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Characterization of the Dp (II,I) duplication in Aspergillus nidulans: presence of the Acr Ai gene and its regulatory transcription sequence in the transposed segment

Marialba A.A. Castro Prado^I; Tânia M.A. Domingues Zucchi^II

^IDepartamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Fundação Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Av. Colombo, 3690, 87020-900 Maringá, PR, Brasil
^IIInstituto de Ciências Biomédicas da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Send correspondence to T.M.A.D.Z.

ABSTRACT

Segregation of w and Acr markers was demonstrated in self-crossed strains of Aspergillus nidulans that possess the Dp (II,I) duplication, and sensitivity to acriflavin.
Segregation of gene w confirms heterozygosity of this gene in strains that bear w⁺ on chromosome I (duplication) and w on chromosome II. On the other hand, the segregation of gene Acr suggests the presence of this gene in the Dp (II,I) duplication, making the strains heterozygous for the Acr gene: Acr⁺ (chromosome II) and Acr (duplication, chromosome I). This result is only possible if a regulatory mutant sequence is present in the duplicated segment, repressing the expression of Act, since Acr/Acr⁺ strains present an intermediate phenotype Acr⁺) between Acr ⁺ (sensitive to acriflavin) and Acr (resistant to acriflavin) strains.
This hypothesis was confirmed by the detection of Acr⁺ segregants in heterozygous and homozygous crosses for the Dp (II,I) duplication.

Keywords: Duplication; Aspergillus nidulans; Transcription; Transposed segment.

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