Glucose dependent transcriptional expression of the cre1 gene in Acremonium chrysogenum strains showing different levels of cephalosporin C production.

The cre1 gene from the beta-lactam producer Acremonium chrysogenum has been isolated and characterized in order to study glucose-dependent gene expression in this biotechnically important fungus. The deduced protein sequence is highly similar to amino-acid sequences of other known glucose repressors from filamentous fungi, and carries conserved zinc-finger and regulatory motifs. Contrary to cre gene expression in Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus nidulans, the transcript level of the cre1 gene from an A. chrysogenum wild-type strain is increased in the presence of glucose. Remarkably, the glucose-dependent transcriptional upregulation does not take place in another A. chysogenum strain, which displays enhanced production of the beta-lactam antibiotic cephalosporin C. We surmise that the de-regulation of cre1 is connected with the increased production rate in this strain.