A TRANSFORMANT OF ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS DEFICIENT IN THE ANTIGENIC CYTOTOXIN ASPFI

The aspfI gene encoding a ribonucleotoxin, a putative virulence factor of Aspergillus fumigatus, was inactivated by ge ne disruption. Gene r eplacement through homologous recombination by the disrupted allele ta gged by the hygromycin B resistance marker was performed by transforma tion of a pathogenic strain. One transformant with the disrupted aspfI gene failed to produce the ASPFI protein and was shown to be pathogen ic for mice. We concluded that this ribotoxin is not a main factor in the colonization of the lung tissues by A. fumigatus.