title: Molecular characterization of the proteinase-encoding gene, prb1, related to mycoparasitism by Trichoderma harzianum.
abstract: The soil fungus Trichoderma harzianum is a mycoparasitic fungus known for its use as a biocontrol agent of phytopathogenic fungi. Among other factors, Trichoderma produces a series of antibiotics and fungal cell wall-degrading enzymes. These enzymes are believed to play an important role in mycoparasitism. Among the hydrolytic enzymes, we have identified a basic proteinase (Prb1) which is induced by either autoclaved mycelia, fungal cell wall preparation or chitin; however, the induction does not occur in the presence of glucose. The proteinase was purified and biochemically characterized as a serine proteinase of 31 kDa and pI 9.2. Based on the sequence of three internal peptides, synthetic oligonucleotide probes were designed. These probes allowed subsequent isolation of a cDNA and its corresponding genomic clone. The deduced amino acid sequence indicates that the proteinase is synthesized as a pre-proenzyme and allows its classification as a serine proteinase. Northern analysis shows that the induction of this enzyme is due to an increase in the corresponding mRNA level.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium voor Genetica, Universiteit Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Geremia
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ardiles
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Montagu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrera-Estrella
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002686:Chitin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D005658:Fungi; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D002686:Chitin; D004247:DNA; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases