Karyotype analysis, genome organization, and stable genetic transformation of the root colonizing fungus Piriformospora indica.
Piriformospora indica (Basidiomycota, Sebacinales) is a root colonizing fungus which is able to increase biomass and yield of crop plants and to induce local and systemic resistance to fungal diseases and tolerance to abiotic stress. A prerequisite for the elucidation of the mode of action of this novel kind of symbiosis is knowledge of the genome organization as well as the development of tools to study and modify gene functions. Here we provide data on the karyotype and genetic transformation strategies. The fungus was shown to possess at least six chromosomes and a genome size of about 15.4-24Mb. Sequences of the genes encoding the elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were used for genome size estimation through real-time PCR analysis. Chromosomal location investigated by Southern blot and expression analysis suggested that TEF and GAPDH are single-copy genes with strong and constitutive promoters. A genetic transformation system was established using a fragment of the TEF promoter region for construction of vectors carrying the selectable marker hygromycin B phosphotransferase. Results demonstrate that P. indica can be stably transformed by random genomic integration of foreign DNA and that it posses a relative small genome as compared to other members of the Basidiomycota.
Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology (IPAZ), Giessen, Germany. alga.zuccaro@agrar.uni-giessen.de
Alga
A
Zuccaro
Magdalena
M
Basiewicz
Magdalena
M
Zurawska
Dagmar
D
Biedenkopf
Karl-Heinz
KH
Kogel
D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000235:genetics*; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000379:methods; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018628:Gene Dosage; D023061:Gene Order; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D007621:Karyotyping; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases