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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309002
Title: Sexual recombination in Aspergillus tubingensis

Author
item OLARTE, RODRIGO - North Carolina State University
item Horn, Bruce
item SINGH, RAKHI - North Carolina State University
item CARBONE, IGNAZIO - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Mycologia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/26/2015
Publication Date: 3/19/2015
Citation: Olarte, R.A., Horn, B.W., Singh, R., Carbone, I. 2015. Sexual recombination in Aspergillus tubingensis. Mycologia 107(2):307-312.

Interpretive Summary: The fungus Aspergillus tubingensis, which is closely related to A. niger, is used extensively in industry for the production of enzymes and citric acid. In this study, we performed sexual crosses in A. tubingensis and demonstrated genetic recombination in the offspring. Sexual reproduction and associated recombination might be useful for the generation of industrially superior strains of A. tubingensis with enhanced enzyme and citric acid production.

Technical Abstract: Aspergillus tubingensis from section Nigri (Black Aspergilli) is closely related to A. niger and is used extensively in the industrial production of enzymes and organic acids. We recently discovered sexual reproduction in A. tubingensis and in this study, demonstrate that the progeny are products of meiosis. Progeny were obtained from six crosses involving five MAT1-1 strains and two MAT1-2 strains. We examined three loci, including mating type (MAT), RNA polymerase II (RPB2) and beta tubulin (BT2), and found that 84% (58/69) of progeny were recombinants. Recombination associated with sexual reproduction in A. tubingensis provides a new option for the genetic improvement of industrial strains for enzyme and organic acid production.