SEQUENCE-ANALYSIS OF THE CATALYTIC DOMAIN OF A METARHIZIUM-ANISOPLIAECHITINASE

A 375-bp DNA fragment from Metarhizium anisopliae strain CG32 genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using chitinase-specific concensus primers. T he deduced M. anisopliae peptide sequence demonstrated high similarity to the catalytic domains of chitinase genes from Aphanocladium album and Trichoderma harzianum. However, two introns present in the aligned A. album and T. harzianum genomic sequences were not detected in the M. anisopliae sequence. A comparison was made between this Metarhizium chitinase sequence and that of other fungi and bacteria. Possible phy logenetic relationships are discussed.