Studies on Differentiation of Aspergillus nidulans (I) : Characterization of temperature-sensitive mutants defective in differentiation of aspergillus nidulans

Aspergillus nidulans의 분화에 있어 온도 감수성 돌연변이주의 특성

From FGSC 159 strain of Aspergillus nidulans, temperature sensitive mutants that are defective in growth and differentiation have been isolated by N-methyl-N'-nitroN-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) treatment. The optimum concentration of NTG and incubation time to get the highest mutation frequency was $100{\mu}g$ per ml and 1 hour, respectively. The survival frequency was 1%. Among the isolated mutants, five strains that were affected in early steps of differentiation were selected for further studies and named smK, smY, smB, smF, and smZ. The execution point of each mutant was determined and the growing pattern of each mutant at the restrictive temperature was observed under the microscope. Growth of mutant was arrested near at the execution point. From genetic analysis, each temperature-sensitive mutants was thought to have a single recessive gene. The genes of smK, smY, smB, smF, and smZ are linked to the chromosome VII, IV, VIII, I, and VI, respectively. It can be concluded that the genes controlling the differentiation are widely dispersed in the genome. From the results of mutant, smK, it is considered that a single gene can affect a function (functions) which act(s) at two different steps during differentiation.