STRUCTURE, ORGANIZATION, AND TRANSCRIPTION OF A CELLOBIOHYDROLASE GENE-CLUSTER FROM PHANEROCHAETE-CHRYSOSPORIUM

Restriction mapping and sequence analysis of cosmid clones revealed a cluster of three cellobiohydrolase genes in Phanerochaete chrysosporium. P. chrysosporium cbh1-1 and cbh1-2 are separated by only 750 bp and are located approximately 14 kb upstream from a cellulase gene previously cloned from P. chrysosporium (P. Sims, C. James, and P. Broda, Gene 74:411-422, 1988). Within a well-conserved region, the deduced amino acid sequences of P. chrysosporium cbh1-1 and cbh1-2 are, respectively, 80 and 69% homologous to that of the Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I gene. The conserved cellulose-binding domain typical of microbial cellulases is absent from cbh1-1. Transcript levels of the three P. chrysosporium genes varied substantially, depending on culture conditions. cbh1-1 and cbh1-2 were not induced in the presence of cellulose, nor did they appear to be subject to glucose repression. Therefore, aspects of the chromosomal organization, structure, and transcription of these genes are unlike those of any previously described cellulase genes.