Shuttle vectors for genetic manipulations in Ustilago maydis

Shuttle vectors with new or improved features were constructed to enable fa cile genetic manipulations in the plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. Sets of p lasmids selectable in media containing geneticin, carboxin, nourseothricin, or hygromycin, able to replicate autonomously, to transform U. maydis by i ntegration, and to express foreign genes under control of the homologous gl yceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter, were built upon a common p UC19 vector backbone. This permits a large number of choices for a cloning site, blue/white screening for recombinant plasmids, rapid transfer of a cl oned DNA fragment between plasmids, and choice of several dominant drug-res istance markers for selection in U. maydis.