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Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of filamentous fungi

Nature Biotechnology volume 16, pages 839–842 (1998)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 November 1998

Abstract

Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers part of its Ti plasmid, the T-DNA, to plant cells during tumorigenesis. It is routinely used for the genetic modification of a wide range of plant species. We report that A. tumefaciens can also transfer its T-DNA efficiently to the filamentous fungus Aspergillus awamori, demonstrating DNA transfer between a prokaryote and a filamentous fungus. We transformed both protoplasts and conidia with frequencies that were improved up to 600-fold as compared with conventional techniques for transformation of A. awamori protoplasts. The majority of the A. awamori transformants contained a single T-DNA copy randomly integrated at a chromosomal locus. The T-DNA integrated into the A awamori genome in a manner similar to that described for plants. We also transformed a variety of other filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus niger, Fusarium venenatum, Trichoderma reesei, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Neurospora crassa, and the mushroom Agaricus bisporus, demonstrating that transformation using A. tumefaciens is generally applicable to filamentous fungi.

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Author notes

  1. Marcel J.A. de Groot

    Present address: Senter, Grote Marktstraat 43, 2500 GS, Den Haag, The Netherlands

  2. Paul Bundock and Paul J.J Hooykaas: For correspondence, contact Dr. J. W. Chapman, Unilever Research Laboratory (e-mail: John.Chapntan@unilever.com).

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unilever Research Laboratory Vlaardingen, Olivier van Noortlaan 120, 3133 AT, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands

    Marcel J.A. de Groot & Alice G.M. Beijersbergen

  2. Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, Clusius Laboratory, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Paul Bundock & Paul J.J Hooykaas

Authors
  1. Marcel J.A. de Groot
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  2. Paul Bundock
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  3. Paul J.J Hooykaas
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  4. Alice G.M. Beijersbergen
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de Groot, M., Bundock, P., Hooykaas, P. et al. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of filamentous fungi. Nat Biotechnol 16, 839–842 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0998-839

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