PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION OF POLYKETIDE SYNTHASE CODED BY ASPERGILLUS-NIDULANS WA GENE

The wA gene cloned from A. nidulans which was assumed to code for poly ketide synthase involved in conidial spore pigment biosynthesis was ex pressed in a heterologous host fungus A. oryzae using starch inducible fungal expression plasmid pTAex3. The A. oryzae transformant produced starch inducible compounds, whose structures were identified to be ci treoisocoumairn and its derivatives. Apparent heptaketide nature of th ese compounds identified that the wA gene codes for a heptaketide synt hase of A. nidulans. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.