Mutants of Phycomyces blakesleeanus Defective in Acetyl-CoA Synthetase

Nine mutants of the filamentous fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus have been isolated on the basis of their resistance to fluoroacetate. None of the isolates uses acetate as the sole carbon source. Genetic complementation experiments revealed that all the mutants belong to the same complementation group. Biochemical analysis indicated that the acetate-induced acetyl-CoA synthetase activity is abolished in all nine mutants, thus suggesting that they are affected in the gene coding for acetyl-CoA synthetase (facA).