Transformation of Gibberella fujikuroi: effect of the Aspergillus nidulans AMA1 sequence on frequency and integration

A stable and reproducible transformation selection system for Gibberella fujikuroi protoplasts based on the Aspergillus nidulans arg B gene, encoding ornithine transcarbamylase, has been developed. Inclusion into the vector of the A. nidulans DNA fragment (AMA1), which permits plasmid autonomous replication in A. nidulans, A. niger and A. oryzae, appeared to permit autonomous replication of G. fujikuroi although the transformation frequency was increased by only two-fold. Transformation was also achieved using the bacterial hygromycin B resistance gene under the control of G. pulicaris and A. nidulans promoters.