEX2-like processing of a glucoamylase-hIL6 fusion protein

To develop improved methods for heterologous protein production in Aspergillus niger, we studied the secretion of human interleukin-6 (hIL6). Since in vitro experiments with culture medium revealed that hIL6 was rapidly degraded, several protease-deficient strains of A. niger were isolated and tested for reduced degradation of hIL6 compared with the wild-type strain. The mutant strain giving the least degradative effect on hIL6 (designated AB1.13) was transformed with several hIL6-expression plasmids. Initially, hIL6 was expressed using various signal sequences fused to the sequence of mature hIL6. The resulting transformants did not produce detectable amounts of hIL6, despite high transcription levels in one transformant. We hypothesized that hIL6 was not efficiently processed during passage along the secretion pathway. Therefore, hIL6 was expressed as a fusion protein with glucoamylase, a protein which is efficiently secreted by A. niger and expression of which can easily be measured enzymatically. To obtain mature hIL6, a sequence encoding the KEX2 cleavage-site (Lys-Arg) was inserted between glucoamylase and hIL6 sequences. Mature active hIL6 was found to be secreted in the extracellular medium. Using this combined approach of transforming a protease-deficient strain with a fusion construct containing the KEX2 site, up to 15 mg l-1 active hIL6 was obtained in shake-flask culture. A fusion construct without the KEX2 site resulted in substantially higher production of the fusion protein, but hIL6 was not active in the fused form. These results indicate that A. niger contains a protease with similar specificity as the KEX2 protease from yeast.

Glucoamylase overexpression in Aspergillus niger: molecular genetic analysis of strains containing multiple copies of the glaA gene

A strategy, based on the usage of the amdS selection marker and a cosmid vector containing four copies of the glucoamylase gene (glaA), was developed to obtain glucoamylase (GLA)-overproducing A. niger strains. With this strategy, fungal strains carrying up to 200 copies of the glaA gene could be isolated at a relatively high frequency. In each transformant analysed, integration occurred in a single chromosome. A significant increase in the extracellular GLA production was observed in most of the transformants carrying multiple copies of the glaA gene. Further analysis showed that the amount of GLA that is produced was not proportional to the number of glaA copies in these transformants. However, the level of GLA production clearly correlated with the amount of glaA mRNA produced in these transformants. From these results it is concluded that GLA production is limited at the level of transcription.

Development of a new transformant selection system for Penicillium chrysogenum: isolation and characterization of the P. chrysogenum acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase gene (facA) and its use as a homologous selection marker

A new transformation system for the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum is described, based on the use of the homologous acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase (facA) gene as a selection marker. Acetate-non-utilizing (Fac-) strains of P. chrysogenum were obtained by positive selection for spontaneous resistance to fluoroacetate. Among these fac mutants putative facA strains were selected for a loss of acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase activity. The facA gene, coding for the enzyme acetyl-CoA synthetase, was isolated from a P. chrysogenum genomic library using synthetic oligonucleotides derived from conserved regions from the corresponding genes of Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa. Vector pPC2-3, comprising a genomic 6.5 kb PstI fragment, was able to complement P. chrysogenum facA strains with frequencies up to 27 transformants.micrograms-1 DNA. Direct selection of transformants was accomplished using acetate and low amounts (0.001%) of glucose as carbon sources. About 50% of the transformants arose by integration of pPC2-3 DNA at the homologous facA locus and 50% by integration elsewhere in the genome. Determination of the nucleotide sequence of part of the cloned fragment showed the presence of an open reading frame of 2007 nucleotides, interrupted by five putative introns. Comparison of the nucleotide and the amino acid sequence of the facA gene of P. chrysogenum with the facA gene of A. nidulans reveals similarities of 80% and 89%, respectively. The putative introns present in the P. chrysogenum facA gene appear at identical positions as those in the A. nidulans facA gene, but show no significant sequence similarity.

An upstream activating sequence from the Aspergillus nidulans gpdA gene

Introduction of a previously identified promoter element of the Aspergillus nidulans gpdA gene (encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), the so-called gpd box, into the upstream region of the highly regulated A. nidulans amdS gene (encoding acetamidase), significantly increased (up to 30-fold) the expression of the lacZ reporter gene fused to these expression signals. This increase was dependent on the orientation of the gpd box and on the site of introduction into the amdS upstream region. The presence of additional gpdA sequences which flank the gpd box reduced or even extinguished positive effects of the gpd box. omega-Amino acid and carbon catabolite regulation of the amdS promoter were retained after introduction of the gpd box, indicating that the gpd box does not abolish interactions of the regulatory proteins, AmdR and CreA, with the amdS transcription control sequences. Based on the results, it is suggested that the gpd box comprises at least two separate activities: one being orientation dependent, but relatively independent of position of the gpd box in the upstream region, and the other is only functional near other sites of transcriptional control. Most likely, both activities are not involved in regulation of the amdS promoter.

Isolation and characterization of mutants of Aspergillus niger deficient in extracellular proteases

In the present study, the extracellular protease activity in a strain of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger was investigated and mutant strains deficient in the production of extracellular proteases were isolated. The major protease, which is responsible for 80-85% of the total activity, is aspergillopepsin A, a protein of ca. 43 kDa, the activity of which is inhibited by pepstatin. In addition, a second protease, aspergillopepsin B, is produced, which is much less sensitive to inhibition by pepstatin. Several protease-deficient mutants were obtained by in vivo UV mutagenesis. In addition, a mutant lacking aspergillopepsin A was constructed by an in vitro gene replacement strategy. In this mutant, AB1.1, the entire coding region of the gene for aspergillopepsin A (pepA) is deleted. In three UV-induced mutants, aspergillopepsin A is also missing. One of these mutants, AB1.18, is mutated in the pepA gene, which is located on chromosome I. One of the other mutants, AB1.13, which has only 1-2% of the extracellular protease activity in the parent strain, is deficient in both aspergillopepsin A and aspergillopepsin B. The mutation involved, prt-13, has been localized to chromosome VI, and is probably a mutation in a regulatory gene. Another mutation involved in loss of protease function, prt-39, is located on chromosome VIII. Degradation of various heterologous proteins in culture media of the mutants is reduced but, even in strain AB1.13, not completely abolished.

Cloning and expression of a member of the Aspergillus niger gene family encoding alpha-galactosidase

An enzyme with alpha-galactosidase activity and an apparent molecular weight of 82 kDa was purified from culture medium of Aspergillus niger. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein shows similarity to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of alpha-galactosidases from several other organisms. Oligonucleotides, based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence, were used as probes to clone the corresponding gene from a lambda EMBL3 gene library of A. niger. The cloned gene (aglA) was shown to be functional by demonstrating that the 82 kDa alpha-galactosidase is absent from a strain with a disruption of the aglA gene, and is over-produced in strains containing multiple copies of the aglA gene. Enzyme activity assays revealed that the 82 kDa alpha-galactosidase A represents a minor extracellular alpha-galactosidase activity in A. niger.

Cloning of the nitrate - nitrite reductase gene cluster of Penicillium chrysogenum and use of the niaD gene as a homologous selection marker

A new homologous transformation system for the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum is described. The system is based on complementation of niaD mutants using the nitrate reductase structural gene (niaD) of P. chrysogenum. Spontaneous niaD mutants were identified after selection for chlorate resistance, in growth tests and subsequent complementation with the niaD gene of Aspergillus oryzae. The P. chrysogenum niaD gene was isolated from a genomic library using the Aspergillus nidulans niaD gene as a probe. After subcloning of the hybridizing fragment, the vector obtained, pPC1-1, was capable of transforming a P. chrysogenum niaD mutant at an average of 40 transformants per micrograms of circular DNA. Southern analysis of genomic DNA from a number of transformants showed that pPC1-1 DNA was integrated predominantly at sites other than the niaD locus. Using hybridization analysis it was shown that the niaD gene of P. chrysogenum is clustered with the nitrite reductase gene (niiA). From analysis of the nucleotide sequences of parts of the niaD and niiA genes of P. chrysogenum and comparison of these sequences with nucleotide sequences of the corresponding A. nidulans genes it was deduced that the P. chrysogenum genes are divergently transcribed.

A twin-reporter vector for simultaneous analysis of expression signals of divergently transcribed, contiguous genes in filamentous fungi

To analyze the promoter region(s) of divergently transcribed fungal genes, a twin-reporter vector was constructed. This vector contains two divergently oriented reported genes, encoding Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase (uidA) and E. coli beta-galactosidase (lacZ). Terminator regions of the Aspergillus nidulans nitrate and nitrite reductase-encoding genes, niaD and niiA, respectively, have been cloned 3' to the reporter genes to ensure proficient transcription termination of the reporter genes. The reporter genes have been separated by a unique NotI restriction site, which can be used for the insertion of expression signals. A mutant argB selection marker has been introduced in order to obtain A. nidulans transformants with a single copy of the vector integrated at the argB locus. The use of the vector was demonstrated by insertion of the A. nidulans niaD-niiA intergenic region and analysis of A. nidulans transformants obtained with this construct. Control of expression of both reporter genes was found to be in accordance with previously published data on control of nitrate assimilation [Cove, Biol. Rev. 54 (1979) 291-327].

Efficient KEX2-like processing of a glucoamylase-interleukin-6 fusion protein by Aspergillus nidulans and secretion of mature interleukin-6

We have designed an expression vector for the secretion of human interleukin-6 (hIL-6) in which the mature protein is fused through a spacer peptide, containing a KEX-2 like protein processing signal, to the entire Aspergillus niger glucoamylase (glaA) gene. Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans with this vector results in fungal strains secreting equimolar amounts of the glucoamylase and IL-6 proteins. The KEX2-type processing signal, Lys-Arg, is recognized and cleaved efficiently by an enzyme present in A. nidulans resulting in the secretion of an authentic mature hIL-6 protein at levels of up to 5 mg/l.

Construction and physiological characterization of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase overproducing transformants of Aspergillus nidulans

The construction and characterization of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GPD) overproducing transformants of Aspergillus nidulans and their behaviour in acetate-limited continuous cultures and glucose-grown batch cultures are described. The A. nidulans acetamidase deletion strain MH1277 was transformed with the homologous gpdA gene on a vector with the homologous acetamidase-gene (amdS) as a selection marker. Transformant A1 contains about nine integrated copies of the gpdA gene, and shows a proportional gene-dosage GPD production of about 22% of the total soluble cell protein. Compared to the wild-type MH1277, A1 has higher growth yields and reaches higher specific growth rates on both acetate and glucose, which could be due to the key position of GPD in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.