Promoter analysis of cgl2, a galectin encoding gene transcribed during fruiting body formation in Coprinopsis cinerea (Coprinus cinereus).

In the homobasidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea, expression of the two fruiting body-specific galectins, CGL1 and CGL2, is controlled by nutrients, light and darkness and the A mating type genes. In this study, we analyzed the promoter of the cgl2 gene by measuring transcript levels by quantitative real-time PCR and show that regulation of CGL2 expression occurs at the transcriptional level. A minimal promoter sufficient to confer regulated expression of a heterologous reporter gene and comprising 627 base pairs from the start codon was defined. On the minimal promoter we identified a 120 bp sequence mediating induction of the cgl2 gene in constant darkness. Along with direct repeats (TGGAAG/TGGAAG/GGAA), the sequence contains a CRE consensus site (cAMP-responsive element, TGCGTCA) suggesting the involvement of cAMP signaling in cgl2 activation. No specific elements responsible for light repression and mating type regulation were found in the promoter.