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Published on: February 12, 2019
siRNA as a molecular tool for use in Aspergillus niger
Sally E Barnes1, Marcos J C Alcocer, David B Archer
1School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
Abstract:
Gene silencing using siRNA has been examined in the industrially-important fungus, Aspergillus niger. Protoplasts of an A. niger strain containing a single genomic copy of the Escherichia coli uidA gene, encoding beta-glucuronidase (GUS), under control of the A. niger glaA promoter at the same genomic locus, were exposed to siRNA targeted against the uidA gene. Down-regulation of uidA mRNA and GUS activity by siRNA was observed in mycelia that developed from the protoplasts. The down-regulation was transient and was not carried over to conidiation. We concluded that gene silencing by siRNA provides a relatively quick method for analysis of gene function in A. niger.