Expression of the cercosporin toxin resistance gene ( CRG1) as a dicistronic mRNA in the filamentous fungus Cercospora nicotianae.

The CRG1 gene in Cercospora nicotianae encodes a transcription factor and is required for cercosporin toxin resistance and production. Cloning and sequencing of the downstream region of the CRG1 gene led to the discovery of an adjacent gene ( PUT1) encoding a putative uracil transporter. Expression of CRG1 and PUT1 as assessed by Northern analysis indicated that, in addition to the expected monocistronic mRNAs (2.6 kb and 2.0 kb, respectively), a common 4.5-kb mRNA could be identified, using either a CRG1 or a PUT1 gene probe. The 2.6-kb transcript identified only by the CRG1 probe was expressed constitutively, whereas the 2.0-kb transcript identified only by the PUT1 probe was differentially expressed in various media. Four cDNA clones containing CRG1, PUT1, and the CRG1- PUT1 intergenic region were identified as part of the products from the 4.5-kb transcript. Both the 4.5-kb and 2.6-kb transcripts were not detectable in three crg1-disrupted mutants, using the CRG1 probe. The 2.0-kb transcript, but not the 4.5-kb one was detected using the PUT1 probe in the three crg1-disrupted mutants. Taken together, we conclude that the 4.5-kb transcript is a dicistronic mRNA of both CRG1 and PUT1 in the fungus C. nicotianae. This is the first example of a dicistronic mRNA identified in filamentous fungi.