Genetic Transformation of the Biocontrol Fungus Gliocladium virens to Benomyl Resistance.

Methodology was developed to isolate and regenerate protoplasts from the biocontrol fungus Gliocladium virens and to transform them to benomyl resistance with a Neurospora crassa beta-tubulin gene. Southern blots demonstrated that multiple copies of the vector integrated into the chromosomal DNA of stable biotypes but not of abortive transformants. Analysis of nuclear condition in vegetative and asexual structures demonstrated that no structure of G. virens is dependably uninucleate and thus preferentially suitable for transformation.