Mutations affecting extracellular protease production in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans

The extracellular proteases of Aspergillus nidulans are known to be regulated by carbon, nitrogen and sulphur metabolite repression. In this study, a mutant with reduced levels of extracellular protease was isolated by screening for loss of halo production on milk plates. Genetic analysis of the mutant showed that it contains a single, recessive mutation, in a gene which we have designated xprE, located on chromosome VI. The xprE1 mutation affected the production of extracellular proteases in response to carbon, nitrogen and, to a lesser extent, sulphur limitation. Three reversion mutations, xprF1, xprF2 and xprG1, which suppress xprE1, were characterised. Both xprF and xprG map to chromosome VII but the two genes are unlinked. The xprF1, xprF2 and xprG1 mutants showed high levels of milk-clearing activity on medium containing milk as a carbon source but reduced growth on a number of nitrogen sources. Evidence is presented that the xprE1 and xprG1 mutations alter expression of more than one protease and affect levels of alkaline protease gene mRNA.