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DEVELOPMENT OF A GENE MEDIATED TRANSFER AND SELECTION SYSTEM FOR FILAMENTOUS FUNGI

Objective


A study was made fundamental and applied geneticaspects of filamentous fungi involving the development of genetic transformation and expression systems which are of central importance for the study and exploitation of filamentous fungi. Studies focussed on 2 selection systems which have a concomitant phenotype (ie, resistance to an antibiotic agent resulting in a specific growth defect). Certain acceptable fungi were programmed to synthesize and secrete heterologous proteins of commercial value in copious amounts.

Transformation systems were successfully generated for a variety of industrial fungi based on the nitrate reductase system (niaD). These include Aspergillus oryzae, A niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, Gibberella fujikuroi, Cephalosporium acremonium. Transformation based on the uracil system (pyrG) was also developed for A oryzae and A niger. Such results indicate that 2 reproducible reliable routes exist that introduce genes of commercial interest into filamentous fungi.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) constructs were also made in order to genetically programme fungi to express genes of commercial interest. Initial investigations focussed on the expression and secretion of human interleukin-6 (hIL-6). Such studies resulted in the production of this substance by filamentous fungi.

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Coordinator

CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
EU contribution
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Address
Serrano 117
MADRID
Spain

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