Isolation of metabolic genes and demonstration of gene disruption in the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis.

A cDNA library was constructed in the yeast expression vector pYcDE8 using mRNA from the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis and cDNAs capable of complementing mutations in three yeast genes, URA3, LEU2 and TPI1, were identified. Nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that the cDNA clone, which complemented the yeast ura3 mutation, carries the pyr6 gene encoding orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase. The genomic copy of the pyr6 gene was isolated by hybridization with the cDNA and used to complement a pyr- mutant of U. maydis. One-step gene disruption was demonstrated by transforming U. maydis with a copy of the pyr6 gene interrupted in the coding region by a selectable marker for resistance to hygromycin B.