The arg2 gene of Trichoderma virens: cloning and development of a homologous transformation system

The arg2 gene which encodes the small subunit of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase for Trichoderma virens has been cloned and used to develop a homologous transformation system. A genomic clone containing the arg2 gene was isolated from a cosmid library of T. virens based on complementation of an arginine auxotrophic mutant of this fungus. The predicted amino acid sequence of the arg2 gene shows 56-82% identity with homologous polypeptides from other fungi. It also contains an upstream open reading frame which encodes 24 amino acids. As is observed with other gene sequences encoding this polypeptide in filamentous fungi, the N-terminus of the predicted polypeptide showed characteristic features of a mitochondrial signal sequence. The arg2 gene was used for genetic transformation of T. virens in frequencies of up to 370 transformants/microgram of DNA. Heat-shock treatment of T. virens protoplasts increased the transformation frequency by fivefold, but more than 85% of the transformants were abortive. Both single-copy, homologous integration events and ectopic, non-homologous integration events were detected by Southern analyses of genomic DNA from transformed strains.