Clustering of spore-specific genes in Aspergillus nidulans

Abstract

We have investigated the chromosomal organization of genes that are expressed specifically in the asexual spores (conidia) of the Ascomycete fungus Aspergillus nidulans, using two experimental approaches. In the first, 30 different recombinant clones, containing long nuclear DNA inserts and at least one spore-specific gene, were selected randomly. The total number of spore-specific genes present in each clone was then determined by RNA blot analysis. In the second approach, several chromosomal recombinant DNA libraries, having average insert lengths ranging from 1 to 15 kilobases, were constructed. The fraction of clones in each library having one or more spore-specific poly(A)+RNA-coding regions was then determined by colony or plaque filter hybridization with radiolabeled, spore-specific, complementary DNA. The results from these experiments were compared to statistical predictions based on the assumption that the spore-specific genes are randomly distributed in the Aspergillus genome. In both cases, the experimental values deviated significantly from the predicted values, demonstrating that the spore-specific genes are nonrandomly arranged in the genome. Rather, they appear frequently to occur in tightly linked clusters.