title: Ku80 gene is related to non-homologous end-joining and genome stability in Aspergillus niger.
abstract: In this study, the ku70 and ku80 homologs from the Aspergillus niger genome were identified and their function was analyzed using targeted mutagenesis. The role of the ku80 gene in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) was investigated by calculating the frequency of homologous recombination. The transformation test verified that the frequency of homologous recombination significantly increased, from 1.78 to 65.6% in ku80 single deletion strains and to 100% in ku70/ku80 double deletion strains. These results suggest that the ku80 gene is important for non-homologous end-joining. Although the morphology of the ku deletion strains colonies was similar to that of the wildtype strain, mutants were more sensitive to the mutagen phleomycin. Furthermore, the purified ku80 deletion strain produced some sectored colonies on hygromycin B-containing plates. This result suggests that the ku80 gene deletion leads to genomic instability in A. niger.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Systematic Mycology and Lichenology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jinxiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhihui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guomin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Aoquan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yingjiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huaming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D042822:Genomic Instability; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen