A mutation affecting amdS expression in Aspergillus nidulans contains a triplication of a cis-acting regulatory sequence.

In Aspergillus nidulans expression of the acetamidase structural gene, amdS, is under the control of at least four regulatory genes including the trans-acting amdA regulatory gene. A cis-acting mutation (amdI66) consisting of an 18 bp duplication in the 5' region of the amdS gene results in very high levels of acetamidase activity but only in strains carrying semi-dominant mutations in the amdA gene. In selecting for increased amdS expression in an amdI66 and A+ strain, an A. nidulans strain with a mutation in the 5' region of the amdS gene was isolated. The nucleotide sequence was determined of the region containing the mutation, designated amdI666. The mutant strain carries three tandem copies of the 18 bp sequence that is duplicated in the amdI66 mutation. Thus, from a strain carrying a duplication of an apparent regulatory protein binding site with little effect on gene expression, a strain has been derived that carries a triplication of the site with consequent major effects on regulation. The multiple copies of regulatory sites present in many genes may have been generated by a similar mechanism.