Hyphal growth in fungi

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing desired proteins or chemicals in fungal host cells, which comprise modulating the nucleic acid encoding proteins associated with hyphal growth. The amino acid and nucleic acid sequences of hbrA and hbrB are provided.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a desired protein in a fungus comprising the step of, culturing a recombinant fungus comprising a polynucleotide encoding the desired protein under conditions suitable for the production of said desired protein, said recombinant fungus further comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth in said fungus said protein having at least 70% identity to the amino acid sequence as disclosed in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of recovering said desired protein.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth is homologous to said fungus said polypeptide being present in copy number greater than found in the naturally occurring fungus.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth is heterologous to said fungus and has been recombinantly introduced into said fungus.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth in said fungus comprises a replicating plasmid.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth in said fungus is integrated into the fungal genome.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said protein associated with hyphal growth has the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth has 60% identity to the polynucleotide having the sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1, or is capable of hybridizing to the polynucleotide having the sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1 under conditions of intermediate to high stringency, or is complementary to the polynucleotide having the sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said polynucleotide has the nucleic acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said fungus is a filamentous fungus.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said filamentous fungus includes  Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Mucor  and  Fusarium  species.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the  Aspergillus  includes  A. niger, A. nidulans, A. oryzai  and  A. fumigatus.    
     
     
         22 . A method for producing a recombinant fungus comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth comprising the steps of: 
 (a) obtaining a polynucleotide encoding said protein associated with;    (b) introducing said polynucleotide into said host cell; and    (c) growing said host cell under conditions suitable for the production of said protein associated with hyphal growth.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said host cell includes filamentous fungus.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said filamentous fungus includes  Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Mucor , and  Fusarium.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said  Aspergillus  species includes  A. niger, A. nidulans, A. oryzae  and  A. fumigatus.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said polynucleotide has at least 60% identity to the nucleic acid having the sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         27 - 29 . (canceled)  
     
     
         30 . A method for producing a desired protein in a fungus comprising the step of culturing a recombinant fungus comprising a polynucleotide encoding the desired protein under conditions suitable for the production of said desired protein, said recombinant fungus comprising a mutation in an endogenous nucleic acid encoding a protein associated with hyphal growth said mutation resulting in the inhibition of the production by said fungus of the protein associated with hyphal growth.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said protein associated with hyphal growth has at least 70% identity to the amino acid sequence as disclosed in SEQ ID NO:2.