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Cloning and characterization of a chitinase (CHIT42) cDNA from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma harzianum

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Abstract

A cDNA of Trichoderma harzianum (chit42), coding for an endochitinase of 42 kDa, has been cloned using synthetic oligonucleotides corresponding to aminoacid sequences of the purified chitinase. The cDNA codes for a protein of 423 amino acids. Analysis of the N-terminal amino-acid sequence of the chitinase, and comparison with that deduced from the nucleotide sequence, revealed post-translational processing of a putative signal peptide of 22 amino acids and a second peptide of 12 amino acids. The chit42 sequence presents overall similarities with filamentous fungal and bacterial chitinases and to a lesser extent with yeast and plant chitinases. The deduced aminoacid sequence has putative catalytic, phosphorylation and glycosylation domains. Expression of chit42 mRNA is strongly induced by chitin and chitin-containing cell walls and is subjected to catabolite repression. Southern analysis shows that it is present as a single-copy gene in T. harzianum. chit42 is also detected in several tested mycoparasitic and non-mycoparasitic fungal strains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, CSIC, Apdo., E-1052, Sevilla, Spain

    Irene García, José M. Lora & José A. Pintor-Toro

  2. Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, CSIC, Apdo. E-1113, Sevilla, Spain

    Jesús de la Cruz & Antonio Llobell

  3. Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo. E-1113, Sevilla, Spain

    Jesús de la Cruz & Antonio Llobell

  4. Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo., E-1095, Sevilla, Spain

    Tahía Benítez

Authors
  1. Irene García
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  2. José M. Lora
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  3. Jesús de la Cruz
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  4. Tahía Benítez
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  5. Antonio Llobell
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  6. José A. Pintor-Toro
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Communicated by B. S. Lox

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García, I., Lora, J.M., de la Cruz, J. et al. Cloning and characterization of a chitinase (CHIT42) cDNA from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma harzianum . Curr Genet 27, 83–89 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326583

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326583

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