Chitin synthase genes in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus versiforme: full sequence of a gene encoding a class IV chitin synthase

Chitin synthase genes of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus versiform e were sought in an investigation of the molecular basis of fungal growth. Three DNA fragments (Gvchs1,Gvchs2 and Gvchs3) corresponding to the conserv ed regions of distinct chitin synthase (chs) genes were amplified by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with two sets of degenerate primers. Gvchs1 and Gvchs3 encode two class I chitin synthases, whereas Gvchs3 enco des a class IV chitin synthase. A genomic library was used to obtain the Gv chs3 complete gene (1193 amino acids), which shows a very close similarity to the class IV chitin synthase from Neurospora crassa. (C) 1999 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.