Isolation and characterization of two chitin synthase genes from Aspergillus nidulans

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 58; no. 10; pp. 1828 - 1835
• Main Authors: Yanai, K. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan)), Kojima, N, Takaya, N, Horiuchi, H, Ohta, A, Takagi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Taylor & Francis 1994; Japan Society for Bioscience Biotechnology and Agrochemistry; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; ASPERGILLUS NIDULANS; Aspergillus nidulans - enzymology; Aspergillus nidulans - genetics; Aspergillus nidulans - growth & development; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; BIOSINTESIS; BIOSYNTHESE; BIOSYNTHESIS; Biotechnology; Blotting, Northern; CHITIN; Chitin Synthase - biosynthesis; Chitin Synthase - genetics; CHITINE; Culture Media; DNA, Fungal - analysis; DNA, Fungal - isolation & purification; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GENE; Gene Library; GENES; Genes. Genome; HIBRIDACION; HYBRIDATION; HYBRIDIZATION; MICELIO; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; MYCELIUM; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE; PLANT GROWTH SUBSTANCES; Plasmids; QUITINA; SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE; SECUENCIA NUCLEICA; SEQUENCE NUCLEIQUE; SUBSTANCE DE CROISSANCE VEGETALE; SUSTANCIAS DE CRECIMIENTO VEGETAL; TRANSFERASAS; TRANSFERASE; TRANSFERASES; Transformation, Genetic; Microorganism growth; Nucleotide sequence; Enzyme; Transferases; Glycosyltransferases; Prediction; Chitin synthase; Gene expression; Fungi; Plasmid; Aspergillus nidulans; Hexosyltransferases; Fungi Imperfecti; Mutation; Molecular cloning; Aminoacid sequence; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0916-8451; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.58.1828

Two chitin synthase genes, designated chsA and chsB, were isolated from Aspergillus nidulans with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CHS2 gene as the hybridization probe. Nucleotide sequencing showed that chsA and chsB encoded polypeptides consisting of 1013 and 916 amino acid residues, respectively; the hydropathy profiles of the enzymes were similar to those of other fungal chitin synthases. Northern analysis indicated that both genes were transcribed, suggesting that cellular chitin in A. nidulans is synthesized by at least two chitin synthases. For examination of the roles of the chitin synthase genes in cell growth, gene disruption experiments were done. The chsA disruptant grew as well as the wild-type strain, but the chsB disruptant had severe growth defects that could not be overcome by the addition of 1.2 m sorbitol as an osmotic stabilizer. These findings suggested that chsB but not chsA is essential for hyphal growth.