PROCESS FOR MODIFYING GLUCOSE REPRESSION

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant-DNA-technology, and particularly to genes involved in the control of basic metabolic processes in fungi. The invention specifically provides a mutated form of the native glucose repressor gene cre of filamentous fungi, wherein the mutation is situated in the C-terminal domain, the N-terminal first zinc finger being intact and the C-terminal region including the second zinc finger being mutated so that the viability of a strain carrying said mutated gene is maintained and the glucose repression is relieved.

Description: Process for modifying glucose repression Field of the invention The present invention relates to recombinant-DNA-technology, and particularly to genes involved in the control of basic metabolic processes in fungi. The invention specifically provides mutated glucose repressor genes to be transformed to fungal strains in order to render the strains capable of producing elevated amounts of secreted proteins without reducing the viability of the strain. Background of the invention Carbon catabolite repression is a major mechanism controlling metabolic processes of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes. In the presence of readily metabolizable carbon sources such as glucose the expression of structural genes required for utilization of other alternative carbon sources is decreased. Cellulases and other secreted hydrolase enzymes are proteins whose production is repressed by glucose. In general, glucose repression is mediated through the action of specific proteins that regulate transcription by binding promoter sequences of the target genes (Trumbly, 1992). The creA gene of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans is a well characterized regulatory gene mediating carbon catabolite repression (Arst and Bailey, 1977). The central role of the CREA protein of A. nidulans in carbon catabolite repression has been verified extensively by genetic (Arst et al., 1990) and molecular analysis (Mathieu and Felenbok, 1994). Mutations of the creA gene are recessive to the wild type gene. Some of the mutants have abnormal morphology (Arst et al., 1990), and haploid A. nidulans creA ' strains constructed by genetic engineering, lacking the entire protein coding region of the creA gene (Dowzer and Kelly, 1991) have extremely reduced viability. Additionally, the carbon metabolism in the mutant strains is altered in different ways. The most extreme of the in vivo isolated creA mutants with respect to growth impairment is the creA30 mutation that additionally results in formation of an abnormally compact colony. Molecular analysis of the creASO gene sequence revealed that the gene is truncated at the 3' end corresponding to a protein having two intact zinc fingers but lacking the sequences C-terminal to the DNA-binding region (Dowzer and Kelly, 1991). This is the most extreme mutation of creA described so far. The CREA protein has two zinc fingers of C 2 H 2 type involved in base recognition. The CREA fingers are strikingly similar to the ones of the glucose repressor MIG1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, the C-terminal one of the two fingers has significant similarities with the fingers found in mammalian early growth response proteins involved in developmental regulation. Obvious sequence similarities in other parts of the proteins are, however, missing (Nehlin and Ronne, 1990). Another yeast gene RGR1, is also involved in glucose repression. The phenotypic effects of the rgrl- 1 mutation somewhat resemble those of creA mutant alleles, and a RGRV strain is not viable (Sakai et al, 1990). Similarities in carbon catabolite repression have thus been found between yeast and filamentous fungi, and some of the basic features of glucose repression are probably universal in eukaryotic microorganisms. Considering that creA has such a central role in Aspergillus as a regulator of different sets of genes that are subject to carbon catabolite repression, it is likely that similar mechanisms mediating glucose repression are found in related organisms. Besides A. nidulans, the creA gene has so far been isolated only from the closely related species, A. niger (Drysdale et al., 1993). Description of the invention In order to address the role of creA in other filamentous fungi and especially in relation to cellulase expression, we have isolated the creA equivalent crel from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei which is one of the most extensively studied cellulolytic or¬ ganisms (reviewed e.g. by Nevalainen and Penttila, 1995). The production of cellulases is dependent on the carbon source available, and glucose repression is very tight. The expression level of the major cellobiohydrolase 1 (cbhl) is up to several thousand fold higher on media containing inducing carbon sources such as cellulose or sophorose compared with glucose containing media (Penttila et ai, 1993). Deletion analysis of the cbhl promoter has suggested that a creA equivalent would be involved in glucose repression of cellulase expression in T. reesei (Penttila et al., 1993). In addition to the crel gene of T. reesei, we isolated the same gene from the related species T. harzianum. The expression studies of the T. reesei crel gene revealed unexpected indication of autoregulation. Furthermore, a hypercellulolytic T. reesei strain was found to express a truncated form of the crel gene with an unexpected structure and properties. The truncated crel gene of the strain T. reesei Rut-C30 was named crel-1. The present invention thus provides a mutated fungal glucose repressor gene which, when transformed to a fungal strain maintains said strain fully viable and renders said strain capable of producing elevated amounts of secreted proteins, even in the presence of glucose. Furthermore, this strain has an altered glucose uptake, as well as altered growth characteristics on certain nitrogen sources. Consequently, a further object of this invention is the use of said gene in a process for enhancing the production of secreted proteins in a fungal host, which process comprises transforming the truncated crel gene according to the invention into a suitable fungal host, and replacing the existing crel gene, cultivating the transformed host in a suitable growth medium comprising glucose, and recovering the protein produced. According to the present invention it is also possible to control the growth rate of a fungus by regulating the type of nitrogen source and the amount of glucose in the medium. Fungal strains transformed with the truncated crel gene are also provided. Unexpected results were obtained when studying the expression of the T. reesei crel gene. If glucose repression mediated through CREI was regulated at the level of crel transcription, one would expect increase in transcription in the presence of glucose. However, high expression of crel does not correlate positively with glucose repression, in fact when glucose is present in repressing amounts the level of crel transcript is relatively low, and higher on the neutral carbon sources sorbitol and glycerol, and on cellulose. Furthermore, addition of glucose to cultivations carried out on the neutral carbon sources reduced the level of crel transcript, which is indicative of autoregulati- on. Further indication for autoregulation was obtained when studying expression of the mutated form of the glucose repressor gene cre, i.e. crel -1 of the hypercellulolytic T. reesei strain Rut-C30. Nearly 80 % of the protein coding region, including one of the two zinc fingers, is deleted as compared to the "native" crel gene of T. reesei QM9414. The T. reesei crel-1 mutation could suggest that the N-terminal zinc finger could be sufficient for DNA-binding and thus retaining most of the viability of the fungus. However, the strain Rut-C30 produces relatively high levels of crel-1 mRNA also on glucose medium compared with the strain QM9414. Assuming that CREI down regulates its own expression when growing on glucose medium, the abundancy of crel - 1 mRNA may be explained by the inability of the CREI-1 protein to bind the target sequences in its own promoter, or by the inability of the truncated form of the protein to confer repression of the gene. This should hold true also for other genes regulated by crel, which is here shown by derepression of the cellulase gene cbhl. The high cellulase cbhl mRNA levels detected in the presence of glucose in combination with the mutation resulting in the truncated form of crel, support true carbon catabolite derepression in this strain. The results obtained with Rut-C30 now further support the suggestion that cellulase expression is under control of carbon catabolite repression mediated at least partially by CREL It is likely that a similar situation holds true for other filamentous fungi, and furthermore that also other hydrolytic enzymes involved in utilization of plant polymeric substrates could be regu¬ lated by CREI/CREA proteins. By replacing the crel gene in T. reesei QM9414 with the mutated gene crel-1 it is possible to construct a strain expressing the crel -1 and transfer the glucose derepressed phenotype of Rut-C30 into another Trichoderma strain. A strain constructed in this way is fully viable, and is further able to produce secreted proteins in the presence of glucose. The properties are extremely useful in biotechnical processes when producing secreted proteins. We have also transformed the native full length crel gene into the Rut-C30 strain. The characteristics of the new strain obtained indicated that the mutated gene crel -1 of Rut-C30 has a function partly allowing transcription of a cellulase gene suggesting competition between the products of crel and crel-1 genes. Alternatively, an additional mutation in Rut-C30 is partly taking part in glucose derepression in addition to crel. Other highly unexpected results are also described. It is for the first time shown that glucose consumption from the medium is under cre control and particularly so that some residual glucose can remain completely unutilized in a strain mutated in cre. This result shows that several mutant forms of cre can now be generated and transferred to fungal strains, which will result in changed glucose consumption of the strain. It is noteworthy that glucose containing cultures and for instance fed-batch cultivations with the necessity of careful control of glucose amount are generally used in biotechnical processes for protein production. Using strains harboring cre mutations allows now a new type of process control. Another unexpected result shown is that growth rate modulation is under cre control in a way dependent on the type of nitrogen source provided for the fungus. This allows the growth rate, however retaining the strain fully viable, to be controlled in biotechnical processes. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 Alignment of the amino acid sequences of three T. reesei CREI proteins (Rut-C30,VTT-D-80133 and QM9414) as well as of T. harzianum T3. The domain containing the two zinc fingers is underlined in the T3 sequence. Fig. 2 Expression of crel in T. reesei strain QM9414 cultivated on minimal medium supplemented with either 2% sorbitol, 5% glucose or 3% Solka floe cellulose at the cultivation times indicated. 2 μg of total RNA was loaded on gel. Prior to blotting and hybridization the gel was stained with acridine orange (AO) to visualize the amount of RNA loaded. Hybridization probe was a 600 bp long internal PCR fragment of the crel (see experi¬ mental). Fig. 3 Effect of different carbon sources on the expression of crel and cbhl of T. reesei QM9414. Cultivations were carried out for 72-92 h as indicated on minimal medium supplemented with either 2% sorbitol or 2% glycerol. At 72 h, glucose was added to 2% into certain sorbitol and glycerol cultures and incubation was continued for 1 h (total cultivation time 73 h) or 15 h (total cultivation time 87 h). Similarly, 1 M sophorose was added into glycerol cultures twice, at 72 h and 82 h, and the incubation was continued for 15 h (total 87 h) or 20 h (total 90 h). Northern blot was prepared and hybridized as described in the legend to figure 2. Fig. 4 Comparison of expression of crel and cbhl in the T. reesei strains Rut-C30 and QM9414 cultivated for 72 h on 5% glucose or 2% solca floe cellulose medium. Northern analysis was performed as described in the legend to figure 2. The crel probe used was the 294 bp long fragment specific for the nucleotides from -158 - +136 of the crel gene. Fig. 5 Construction of the vector for replacement of QM9414 crel by crel-1 of Rut-C30. Relevant restriction enzyme recognition sites used in the cloning steps are indicated with stars (*). Fig. 6 Production of CBHI into the culture medium by Trichoderma reesei transformants. 40 μl and 200 μl aliquots of culture medium were dot blotted onto a nitrocellulose membrane after 3 days of cultivation in Trichoderma minimal medium containing initially 5 % glucose and 0.2 % proteose peptone. Monoclonal antibody CI-258 raised against CBHI was used to detect CBHI. Transformants 41-53A and 41-112A, 41-108A, 41-19A and 41-21A are AmdS + and crel*, 41-53A and 41-9A are AmdS + . The host strain Rut-C30 and the strain QM9414 are shown as controls. Fig. 7 Trichoderma strains Rut-C30 (left), Rut-C30 transformed with pMI-41 (middle), and QM9414 grown on Trichoderma minimal plates supplemented with 2% glycerol (top row), 2% glycerol + 0.2% peptone (2nd row), 2% glucose + 0.2% peptone (3rd row), and 2% glucose (bottom row). Fig. 8 Northern analysis on expression of cbhl and crel mRNA by crel transfor¬ mant 41-66A during cultivation in Trichoderma minimal medium contain¬ ing initially 2 % glucose and 0.2 % proteose peptone. Total RNA was isolated from mycelia grown for 1, 2 and 3 days and 2 μg of total RNA was loaded on gel. The host strain Rut-C30 and the strain QM9414 are shown as controls. Experimental Materials and methods used Fungal strains T. reesei strain QM9414 (VTT-D-74075, ATCC 26921) (Mandels et al. 1971) was used for gene expression studies, isolation of RNA, and as a source of DNA for preparation of PCR fragments used as a probe. DNA of T. reesei strain VTT-D-80133 (Bailey & Nevalainen 1981), a mutant strain of QM9414 with increased cellulolytic activity, was used in the construction of the chromosomal gene library. T. reesei Rut-C30 (ATCC 56765), a hypercellulolytic mutant strain (Montenecourt and Eveleigh 1979) was cultivated for isolation of DNA and RNA. DNA extracted from the T. harzianum isolate T3 (Wolffhechel, H., 1989) was used for construction of a genomic lambda library. Cultivation conditions For RNA isolation, 50 ml of each cultivation media in 250 ml conical flasks were inoculated with IO 7 spores and incubated in a rotary shaker at 200 rpm at 28°C. Trichoderma minimal medium (TMM) contained KH 2 PO 4 15 g/1, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 5 g/1, FeSO 4 x 7H 2 O 5 mg/1, MnSO 4 x H 2 O 1.6 mg/1, ZnSO 4 x H 2 O 1.4 mg/1, CoCl 2 x 6H 2 O 3.7 mg/1, MgSO 4 0.6 g/1, CaCl 2 0.6 g/1, pH was adjusted to 4.8. Proteose peptone 2 g/1 was added to certain culture media as indicated in text. This medium was used throughout the study supplemented with the appropriate carbon source, either 20 g/1 (sorbitol, glycerol, glucose) or 50 g/1 (glucose). In certain sorbitol or glycerol cultiva¬ tions glucose was added into final concentration of 2 % by adding 4 ml of 25 % glucose into 50 ml of cultivation media after 72 h of growth. Similarly, 1 mM α-sophorose (Serva) was added into the culture medium twice, at 72 and 82 hours of growth. Cellulose medium was TMM supplemented with Solka floe cellulose 30 g/1 and distiller's spent grain 15 g/1 and the pH was adjusted to 5.0. Mycelia was harvested from culture medium by filtration through GF/B glass microfibre filters (Whatman), washed with sterile water and stored at -70°C. For DNA isolation, the cultivation was as described above except that TMM was supplemented with 2 % glucose and 0.2 % proteose peptone (Difco) and mycelia was freeze-dried after harvesting and stored at -20°C. For preparation of solid media, the pH of TMM was adjusted to 5.5 and 2% agar was added. 0.1% Triton X-100 was used to restrict spreading of the colonies. Preparation of crel probes for gene cloning and expression studies To clone the crel genes of Trichoderma several redundant oligodeoxyribonucleotides were designed based on Aspergillus CREA protein sequences, synthesized and used as primers with Trichoderma chromosomal DNA as a template in a PCR reaction. The functional primer pair used for T. reesei was 5'GGCGGATCCT(C,- T)TGGNGT(GA)TCNGG (antisense) and 5'GGCGGATCCACNCA(C,T)ACNGGN- GA(A,G)AA(A,G)CC (sense) and for T. harzianum 5'GGCGGATCCT(C,T)TGG- NGT(G )TCNGG (antisense) and 5OGCGGATCCTTNGG(G )TT(GΛ)TA- (A,G)TA(T,G)TTNGG (sense). BamHl cleavage sites were included at the 5' ends of the primers to facilitate cloning of the amplified fragment. PCR cycling used in both reactions was as follows: four cycles of repeated denaturation at 96°C 1 min - annealing at 37°C 30 sec - polymerisation at 72°C 1 min followed by 25 cycles of repeated denaturation at 96°C 1 min - annealing at 55°C 1 min - polymerisation at 72°C 1 min. The PCR products of expected size, around 600-700 bp, were cut with BamHl and ligated to BamHl linearized pUC19 vector, and transformed into E. coli DH5α. The resulting plasmids were isolated using standard methods and sequenced to demonstrate cloning of Trichoderma crel fragments. For hybridization, the crel fragments (600 bp for T. reesei, 660 bp for T. harzianum) were released from the plasmids by BamHl digestion, purified from agarose gel by phenol extraction and labelled using Random Primed DNA. Labeling Kit (Boehringer Mannheim) and α- 32 P-dCTP (Amersham) to a specific activity of 10 8 cpm/μg. The probe fragment corresponding to the full length protein coding region of the T. reesei crel gene was prepared by PCR using the T. reesei crel cDNA clone as a temp¬ late. The primers used, 5'GGCGGATCCATGCAACGAGCACAGTCTGCC (sense) and 5'GGCGGATCCCTACATGGCATCCATGAGGTC (antisense), were complementary to the 5' and 3' ends of the protein coding region of the crel gene and contained BamHl cleavage sites at the ends to facilitate cloning. PCR cycling was repeated 25 times as follows: 94°C 45 sec - 55°C 30 sec. - 72°C 2 min. The 294 bp long probe fragment corresponding to the nucleotides from -158 to +136 of the T reesei crel was synthesized by PCR using the cDNA clone as a template and the primers 5ΑTCAGCAGTCTCTCCTC (sense) and 5 CTGTGTICCTGGAATG (antisense). The PCR cycling was repeated 25 times the following way: 95°C 45 sec - 42°C 30 sec - 72°C 45 sec. DynaZyme™ DNA-polymerase was used in each PCR reaction described above in the reaction conditions recommended by the manufacturer (Finnzymes Oy, Εspoo, Finland). Full length cbhl cDNA was obtained as an EcoRI-H rflll fragment from pTTCOl (Penttila et al. 1988) and the probe was prepared as described above. Construction of genomic libraries and isolation of the crel genes In order to clone the T. reesei chromosomal crel gene, the genomic cosmid library of T. reesei VTT-D-80133 (Mantyla et al. 1992) was plated out on ampicillin plates and after overnight incubation bacterial colonies were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes and screened with the 600 bp long T. reesei crel probe using colony hybridization. Colonies giving a positive hybridization signal were purified and cosmid DNA was prepared using standard plasmid isolation procedures. Cosmid DNA carrying the crel gene was partially restriction mapped and analysed by Southern hybridization. A 6.4 kb Sall-Hindlll restriction fragment containing the entire protein coding region with flanking regions was subcloned for sequencing into pSP73 plasmid vector (Promega) digested with Sall-Hindlll. The plasmid was designated pMI-41. In order to clone the crel gene of the T. harzianum isolate T3, chromosomal DNA was prepared according to Raeder & Broda (1985), partially digested with Sau3A and size fractionated by sucrose gradient centrifugation (Sambrook et al. 1989), and DNA fragments of about 22 kb were ligated to BamHl digested, phosphatase treated lambda DASH™ vector arms and the ligation mixture was packaged into lambda particles using Gigapack II Gold Packaging Extract (Stratagene). The lambda particles were used to infect appropriate E. coli host cells, and the library was screened using the 660 bp long T. harzianum crel fragment as a probe, and positive clones were isolated and purified according to manufacturer's instructions (Stratagene). Bacteriophages were purified using a method based on the general procedure described in Sambrook et al. (1989) with the following modifications: DNAsel treatment was omitted and phage particles released from lysed host cells were precipitated using PEG6000, dissolved in SM and extracted with chloroform, pelleted by centrifugation at 25 000 rpm in Kontron TST41.14 rotor for 2 h, and again dissolved in SM. Lambda DNA was isolated by digesting the phage particles with proteinase K followed by phenol extraction and ethanol precipitation. DNA of the lambda clones containing T. harzianum crel gene, were partially restriction mapped and analysed by Southern hybridization. Two EcoRV restriction fragments, one of 3 kb containing the 5' end and the other of 4.9 kb con¬ taining the 3' end with flanking regions, both giving a positive hybridization signal with crel probe, were subcloned into EcoRV cut, phosphatase treated plasmid vector pSP73 (Promega) for sequencing. In order to isolate crel cDNA clones, the cDNA library of the T. reesei strain QM9414 constructed into lambda uniZAP XR vector (Nakari et al. 1993) was screened with the 600 bp long T.reesei crel probe prepared as described above. The cDNA library of the T. reesei strain Rut-C30 (Stalbrand et al., 1995) was screened using the full length crel protein coding region as a probe. Bacteriophage DNA of positive clones were in vivo excised and converted into plasmid form according to the instructions of Stratagene. Southern, dot blot and colony hybridizations For colony hybridization, bacterial colonies or lambda plaques were transferred from agar plates onto nitrocellulose membranes (Schleicher & Schuell BA 85) by placing the membrane on the plate for 1 min. The membrane was placed on filter paper soaked in denaturing solution (0.5M NaOH - 1.5M NaCl) for 7 min and then on filter paper soaked in neutralizing solution (1.5 M NaCl - 0.5 M Tris-HCl pH 7.5) for 2 x 3 min, whereafter the membranes were soaked in 2xSSC, and DNA was fixed by baking the membranes at 80°C for 2 h. To remove excess bacterial debris the membranes were washed prior to hybridization in 50mM Tris pH 8 - IM NaCl - ImM EDTA - 0.1 % SDS at 42°C for 1 h. Hybridization was carried out in 50 % formamide - 5X Denhardt's - 5x SSPE - 0.1 % SDS - 100 μg/ml herring sperm DNA - 1 μg/ml polyA DNA at 42 °C overnight with 10° cpm of probe per ml of hybridization solution. After hybridization the membranes were washed in 2xSSC - 0.1 % SDS at room temperature followed by a wash in IxSSC - 0.1 % SDS at 68°C for lh, and exposed to Kodak XAR-5 X-ray film at -70°C. For Southern analysis 2 μg of Trichoderma chromosomal DNA was completely digested with restriction enzymes (Boehringer Mannheim), the resulting DNA fragments were separated by electrophoresis in 0.8 % agarose gel and DNA was capillary blotted onto Hybond N nylon membrane. Conditions for hybridization were as described for colony hybridization, except that the post hybridization washes were perfomed in 2xSSC at room temperature 2 x 5 min followed by a wash in IxSSC - 0.1 % SDS at 68°C for 60 min. For DNA dot blot hybridization, 1 μg of chromosomal DNA was denatured in 0.4 M NaOH for 10 min and neutralized by addition of an equal volume of 2 M ammonium acetate pH7, and dot blotted onto a Hybond N nylon membrane. Hybridization and washing were done as described for Southern analysis. Northern analysis Total fungal RNA was isolated according to Chirgwin et al. (1979), glyoxylated and electrophoresed in 1 % agarose gel in 10 mM Na-phosphate buffer pH 7.0 according to Maniatis et al. (1982). RNA ladder (BRL) containing RNA molecules of known length were used as molecular weight markers. The gel was stained with acridine orange (15 μg/ml) for 15 min in lOmM phosphate buffer to visualize RNA and de- stained for 3 h in lOmM phosphate buffer. Thereafter RNA was blotted onto Hybond™ N nylon membranes (Amersham) by capillary blotting in 20xSSC. Hybridization was carried out in 50 % formamide- 10 % dextran sulphate - 1 % SDS - IM NaCl - 125 μg/ml denatured herring sperm DNA at 42°C overnight using 10° cpm of probe per ml of hybridization solution. The membranes were washed at 42°C in 5xSSPE, twice in lxSSPE - 0.1 % SDS, twice in O.lx SSPE - 0.1% SDS, each wash lasting 15 min, and exposed to Kodak XAR-5 X-ray film at -70°C. Plasmid constructions For replacement of crel of T. reesei QM9414 by the mutated gene crel-1 of T. reesei Rut-C30 an expression vector pMI-62 was constructed (see also Fig. 5) in the plasmid pBluescript SK " . pMI-62 was constructed as follows: 5'-sequences of crel were obtained from pMI-41 as the 3 kb EcoRI-ifctEII fragment that was joined in frame to the .RstEII-EcoRI fragment of crel -1 cDNA from plasmid pMI-42 resulting in plasmid pMI-60. A 1.4 kb fragment of crel terminator, beginning 50 bp downstream of the translation stop codon and ending at the naturally occurring Hindlll site, was amplified by PCR using pMI-41 as a template and sequence specific primers that were tailed with EcoRI sites to facilitate cloning of fragment. The PCR primer sequences corresponding to nucleotides starting from 50 bp downstream of crel protein coding region and to vector sequences suπounding the single Hindlll site were 5'GGGGAATTCATAGATG- GATAGAAAGAGTTGG and S'GGGGAATTCCTCACTATAGGGAGACCGGCCTC- GAGTTAATTAAGCTT, respectively. The PCR amplified crel terminator fragment was EcoRI cut and cloned to plasmid p3SR2 linearised using EcoRI, resulting in the plasmid pMI-61. pMI-60 was cut using Xhol and pMI-61 using Saϊl-Xhόl and the fragment containing the amdS gene and crel terminator was ligated to Xhol linearized pMI-60 resulting in plasmid pMI-62. Transformation of Trichoderma Trichoderma reesei was transformed according to Penttila et al. (1987). Immunological detection of CBHI Production of CBHI into culture medium was detected using antibodies. 200 μl and 40 μl aliquots of culture medium were dot blotted onto a nitrocellulose membrane. The membrane was incubated in 3% non fat dried milk - TBS (10 mM Tris-HCl pH8 - 150 mM NaCl) at 37°C for 10 min, washed in TBS 3 x 10 min. The membrane was incubated in TBS containing monoclonal anti-CBHI-antibody CI-258 (Aho et al. 1991) for 1 h at room temperature and washed in TBS. Then the membrane was transferred to TBS containing anti-mouse polyvalent immunoglobulins konjugated with alkaline phosphatase (Sigma A-0162) and incubated for 1 h at room temperature. The bound antibody was detected using the NBT and BCIP reagents (Promega) in a solution containing 100 mM Tris-HCl pH 9.5 - 100 mM NaCl - 5 mM MgCl 2 . Other methods The genomic crel genes were sequenced from both strands using Sanger's dideoxynuc¬ leotide method, sequence specific primers and Sequenase version 2 polymerase (USB). crel cDNA clones were sequenced from one strand. All other techniques not described in detail were carried out using standard methods (e.g. Sambrook et al. 1989). PC/Gene nucleic acid and protein sequence analysis software release 6.80 (Intelligenetics Inc.) was used for sequence manipulations. Example 1 Isolation and characterization of the T. reesei and T. harzianum crel genes Fragments of the crel genes of T. reesei and T. harzianum were amplified from chromosomal DNAs by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using degenerate oligodeoxy- ribonucleotide primers designed on the basis of the Aspergillus CREA sequence information. Primers, which gave rise to inserts with similarity to the A. nidulans creA gene were complementary at the 5' end with the zinc finger region or the linker region connecting the two fingers, and at the 3' end with the proline rich region showing similarity to the RGRl protein of yeast (see later). The crel fragments were used as hybridization probes to isolate chromosomal copies of the crel genes of the T. reesei strain VTT-D-80133 and T. harzianum T3. The clones were restriction mapped and sequenced from subcloned fragments. The T. reesei crel gene contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1206 nucleotides which can be translated to a 402 amino acids long protein, and the T. harzianum gene (SEQ. ID. NO. 1) an ORF of 1227 bp, encoding 409 amino acids. The nucleotide sequences of these two Trichoderma crel genes show 89 % identity within the predicted protein coding region. In addition to the chromosomal copy, which was isolated from the T. reesei strain VTT-D-80133 (SEQ. ID. NO. 3), a cDNA copy was isolated from the T. reesei strain QM9414 (SEQ. ID. NO. 4). The only difference in crel nucleotide sequence observed between these two strains was at position 140, where C is found in QM9414 instead of T in VTT-D-80133 which changes amino acid no 47 from threonine (QM9414) to isoleucine (VTT-D-80133). In the T. harzianum CREI, threonine is found at this position. Sequencing of the cDNA copy confirmed that there are no introns in the T. reesei crel gene. Sequencing of the 3* ends of nine T. reesei crel cDNA clones showed that the mRNA was equally often cleaved at two different regions separated by approximately 170 bp at the 3' end of the crel transcript. There is some heterogeneity in the cleavage sites, the shorter forms of the cDNAs end 281-288 bp, and the longer ones 450-454 bp after the protein coding region. Sequences of the chromosomal copies show several putative polyadenylation signals, AAATAT or TAATAT, which are located in the T. reesei crel gene at 263, 494 and 665 bp, in the T. harzianum crel at 234, 445 and 735 bp after the protein coding region. The codon usage of the Trichoderma crel genes is biased against A in the third position, which is typical for filamentous fungi (Unkles 1992). The codon preference is more biased than that of cellulase genes of T. reesei but not as biased as for instance that of the translation elongation factor tefl (Nakari et al. 1993) or the phosphoglycerate kinase gene pgkl (Vanhanen et al. 1989). Example 2 CREI amino acid sequence comparisons The deduced CREI amino acid sequences of T. reesei and T harzianum show 95 % similarity (92.5 % identity) (Fig. 1). When compared with the CREA protein sequences of A. nidulans and A. niger 72 % overall similarity (46 % identity) is obtained. One of the two best conserved regions between Trichoderma and Aspergillus localizes in the DNA-binding motif, the C^ type zinc finger which is almost perfectly conserved throughout the 57 aa long region. Interestingly, the amino acid sequences suπounding the zinc finger domain differ between the Aspergillus and Trichoderma proteins. On the amino terminal side of the finger, 13 amino acids are missing in both of the Trichoderma proteins compared with the Aspergillus sequences. On the carboxy terminal side an 8-9 aa long alanine stretch found in the Aspergillus CREA proteins is replaced by histidine and glutamine residues in Trichoderma. The other equally well conserved region is found further downstream. Within this region 39 out of 41 amino acids are identical between the Trichoderma and Aspergillus CREI/CREA proteins. Characteristic to this part of the CREI/CREA proteins is the content of about 25 % proline, 25 % serine and 12 % threonine. The sequence shows similarity to the glucose repressor protein RGRl of yeast (Sakai et αl. 1990). Example 3 Expression of T. reesei crel is dependent on the carbon source available Northern analysis shows that T. reesei QM9414 produces two major crel transcripts of 1.85 kb and 2 kb and a faint one of 2.6 kb, visible only after a prolonged exposure (Fig. 2). These were detected in all the cultivation conditions studied with approximate¬ ly the same relative abundancy. These features are in good coπelation with the observed size difference of 170 bp of the cDNA clones analysed (see above) and demonstrate together with the Southern analysis that both the two major transcripts are products of a single gene. Because the T. reesei cellulase genes are subject to glucose repression, it was of interest to study expression of crel in conditions relevant for cellulase expression. The cultivations were caπied out in shake flasks on media containing either glucose, Solka floe cellulose, which is an efficient inducer, or on sorbitol which is a neutral carbon source in respect to cellulase expression (Penttila et αl., 1993). Northern analysis revealed that the steady state levels of crel transcript show clear variation in these different cultivation conditions in repeated experiments. In contrast to expectation, crel mRNA levels were suφrisingly high on the inducing carbon source cellulose. Moreover, they were lower on glucose than on cellulose or sorbitol medium (Fig. 2). Thus, the expression of crel is regulated by the carbon source available. Consequently, the effect of glucose on crel transcription was studied in more detail and a new series of cultivations was carried out. The fungus was grown for 72 h on a medium containing either sorbitol or glycerol, both neutral carbon sources in respect to cellulase expression, whereafter glucose was added to 2 %. At this point of cultivation the fungus has not yet utilized all sorbitol or glycerol. Mycelia were collected for RNA isolation 1 h and 15 h after the addition of glucose. In control mycelia grown on glycerol or sorbitol medium without glucose addition, crel mRNA was equally abundant at different time points during the cultivation (Fig. 3). The levels of crel mRNA remained unchanged also one hour after glucose addition to the sorbitol and glycerol cultures. However, after overnight incubation in the presence of glucose, crel mRNA levels were significantly decreased compared with the sorbitol and glycerol cultures where glucose was not added. For comparison, the addition of sophorose, an efficient inducer of cellulase expression, into sorbitol or glycerol cultivations did not affect crel transcript levels at the time points studied (Fig. 3). Example 4 The truncated form of crel expressed by the hypercellulolytic T. reesei strain Rut-C30 Northern analysis carried out for Rut-C30 using the PCR-amplified 600 bp long probe specific for the central part of the crel gene gave no expression. When Southern analysis of genomic DNA cut with restriction enzymes EcoRI, Sail, Accl, Pvuϊl and Sphl was carried out using the complete protein coding region of crel as a probe it revealed weak hybridization to the probe and a pattern differing from that of the strain QM9414 (data not shown). Subsequently the full length crel probe was used to isolate crel cDNA of strain Rut-C30. Sequence analysis of the Rut-C30 cDNA clones showed that the 5' end of crel was identical to the previously sequenced crel of T. reesei up to nucleotide 261, corres- ponding to the first cysteine, Cys 87 , of the second zinc finger (see Fig. 1), whereafter the two sequences differed. The reading frame of the truncated crel (hereafter refeπed to as crel -1) continues after Cys 87 , encoding eight additional amino acids (TSITCFFF) followed by a stop codon. A representative plasmid containing a 1.3 kb crel-1 cDNA insert was designated pMI-42, and was deposited to Deutsche Sammlung von Mikro- organismen und Zellkulturen, Braunschweig, Germany, with DSM-accession number 10190, and was also stored in the VTT Culture Collection, Εspoo, Finland with accession number VTT-F-95055. The DNA sequence of crel-1 is given in SΕQ. ID. NO. 6. The crel-1 mRNAs are short and appear as a double band (1.1 and 1.3 kb) in Northern analysis (see Fig. 4). This is due to addition of the poly-A tail at two different regions as demonstrated by sequencing of four cDNA clones. The 3' end of the crel-1 is dissimilar to all known Trichoderma gene sequences. To study expression of the truncated form of crel and to compare that with expression of crel of strain QM9414, Northern analysis was caπied out using a probe specific for the 5'-end sequences of the crel transcripts present in both the wild type crel and the crel-1 of Rut-C30 thus establishing similar hybridization conditions, crel-1 mRNA of Rut-C30 seems to be more abundant than the crel mRNA of strain QM9414, especially on glucose medium where the expression level of crel-1 is markedly elevated (Fig. 4). The Rut-C30 strain was originally isolated as a hypercellulolytic strain by screening for carbon catabolite derepression (Montenecourt and Eveleigh 1979) and it is consequently of interest to study the extent of possible glucose derepression of cellulase expression in this strain. The T. reesei strains Rut-C30 and QM9414 were cultivated on glucose and in inducing conditions on Solka floe cellulose. Expression of the major cellulase, cellobiohydrolase I (cbhl), was studied (Fig. 4, middle panel), cbhl mRNA was produced by both of the strains on cellulose containing medium as expected. On glucose medium expression of cbhl was repressed in QM9414 as shown previously (Penttila et al. 1993), whereas Rut-C30 produced relatively high levels of cbhl mRNA indicative of glucose derepression. Example 5 Transformation of the mutated gene crel-1 of Rut-C30 into the strain QM9414 to replace crel with crel-1 The endogenous crel gene of Trichoderma reesei QM9414 was replaced by the mutated gene crel-1 of Rut-C30. For this purpose an expression vector pMI-62 was constructed (Fig. 5) in the plasmid pBluescript SK " consisting of 5'-sequences of crel joined in frame to the crel -1 cDNA followed by the amdS gene and crel terminator. This construct was transformed to the strain QM9414 and transformants were selected based on utilization of acetamide as the sole nitrogen source. Transformant DNA were analysed by Southern hybridization to find those in which homologous recombination had taken place and the endogenous crel locus was replaced by the transformed construct. The transformant is viable and grows well, the growth rate being dependant on the growth medium used. Furthermore, the transformant produces cellulases in the presence of glucose in the medium. In this way it was possible to construct a strain expressing the mutated gene crel -1 and transfer the glucose derepressed phenotype of Rut-C30 into another Trichoderma strain. Example 6 Transformation of the Trichoderma reesei strain Rut-C30 with full length crel gene The cosmid clone pCOSll carrying the crel gene was isolated from a cosmid gene library of chromosomal T. reesei DNA of the strain VTT-D-80133. From a positive clone (pCOSll) a 6.4 kb Sall-Hindlll restriction fragment containing the protein coding region with flanking regions of crel gene was isolated and cloned to a Sall-Hindlll cut vector pSP73 resulting in plasmid pMI-41. pMI-41 with plasmid p3SR2 (Hynes et al., 1983), that carries acetamidase gene as a selection marker providing the transformants the ability to use acetamide as a sole nitrogen source, were co-transformed to the strain Rut-C30 according to Penttila et al. 1987. The integration of crel gene in the genome of acetamide utilizing transformants was verified by dot blot hybridization of chromosomal DNA to the 600 bp long crel probe lacking sequences found in the endogenous mutant crel -1 in Rut-C30. To study production of cellulases in crel transformant colonies, the host strain Rut-C30 and the strain QM9414 were cultivated in microtiter plate wells in minimal medium containing 5 % glucose for 3 days. At this point of cultivation glucose was still detectable in the medium (in repressing amounts). Culture medium was dot blotted onto nitrocellulose membrane. Cellulases produced into the medium were detected immuno¬ logically using antibodies (Fig. 6). Monoclonal antibody CI-258 raised against the major cellulase CBHI was used (Aho et al., 1991). The analysis showed that the strain QM9414 did not produce any detectable CBHI, indicative of glucose repression of cellulase expression, but Rut-C30 and the crel transformants did, indicative of derepression. This shows that the mutated gene crel-1 of Rut-C30 has a function that dominates (or codominates) in the transformants over the transformed crel, or an additional mutation in Rut-C30 is partly taking part in glucose derepression in addition to crel. 6.1 Effect of transformed crel on colony growth on solid media Spores of crel transformants and for comparison of transformants harbouring only the selection marker were plated on solid media to obtain colonies derived from a single spore. The medium used was potato dextrose agar (Difco) supplemented with 0.1 % Triton X-100 to restrict spreading of the colonies. After 4-5 days of incubation at 28°C a difference in growth was seen between crel transformants and the ones having only the selection marker, crel transformants formed bigger colonies than the others indicative of positive effect of crel on the growth/viability of the fungus. When transformant colonies were cultivated on solid Trichoderma miriimal medium containing 0.2% peptone supplemented with different carbon sources such as 2% glucose, 2% glycerol or 2% Solka floe cellulose and 0.1% Triton X-100, a difference in the colony morphology and diameter were seen between the host strain and the crel transformants in each case, the transformants being bigger (Fig. 7). For comparison, when peptone was omitted from the medium, no notable differences between trans¬ formants and the host strain were seen. In addition in the colonies grown on potato dextrose agar medium (Difco), the difference in colony growth was also seen. We conclude that crel affects the growth of the colony in a marmer that is dependent on cultivation conditions especially on the presence of an organic nitrogen source. 6.2 Effect of transformed crel on cbhl expression in Rut-C30 Transformant colonies pMI-41-66A and pMI-41-112A and the host strain Rut-C30 were cultivated in liquid Trichoderma minimal medium containing initially glucose 20 g/1 and 0.2% proteose peptone (Difco). After 1, 2 and 3 days of cultivation, mycelia were collected and total RNA was isolated. Northern analysis of cbhl mRNA coding for the major cellulase cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI) showed that the strain Rut-C30 produced abundant cbhl mRNA whereas in the transformants hybridization to cbhl probe was significantly reduced (Fig. 8). Northern analysis of the same samples with crel probe showed that the transformed crel gene was expressed in the transformants. We conclude that the transformed crel was able to regulate cbhl expression in the host strain. 63. Effect of transformed crel on the utilization of glucose from cultivation medium Rut-C30 was transformed with pMI-41 containing the crel gene as described earlier. Two independent transformant colonies pMI-41-66A and pMI-41-112A were cul- tivated in Trichoderma minimal medium containing initially glucose 20 g/1 as the sole carbon source and ammonium sulphate as the only nitrogen source in parallel with Rut- C30, the host strain for transformation in a rotary shaker at 28°C for six days. Four parallel shake flasks for each strain were inoculated. The amount of glucose in the medium was monitored daily using the GOD-Perid method (Boehringer Mannheim) (Table 1). The amount of glucose in growth media of the untransformed Rut-C30 decreased from the initial 20 g/1 to 3-4 g/1 during the first 3 days of cultivation and remained at that level till day 6. The amount of glucose in the cultivation medium of crel transformants decreased below the level that was detected in the growth media of the strain Rut-C30 when measured at day 4 and day 6, in some flasks no glucose was detectable. In addition in the culture medium of the strain QM9414 cultivated in parallel, glucose was no more detectable at day 6. Based on these results we conclude that crel gene promotes consumption of glucose from culture medium especially when low level of glucose, below 3 g/1, is present. Table 1. Amount of glucose (g/1) in growth medium. Cultivation was carried out in 250 ml comcal shake flasks in 50 ml at 28°C in a rotary shaker 180 rpm for 6 days. Cultivation medium was Trichoderma minimal medium containing initially 2% glucose. 2d 3d 4d 6d RutC-30 14-16 3-4 3-4 2-4 41-66A 13-16 5-7 0-2 0-1 41-112A 13-17 5-6 0-1 0-1 QM9414 16-18 10-14 0-2 0 Deposition of microorganisms The following plasmid was deposited according to the Budapest Treaty to the DSM- depository (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Mascheroder Weg lb, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany) Strain Deposit number Deposition date Plasmid pMI-42 with the crel-1 cDNA insert (in E. coli strain JA221) DSM 10190 25 August, 1995 References Aho, S., Olkkonen, V., Jalava, T., Paloheimo, M., Bϋhler, R., Niku-Paavola, M-L., Bamford, D., and Korhola, M. (1991) Monoclonal antibodies against core and cellulose binding domains of Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases I and II and endoglucanase I. Eur. J. Biochem. 200: 643-649 Arst, H.N., and Bailey, CR. (1977) The regulation of carbon metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans. In Genetics and physiology of Aspergillus nidulans. Smith, J.E., and Pateman, J.A. (eds). London: Academic Press, pp. 131-146. Arst, H.N.Jr., Tollervey, D., Dowzer, CEA., and Kelly, J.M. (1990) An inversion truncating the creA gene oi Aspergillus nidulans results in carbon catabolite derepressi¬ on. Mol Microbiol 4: 851-854 Bailey, M.J., and Nevalainen K.M.H. (1981) Induction, isolation and testing of stable Trichoderma reesei mutants with improved production of solubilizing cellulase. Enzyme Microb Technol 3: 153-157. Chirgwin, J.M., Przybyla, A.E., MacDonald, R.J., and Rutter, WJ. (1979). Isolation of biologically active ribonucleic acid from sources rich in ribonuclease. Biochemistry 18: 5294-5299 Dowzer, CE . and Kelly, J.M. (1991) Analysis of the creA gene, a regulator of carbon catabolite repression in Aspergillus nidulans. Mol Cell Biol 9: 5701-5709. Drysdale, M.R., Kolze. S.E., and Kelly, J.M. 1993. The Aspergillus niger carbon catabolite repressor encoding gene, creA. Gene 130: 241-245. Hynes, M.J., Corrick, CM., and King, JA. (1983) Isolation of genomic clones containing the amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans and their use in the analysis of structural and regulatory mutations. Mol Cell Biol 3: 1430-1439. Mandels, M., Weber, J., and Parizek, R. (1971) Enhanced cellulase production by a mutant of Trichoderma viride. Appl Microbiol 21: 152-154 Maniatis, T., Fritsch, E.F., and Sambrook, J. (1982) Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Mathieu, M., and Felenbok, B. (1994) The Aspergillus nidulans CREA protein mediates glucose repression of the ethanol regulon at various levels through competition with the ALCR-specific transactivator EMBO J 13: 4022-4027 Montenecourt, B.S., and Eveleigh, D.E. (1977) Preparation of mutants of Trichoderma reesei with enhanced cellulase production. Appl Environ Microbiol 34: 777-782. Montenecourt, B.S., and Eveleigh, D.E. (1979) Selective screening methods for the isolation of high yielding cellulase mutants of Trichoderma reesei. In Hydrolysis of cellulose: mechanisms of enzymatic and acid catalysis. Brown, R.D.Jr., and Jurasec, L. (eds). Adv Chem Ser 181: 289-301. Mantyla, A.L., Rossi, K.H., Vanhanen, S.A., Penttila, M.E., Suominen, P.L. and Nevalainen, K.M.H. (1992) Electrophoretic karyotyping of wild-type and mutant Trichoderma longibrachiatum (reesei) strains. Curr Genet 2: All-All. Nakari, T., Alatalo, E. and Penttila, M. (1993) Isolation of Trichoderma reesei genes highly expressed on glucose-containing media: characterization of the tefl gene encoding translation elongation factor lα. Gene 136: 313-318. Nehlin, J.O., and Ronne, H. (1990) Yeast MIG1 repressor is related to the mammalian early growth response and Wilms 1 tumour finger proteins. EMBO J 9: 2891-2898. Nevalainen, H., and Penttila, M. (1995) Molecular biology of cellulolytic fungi. A review. In The Mycota, vol II "Genetics and Biotechnology" . Kϋck, U. (ed). Berlin: Spriger- Verlag, pp. 303-319. Penttila. M., Nevalainen, H., Rattδ, M., Salminen, E., and Knowles, J.K.C. (1987) A versatile transformation system for the cellulolytic filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. Gene 61: 155-164. Penttila, M.E., Andre, L, Lehtovaara, P., Knowles, J.K.C. (1988) Efficient secretion of two fungal cellobiohydrolases by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Gene 63: 103-112. Penttila, M., Saloheimo, A., Ilmen, M., and Onnela, M-L. (1993) Regulation of the expression of Trichoderma cellulases at mRNA and promoter level. Proceedings ofthe second TRICEL symposium on Trichoderma reesei cellulases and other hydrolases, Espoo, Finland. Suominen, P., and Reinikainen, T. (eds). Foundation for Biotechnical and Industrial Fermentation Research 8: 189-197. Raeder, U., and Broda, P. (1985) Rapid preparation of DNA from filamentous fungi. Lett Appl Microbiol 1: 17-20. Sakai, A., Shimizu, Y., Kondou, S., Chibazakura, T., and Hishinuma, F. (1990) Structure and molecular analysis of RGRl, a gene required for glucose repression of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mol Cell Biol 10: 4130-4138. Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E.F., and Maniatis, T. (1989) Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual. 2nd ed. New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Stέlbrand, H., Saloheimo, A., Vehmaanpera, J., Henrissat, B., and Penttila, M. (1995) Cloning and expression in yeast of Trichoderma reesei β-mannanase containing a cellulose binding domain. Appl Env Microbiol 61: 1090-1097 Trumbly, RJ. (1992) Glucose repression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mol Microbiol 6: 15-21 Unkles, S.E. (1992) Gene organization in industrial filamentous fungi. In Applied molecular genetics of filamentous fungi. Kinghom J.R., and Turner G. (eds). Glasgow: Blackie Academic & Professional, pp. 28-53. Vanhanen, S., Penttila, M., Lehtovaara, P., and Knowles, J. (1989) Isolation and characterization of the 3-phosphoglycerate kinase gene (pgk) from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. Curr Genet 15: 181-186. Wolffhechel, H. (1989) Fungal antagonists of Pythium ultimum isolated from a disease suppressive Sphagnum peat. Vάxtskyddsnotiser 53: 7-11. SEQUENCE LISTING (1) GENERAL INFORMATION: (i) APPLICANT: (A) NAME: Valtion te nillinen tutkimus es us et al . (B) STREET: Vuorimiehentie 5 (C) CITY: Espoo (E) COUNTRY: Finland (F) POSTAL CODE (ZIP) : 02150 (ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: Process for modifying glucose repression (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 7 (iv) COMPUTER READABLE FORM: (A) MEDIUM TYPE: Floppy disk (B) COMPUTER: IBM PC compatible (C) OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS (D) SOFTWARE: Patentin Release #1.0, Version #1.25 (EPO) (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 1: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2690 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (B) STRAIN: Trichoderma harzianum T3 (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 801..2030 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 1: CCGAGCTGGC ATCGGCCATC TCACTGAGCC CTGTACTAGG TATCTGACCC AAGCGCACAC 60 CCCGCCATCG CACCCCCCCT CCTTGTGGTC CCCTTCGCCC CAGCTGGGGC TCCCACTGAG 120 GGCGAGGGCT GGGGCTTTGA ATGCTGGGGC TGGCTGGTAC AAACATTCGA GAGCAGCCAA 180 GTACCCCGTA CCCCTTTCGT GCCCTGGCTA CGTGTCCCGT CTGCTCCCCT CCAGCGCCCC 240 GTCGCGCCAT CCAGCCCACT GGACTGTGCC GTGCAGTGCT GTGCACCCCC AAAGGCACTG 300 CCTAAGCCCT GCGTGACGCC CCTGATTTAG AGCCGCGTGT AGCGAGGTCT AGCATGTGCT 360 TGCGTTGATG CATTGAGGTA CTTGTCCGCA AGTACCTGAC TCCCTCCCAG TCCCATGTAC 420 GAAGTACCGA CCCGGGCGAG CCCGCCCTTA TTAAAGCGAT TGCCTCCCCC AGTCCCCTCC 480 TTCTCCCGAA GGAAAAAAAA AAGTCTCCCT CGATCAAGCA AAACAAAACC ACACCATAGC 540 CACTCACCCA ATCTAATATC GCATCTCGAT CTTCCAACTA CCGACGACAA GAGCCTCTTT 600 GACCTTAGAA GGCAAGCAAC ATCAGCGTCA ACACCAGCTA CAAGCAGATA ATTACACAGC 660 GGTCCTGCAC AGCGGTCCTC CCCACTACAA GGACAACGGC ATATAACCAC TCCACCAGCG 720 GATAATCTCT TGCCAACCCA CACGCTCGCT TCTCTGGCCG TCTAGTCAAC GTTTACTCGC 780 TTTGGCTGCC GCTCGATCAC ATG CAA CGA GCT CAG TCT GCC GTG GAT TTT 830 Met Gin Arg Ala Gin Ser Ala Val Asp Phe 1 5 10 TCC AAT CTA CTT AAT CCA ACT TCG GCA GCA GGA CAG GAC AGC GAC GCC 878 Ser Asn Leu Leu Asn Pro Thr Ser Ala Ala Gly Gin Asp Ser Asp Ala 15 20 25 GAG CAA GGC AGC GGA GCC ATG TCT ACC GCT GCG GTT ACC GTC ATC AAG 926 Glu Gin Gly Ser Gly Ala Met Ser Thr Ala Ala Val Thr Val Ile Lys 30 35 40 CCC AAT GGG CCT ATC CCA GGA GCA CAG TCA ACG GAG GCT GCC AAC GAG 974 Pro Asn Gly Pro Ile Pro Gly Ala Gin Ser Thr Glu Ala Ala Asn Glu 45 50 55 CTT CCT CGT CCC TAC AAG TGC CCT CTT TGT GAA AAG GCC TTC CAC CGT 1022 Leu Pro Arg Pro Tyr Lys Cys Pro Leu Cys Glu Lys Ala Phe His Arg 60 65 70 CTG GAG CAC CAG ACC AGG CAC ATC CGC ACT CAC ACG GGC GAG AAG CCC 1070 Leu Glu His Gin Thr Arg His Ile Arg Thr His Thr Gly Glu Lys Pro 75 80 85 90 CAT GCC TGC CAG TTC CCT GGC TGC AGC AAG AAG TTC TCT CGT TCC GAT 1118 His Ala Cys Gin Phe Pro Gly Cys Ser Lys Lys Phe Ser Arg Ser Asp 95 100 105 GAG TTG ACC AGG CAC TCG AGG ATA CAC AGC AAC CCC AAC TCC AGG CGC 1166 Glu Leu Thr Arg His Ser Arg Ile His Ser Asn Pro Asn Ser Arg Arg 110 115 120 GGC AAC AAG GGC CAG CAG CAG CAC CAA CAG CAC CTT CAC CAC CAA GGC 1214 Gly Asn Lys Gly Gin Gin Gin His Gin Gin His Leu His His Gin Gly 125 130 135 CTT CCT CAC CAC ATG CAC GTC GAT GGC ATG ATG CCC CCT CCG GTG CCA 1262 Leu Pro His His Met His Val Asp Gly Met Met Pro Pro Pro Val Pro 140 145 150 AAG GCC ATC CGC TCT GCT CCC ACC TCG ACT CTG GTC TCG CCT AAC GTC 1310 Lys Ala Ile Arg Ser Ala Pro Thr Ser Thr Leu Val Ser Pro Asn Val 155 160 165 170 TCG CCT CCC CAC TCT TAC TCC TCG TTT GTC ATG CCC CAG ACC CCC ATG 1358 Ser Pro Pro His Ser Tyr Ser Ser Phe Val Met Pro Gin Thr Pro Met 175 180 185 GCT CAC TAC AAC CGT GGC AAC GAT ATC ACA ATG CTG GCA AAG GCT GCA 1406 Ala His Tyr Asn Arg Gly Asn Asp Ile Thr Met Leu Ala Lys Ala Ala 190 195 200 AAC CAG ATC GAG CGG GAA ACT CTC TCT GGC GGC CCG TCT AAC CAC AAC 1454 Asn Gin Ile Glu Arg Glu Thr Leu Ser Gly Gly Pro Ser Asn His Asn 205 210 215 TCA AGG CAT CAT CCC TAC TTC GGC CAG GGC TTG CCG AAC TCT CGA GGC 1502 Ser Arg His His Pro Tyr Phe Gly Gin Gly Leu Pro Asn Ser Arg Gly 220 225 230 CAC CCG CCT TCC CTT TCC TCG TAC CAC ATG GCG AGA TCT CAC TCC AAT 1550 His Pro Pro Ser Leu Ser Ser Tyr His Met Ala Arg Ser His Ser Asn 235 240 245 250 GAC GAT GAT GAT CAT TAC AGC AGC ATG AGG CAC GCC AAG AGG TCG AGG 1598 Asp Asp Asp Asp His Tyr Ser Ser Met Arg His Ala Lys Arg Ser Arg 255 260 265 CCT AAC TCG CCC AAC TCC ACG GCT CCC TCT TCT CCC ACC TTT TCC CAC 1646 Pro Asn Ser Pro Asn Ser Thr Ala Pro Ser Ser Pro Thr Phe Ser His 270 275 280 GAC TCT CTG TCT CCC ACC CCG GAT CAC ACT CCC ATC GCA ACT CCC GCT 1694 Asp Ser Leu Ser Pro Thr Pro Asp His Thr Pro Ile Ala Thr Pro Ala 285 290 295 CAC TCC CCT CGA CTC CGC CCC TTT TCG GGC TAT GAG CTG CCG AGT CTG 1742 His Ser Pro Arg Leu Arg Pro Phe Ser Gly Tyr Glu Leu Pro Ser Leu 300 305 310 AGA AAC CTG TCT CTG CAG CAC AAC ACG ACT CCG GCG CTG GCC CCC ATG 1790 Arg Asn Leu Ser Leu Gin His Asn Thr Thr Pro Ala Leu Ala Pro Met 315 320 325 330 GAG CCC CAC CTG GAT GCT CCC CAG TTC CCC CCT CAG CTG CAG GCA AAC 1838 Glu Pro His Leu Asp Ala Pro Gin Phe Pro Pro Gin Leu Gin Ala Asn 335 340 345 AAC AAC CGC AGC CCC GGC ATG TCG CTT ACC GAC ATC ATC AGC CGC CCC 1886 Asn Asn Arg Ser Pro Gly Met Ser Leu Thr Asp Ile Ile Ser Arg Pro 350 355 360 GAC GGG AGC CAC AGG AAG CTC CCT GTT CCT CAG GTT CCC AAG GTG GCG 1934 Asp Gly Ser His Arg Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Gin Val Pro Lys Val Ala 365 370 375 GTG CAG GAC CTC CTC TCA GAC GGT GTA TTC CCT AAC AGC GGC AGA AGT 1982 Val Gin Asp Leu Leu Ser Asp Gly Val Phe Pro Asn Ser Gly Arg Ser 380 385 390 TCA ACT GCA GGC AGT CTT GCA GGT GGC GAC CTC ATG GAT CGG ATG TAGAGAATCC 2037 Ser Thr Ala Gly Ser Leu Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Met Asp Arg Met 395 400 405 410 CTTACTTTGG CGCCTCGAAT GACTTGATGA CTTTGGGCTA TAGAAGGATA GAAAGAGACG 2097 GCGTTTATGG CATGGAAATG AAATGGAAAT GGAAAGAGTC GTCCCTCGAA GGACTTGACA 2157 CGGCTATTTT TTTCTTCCCT TTTTTTGTTT TCTTTACTTG ATTTTTTTTT CATTGCAGGG 2217 CATGGAATCC TACACAAGAT GGATGGCCAA AGGAAATATA GACATCACCA CTTCCCCAAC 2277 GGATTACTGT TGACTACTAC CTTTTTTTTT CTGTTTCTTC TCTTCTCTTG TTTCTGGTTG 2337 TTTCTATACA GTGGAAGATT TATTATTGGA TTCAACTGAA AGTTGGCCCA AAAAATCGAA 2397 AAAGACATGA TTATTTTTAC ACACTCACGC GCTCCAATCT TTCATCAATT TCTGTACAAC 2457 CAAAATATTT TCTTTTTACT TGTTGTTTCT TGGTATCTTT GCATCCCACA TGCCGCTAGA 2517 AAGCCCGTCT CCGGCATTTG GCATCTGAGG GCTTCGGCAA CGGCATGGGC TGGCATTTGA 2577 CTGGGGAATA CCAAAACACG TTTGGTGTTA CAAAATATGG GGAAACCTCA TGCACTATGG 2637 GGGAGGCGGC AGCGCTATTC AGGGGTGGAC AGGTAATGGA GGGGGGATTG AAG 2690 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 2: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 409 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 2: Met Gin Arg Ala Gin Ser Ala Val Asp Phe Ser Asn Leu Leu Asn Pro 1 5 10 15 Thr Ser Ala Ala Gly Gin Asp Ser Asp Ala Glu Gin Gly Ser Gly Ala 20 25 30 Met Ser Thr Ala Ala Val Thr Val Ile Lys Pro Asn Gly Pro Ile Pro 35 40 45 Gly Ala Gin Ser Thr Glu Ala Ala Asn Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Tyr Lys 50 55 60 Cys Pro Leu Cys Glu Lys Ala Phe His Arg Leu Glu His Gin Thr Arg 65 70 75 80 His Ile Arg Thr His Thr Gly Glu Lys Pro His Ala Cys Gin Phe Pro 85 90 95 Gly Cys Ser Lys Lys Phe Ser Arg Ser Asp Glu Leu Thr Arg His Ser 100 105 110 Arg Ile His Ser Asn Pro Asn Ser Arg Arg Gly Asn Lys Gly Gin Gin 115 120 125 Gin His Gin Gin His Leu His His Gin Gly Leu Pro His His Met His 130 135 140 Val Asp Gly Met Met Pro Pro Pro Val Pro Lys Ala Ile Arg Ser Ala 145 150 155 160 Pro Thr Ser Thr Leu Val Ser Pro Asn Val Ser Pro Pro His Ser Tyr 165 170 175 Ser Ser Phe Val Met Pro Gin Thr Pro Met Ala His Tyr Asn Arg Gly 180 185 190 Asn Asp Ile Thr Met Leu Ala Lys Ala Ala Asn Gin Ile Glu Arg Glu 195 200 205 Thr Leu Ser Gly Gly Pro Ser Asn His Asn Ser Arg His His Pro Tyr 210 215 220 Phe Gly Gin Gly Leu Pro Asn Ser Arg Gly His Pro Pro Ser Leu Ser 225 230 235 240 Ser Tyr His Met Ala Arg Ser His Ser Asn Asp Asp Asp Asp His Tyr 245 250 255 Ser Ser Met Arg His Ala Lys Arg Ser Arg Pro Asn Ser Pro Asn Ser 260 265 270 Thr Ala Pro Ser Ser Pro Thr Phe Ser His Asp Ser Leu Ser Pro Thr 275 280 285 Pro Asp His Thr Pro Ile Ala Thr Pro Ala His Ser Pro Arg Leu Arg 290 295 300 Pro Phe Ser Gly Tyr Glu Leu Pro Ser Leu Arg Asn Leu Ser Leu Gin 305 310 315 320 His Asn Thr Thr Pro Ala Leu Ala Pro Met Glu Pro His Leu Asp Ala 325 330 335 Pro Gin Phe Pro Pro Gin Leu Gin Ala Asn Asn Asn Arg Ser Pro Gly 340 345 350 Met Ser Leu Thr Asp Ile Ile Ser Arg Pro Asp Gly Ser His Arg Lys 355 360 365 Leu Pro Val Pro Gin Val Pro Lys Val Ala Val Gin Asp Leu Leu Ser 370 375 380 Asp Gly Val Phe Pro Asn Ser Gly Arg Ser Ser Thr Ala Gly Ser Leu 385 390 395 400 Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Met Asp Arg Met 405 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 3: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2877 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic) (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (B) STRAIN: Trichoderma reesei VTT-D-80133 (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 957..2165 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 3: CCATCTGCTG GGGTGCAAGG CTGCTAGGCA ATACTTGGCA CTATCTGCTT GGGGCACGCC 60 CCGCCATCTG CACACCCCAC CCCCTCGCGC CCACTCCCAC TGGCTCCTTC CCTGTGGCCC 120 TGCCCTTTCG CCCCAGCTGG GGCTCCCACT GCAACTGAGG CCAAGGGCTG GGGGGGCTCT 180 GAAATGCTGG GGCGCGAGGT ACAACCGTCT GAGAGCCGAC AAGTACCCCG TGCCCCCTTT 240 CTGGCCGTCT CTGAGCCCTG GCGACGTGTC CCGTCCCTCT GCCCCCCTCG TCCTTCCAGC 300 GCCCCATCGC GCCATCGAGC CACTGGACGG TGGCATGCAG CGCTGTTGCA CCCCCAAATG 360 TCGCTGCCTA AGCCCTGCGT GACGCCCCTG ATTTACCGCC CCGTGTAGCG ACCGCAGCAT 420 GTGCTTCGCG GTGGTGCGGT CGGGGTACTT GCCCACAAGT ACCGCCCTCC CAGGTACAGC 480 ACGGTACGCA CACCACGTAC TCCCGCACTT GCCCTCCCTG GCGCCCATGC TACGAATCGA 540 AGTACCGACC CGGCCGAGCC CGCCCTTATT AAAGCGATTG CCTCCCCCCC GTCCCCTCCT 600 TCTCCCGGAG GAAAAAAAAA AAAAAGTTCG TTCTCCCTCG ATGAACGAAG AAAAAACAAC 660 CACCAGAACC ACACTCACTC ACACACCCTC ACATCGCATC TCGATCCTGC AACTACCGAC 720 GACAAGAGCC TCGCTCATTT GACCAGAGAA GAATCGTTAT CACCAGCGCT ACCCACCGCC 780 CAGCAGATAT CTGTATAGAT CAGCAGTCTC TCCTCCCCGC AAACGAGGAC CACCGCATAC 840 TAGCAGAGCC TGCTCCCGCC AAAAACCCAC ACTCGCTTCT CTGGGCTCTC TTGTAACCAA 900 AGACCAAGTT GTCGCCTCAA CGTCGCGTAC TTGCTTTTTG ACTGCCGCTC GATCACATGC 960 AACGAGCACA GTCTGCCGTG GATTTTTCCA ACCTCCTGAA TCCAACGTCG GCAGCAGGAC 1020 AGGACAGCGG CGCCATGTCT ACCGCCGCGG TCACCGTCAT CAAGCCCAAT GGGCCCATTC 1080 CAGGAACACA GTCGATCGAG ACTGCCAACG AGCTGCCTCG TCCCTACAAG TGCCCTCTTT 1140 GCGACAAGGC TTTCCACCGC CTGGAGCACC AGACCAGGCA CATTCGCACC CACACGGGCG 1200 AGAAGCCCCA TGCCTGCCAG TTCCCTGGCT GCAGCAAGAA GTTCTCCCGC TCCGATGAGC 1260 TGACGAGGCA CTCGAGGATA CACAGCAACC CCAACTCAAG GCGCGGCAAC AAGGGCCAGC 1320 AGCAGCACCA GCTTCACCAC CAGGGCATGC CTCACCCCAT GCACGTCGAT GGCTTGATGC 1380 ACCCTCCCGC CGCGCCAAAG GCCATCCGCT CTGCGCCCCC TTCGACCCTC GTCTCTCCCA 1440 ACGTCTCGCC TCCGCACTCC TACTCGTCCT TTGTCATGCC TCACGGTCCC ATTTCTCACT 1500 ATGGCCGTGG CAACGACATT ACGATGCTTG CCAAGGCGGC AAATCAGATT GAGCGCGAGA 1560 CGCTTTCTGG CGGGCCGTCC AACCACAACT CGAGGCACCA CCCTTACTTT GGCCAGGGTG 1620 TTCCGGGTTC TCGAGGCCAC CCCTCGCTTT CTTCGTACCA CATGGCGAGA GCTCACTCCA 1680 ACGACGAGGA TGACCACTAC CATGGCAGCT TGAGGCACGC CAAGAGGTCA AGGCCCAACT 1740 CGCCCAACTC TACGGCTCCT TCTTCTCCCA CCTTTTCGCA CGACTCTCTG TCCCCCACCC 1800 CGGATCACAC TCCCATCGCA ACTCCCGCTC ACTCCCCCCG TCTCCGTCCC TTTTCGGGCT 1860 ACGAGCTGCC GAGTCTGAGA AACCTGTCCC TGCAGCACAA TACGACTCCG GCGCTGGCCC 1920 CCATGGAGCC TCACCTGGAC GCTCCGCAGT TCCACCCTCA GCTGCAGGCA AACACCACCC 1980 GCAGCCCCGG CATGTCACTT ACCGACATCA TTAGCCGCCC CGACGGCAGT CAGAGGAAAC 2040 TGCCTGTCCC TCAGGTCCCC AAGGTGGCGG TTCAGGACCT TCTCTCCGAC GGCGTCTTCC 2100 CCAACAGCGG CAGAAGTTCC ACCACGGGCA GTCTTGCCGG TGGCGACCTC ATGGATCGGA 2160 TGTAGAATGT CCGGTACTCA TGGCGCGCAT CGAATGACTT ACGACTTTGG GCTATAGATG 2220 GATAGAAAGA GTTGGCGTTA ATGGTTTGGA AATGGCAAGG GAAATGGATA CGGAAATGGA 2280 AATGGACAGA GTCGTCCCCC GCAGGACTTG ACACGGGCTA TTTTGGTTTC TCCTTCTTGT 2340 TCCTTTTTTC GTGTGCTTTT TTTATTCAAT TTTTTTCTTC TTGTACGCTT GGATGGACCC 2400 CTACACAATA TGGATGGCCC AGGAAATATA GACATCACCA CTTTCCCCAA CGGACTATTA 2460 TCTGCTGTTC CGTACAGCTT TGGTCCCATG CTTTGTTGTT TTTGAGCCCT TCTACCTGGT 2520 ACGACTACAG CGGAGGACTA CTTAGATTCA GCGGCTGCCT GTTGTACTTG CAACGCAAAA 2580 CCAAAAGAGG CCAGCCAAAA GAGACCATGA TACAAAGCAT GCNCTCCCCG CTTAGTTTTG 2640 ATTTATATGC ACACAGACTA ATATGCCTGT TTTTTGTCTC CTAAGTTGCG CTGCTCGCTG 2700 GTCCGTCACT TGCGTTACAC ACATCGCTAG AAAAAGCTGG ACTCGGCACT TGGCCTCTGC 2760 GAGGTTCGGC ACCGCAGCGG GATGGGCAGG TTCCCTTTCC TTTTTCCCTC TCTGGGGAAT 2820 GAACCAAAAC ATGCCTGGTG TTACAAAATA TGGGGAATCC TTATGCAGTC TGGGGGG 2877 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 4: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 1946 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (B) STRAIN: Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 289..1497 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 4: CCACACTCAC TCACACACCC TCACATCGCA TCTCGATCCT GCAACTACCG ACGACAAGAG 60 CCTCGCTCAT TTGACCAGAG AAGAATCGTT ATCACCAGCG CTACCCACCG CCCAGCAGAT 120 ATCTGTATAG ATCAGCAGTC TCTCCTCCCC GCAAACGAGG ACCACCGCAT ACTAGCAGAG 180 CCTGCTCCCG CCAAAAACCC ACACTCGCTT CTCTGGGCTC TCTTGTAACC AAAGACCAAG 240 TTGTCGCCTC AACGTCGCGT ACTTGCTTTT TGACTGCCGC TCGATCAC ATG CAA CGA 297 Met Gin Arg 1 GCA CAG TCT GCC GTG GAT TTT TCC AAC CTC CTG AAT CCA ACG TCG GCA 345 Ala Gin Ser Ala Val Asp Phe Ser Asn Leu Leu Asn Pro Thr Ser Ala 5 10 15 GCA GGA CAG GAC AGC GGC GCC ATG TCT ACC GCC GCG GTC ACC GTC ATC 393 Ala Gly Gin Asp Ser Gly Ala Met Ser Thr Ala Ala Val Thr Val Ile 20 25 30 35 AAG CCC AAT GGG CCC ATT CCA GGA ACA CAG TCG ACC GAG ACT GCC AAC 441 Lys Pro Asn Gly Pro Ile Pro Gly Thr Gin Ser Thr Glu Thr Ala Asn 40 45 50 GAG CTG CCT CGT CCC TAC AAG TGC CCT CTT TGC GAC AAG GCT TTC CAC 489 Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Tyr Lys Cys Pro Leu Cys Asp Lys Ala Phe His 55 60 65 CGC CTG GAG CAC CAG ACC AGG CAC ATT CGC ACC CAC ACG GGC GAG AAG 537 Arg Leu Glu His Gin Thr Arg His Ile Arg Thr His Thr Gly Glu Lys 70 75 80 CCC CAT GCC TGC CAG TTC CCT GGC TGC AGC AAG AAG TTC TCC CGC TCC 585 Pro His Ala Cys Gin Phe Pro Gly Cys Ser Lys Lys Phe Ser Arg Ser 85 90 95 GAT GAG CTG ACG AGG CAC TCG AGG ATA CAC AGC AAC CCC AAC TCA AGG 633 Asp Glu Leu Thr Arg His Ser Arg Ile His Ser Asn Pro Asn Ser Arg 100 105 110 115 CGC GGC AAC AAG GGC CAG CAG CAG CAC CAG CTT CAC CAC CAG GGC ATG 681 Arg Gly Asn Lys Gly Gin Gin Gin His Gin Leu His His Gin Gly Met 120 125 130 CCT CAC CCC ATG CAC GTC GAT GGC TTG ATG CAC CCT CCC GCC GCG CCA 729 Pro His Pro Met His Val Asp Gly Leu Met His Pro Pro Ala Ala Pro 135 140 145 AAG GCC ATC CGC TCT GCG CCC CCT TCG ACC CTC GTC TCT CCC AAC GTC 777 Lys Ala Ile Arg Ser Ala Pro Pro Ser Thr Leu Val Ser Pro Asn Val 150 155 160 TCG CCT CCG CAC TCC TAC TCG TCC TTT GTC ATG CCT CAC GGT CCC ATT 825 Ser Pro Pro His Ser Tyr Ser Ser Phe Val Met Pro His Gly Pro Ile 165 170 175 TCT CAC TAT GGC CGT GGC AAC GAC ATT ACG ATG CTT GCC AAG GCG GCA 873 Ser His Tyr Gly Arg Gly Asn Asp Ile Thr Met Leu Ala Lys Ala Ala 180 185 190 195 AAT CAG ATT GAG CGC GAG ACG CTT TCT GGC GGG CCG TCC AAC CAC AAC 921 Asn Gin Ile Glu Arg Glu Thr Leu Ser Gly Gly Pro Ser Asn His Asn 200 205 210 TCG AGG CAC CAC CCT TAC TTT GGC CAG GGT GTT CCG GGT TCT CGA GGC 969 Ser Arg His His Pro Tyr Phe Gly Gin Gly Val Pro Gly Ser Arg Gly 215 220 225 CAC CCC TCG CTT TCT TCG TAC CAC ATG GCG AGA GCT CAC TCC AAC GAC 1017 His Pro Ser Leu Ser Ser Tyr His Met Ala Arg Ala His Ser Asn Asp 230 235 240 GAG GAT GAC CAC TAC CAT GGC AGC TTG AGG CAC GCC AAG AGG TCA AGG 1065 Glu Asp Asp His Tyr His Gly Ser Leu Arg His Ala Lys Arg Ser Arg 245 250 255 CCC AAC TCG CCC AAC TCT ACG GCT CCT TCT TCT CCC ACC TTT TCG CAC 1113 Pro Asn Ser Pro Asn Ser Thr Ala Pro Ser Ser Pro Thr Phe Ser His 260 265 270 275 GAC TCT CTG TCC CCC ACC CCG GAT CAC ACT CCC ATC GCA ACT CCC GCT 1161 Asp Ser Leu Ser Pro Thr Pro Asp His Thr Pro Ile Ala Thr Pro Ala 280 285 290 CAC TCC CCC CGT CTC CGT CCC TTT TCG GGC TAC GAG CTG CCG AGT CTG 1209 His Ser Pro Arg Leu Arg Pro Phe Ser Gly Tyr Glu Leu Pro Ser Leu 295 300 305 AGA AAC CTG TCC CTG CAG CAC AAT ACG ACT CCG GCG CTG GCC CCC ATG 1257 Arg Asn Leu Ser Leu Gin His Asn Thr Thr Pro Ala Leu Ala Pro Met 310 315 320 GAG CCT CAC CTG GAC GCT CCG CAG TTC CAC CCT CAG CTG CAG GCA AAC 1305 Glu Pro His Leu Asp Ala Pro Gin Phe His Pro Gin Leu Gin Ala Asn 325 330 335 ACC ACC CGC AGC CCC GGC ATG TCA CTT ACC GAC ATC ATT AGC CGC CCC 1353 Thr Thr Arg Ser Pro Gly Met Ser Leu Thr Asp Ile Ile Ser Arg Pro 340 345 350 355 GAC GGC AGT CAG AGG AAA CTG CCT GTC CCT CAG GTC CCC AAG GTG GCG 1401 Asp Gly Ser Gin Arg Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Gin Val Pro Lys Val Ala 360 365 370 GTT CAG GAC CTT CTC TCC GAC GGC GTC TTC CCC AAC AGC GGC AGA AGT 1449 Val Gin Asp Leu Leu Ser Asp Gly Val Phe Pro Asn Ser Gly Arg Ser 375 380 385 TCC ACC ACG GGC AGT CTT GCC GGT GGC GAC CTC ATG GAT CGG ATG TAGAATGTCC 1504 Ser Thr Thr Gly Ser Leu Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Met Asp Arg Met 390 395 400 GGTACTCATG GCGCGCATCG AATGACTTAC GACTTTGGGC TATAGATGGA TAGAAAGAGT 1564 TGGCGTTAAT GGTTTGGAAA TGGCAAGGGA AATGGATACG GAAATGGAAA TGGACAGAGT 1624 CGTCCCCCGC AGGACTTGAC ACGGGCTATT TTGGTTTTCT CCTTCTTGTT CCTTTTTTCG 1684 TGTGCTTTTT TTATTCAATT τττττcττcτ TGTACGCTTG GATGGACCCC TACACAATAT 1744 GGATGGCCCA GGAAATATAG ACATCACCAC TTTCCCCAAC GGACTATTAT CTGCTGTTCC 1804 GTACAGCTTT GGTCCCATGC TTTGTTGTTT TTGAGCCCTT CTACCTGGTA CGACTACAGC 1864 GGAGGACTAC TTAGATTCAG CGGCTGCCTG TTGTACTTGC AACGCAAAAC CAAAAGAGGC 1924 CAGCCAAAAG AGACCATGAT AC 1946 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 5: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 402 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 5: Met Gin Arg Ala Gin Ser Ala Val Asp Phe Ser Asn Leu Leu Asn Pro 1 . 5 10 15 Thr Ser Ala Ala Gly Gin Asp Ser Gly Ala Met Ser Thr Ala Ala Val 20 25 30 Thr Val Ile Lys Pro Asn Gly Pro Ile Pro Gly Thr Gin Ser Thr Glu 35 40 45 Thr Ala Asn Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Tyr Lys Cys Pro Leu Cys Asp Lys 50 55 60 Ala Phe His Arg Leu Glu His Gin Thr Arg His Ile Arg Thr His Thr 65 70 75 80 Gly Glu Lys Pro His Ala Cys Gin Phe Pro Gly Cys Ser Lys Lys Phe 85 90 95 Ser Arg Ser Asp Glu Leu Thr Arg His Ser Arg Ile His Ser Asn Pro 100 105 110 Asn Ser Arg Arg Gly Asn Lys Gly Gin Gin Gin His Gin Leu His His 115 120 125 Gin Gly Met Pro His Pro Met His Val Asp Gly Leu Met His Pro Pro 130 135 140 Ala Ala Pro Lys Ala Ile Arg Ser Ala Pro Pro Ser Thr Leu Val Ser 145 150 155 160 Pro Asn Val Ser Pro Pro His Ser Tyr Ser Ser Phe Val Met Pro His 165 170 175 Gly Pro Ile Ser His Tyr Gly Arg Gly Asn Asp Ile Thr Met Leu Ala 180 185 190 Lys Ala Ala Asn Gin Ile Glu Arg Glu Thr Leu Ser Gly Gly Pro Ser 195 200 205 Asn His Asn Ser Arg His His Pro Tyr Phe Gly Gin Gly Val Pro Gly 210 215 220 Ser Arg Gly His Pro Ser Leu Ser Ser Tyr His Met Ala Arg Ala His 225 230 235 240 Ser Asn Asp Glu Asp Asp His Tyr His Gly Ser Leu Arg His Ala Lys 245 250 255 Arg Ser Arg Pro Asn Ser Pro Asn Ser Thr Ala Pro Ser Ser Pro Thr 260 265 270 Phe Ser His Asp Ser Leu Ser Pro Thr Pro Asp His Thr Pro Ile Ala 275 280 285 Thr Pro Ala His Ser Pro Arg Leu Arg Pro Phe Ser Gly Tyr Glu Leu 290 295 300 Pro Ser Leu Arg Asn Leu Ser Leu Gin His Asn Thr Thr Pro Ala Leu 305 310 315 320 Ala Pro Met Glu Pro His Leu Asp Ala Pro Gin Phe His Pro Gin Leu 325 330 335 Gin Ala Asn Thr Thr Arg Ser Pro Gly Met Ser Leu Thr Asp Ile Ile 340 345 350 Ser Arg Pro Asp Gly Ser Gin Arg Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Gin Val Pro 355 360 365 Lys Val Ala Val Gin Asp Leu Leu Ser Asp Gly Val Phe Pro Asn Ser 370 375 380 Gly Arg Ser Ser Thr Thr Gly Ser Leu Ala Gly Gly Asp Leu Met Asp 385 390 395 400 Arg Met (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 6: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 1308 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (B) STRAIN: Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30 (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 316..603 (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 6: TGAACGAAGA AAAAACAACC ACCAGAACCA CACTCACTCA CACACCCTCA CATCGCATCT 60 CGATCCTGCA ACTACCGACG ACAAGAGCCT CGCTCATTTG ACCAGAGAAG AATCGTTATC 120 ACCAGCGCTA CCCACCGCCC AGCAGATATC TGTATAGATC AGCAGTCTCT CCTCCCCGCA 180 AACGAGGACC ACCGCATACT AGCAGAGCCT GCTCCCGCCA AAAACCCACA CTCGCTTCTC 240 TGGGCTCTCT TGTAACCAAA GACCAAGTTG TCGCCTCAAC GTCGCGTACT TGCTTTTTGA 300 CTGCCGCTCG ATCAC ATG CAA CGA GCA CAG TCT GCC GTG GAT TTT TCC AAC 351 Met Gin Arg Ala Gin Ser Ala Val Asp Phe Ser Asn 1 5 10 CTC CTG AAT CCA ACG TCG GCA GCA GGA CAG GAC AGC GGC GCC ATG TCT 399 Leu Leu Asn Pro Thr Ser Ala Ala Gly Gin Asp Ser Gly Ala Met Ser 15 20 25 ACC GCC GCG GTC ACC GTC ATC AAG CCC AAT GGG CCC ATT CCA GGA ACA 447 Thr Ala Ala Val Thr Val Ile Lys Pro Asn Gly Pro Ile Pro Gly Thr 30 35 40 CAG TCG ACC GAG ACT GCC AAC GAG CTG CCT CGT CCC TAC AAG TGC CCT 495 Gin Ser Thr Glu Thr Ala Asn Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Tyr Lys Cys Pro 45 50 55 60 CTT TGC GAC AAG GCT TTC CAC CGC CTG GAG CAC CAG ACC AGG CAC ATT 543 Leu Cys Asp Lys Ala Phe His Arg Leu Glu His Gin Thr Arg His Ile 65 70 75 CGC ACC CAC ACG GGC GAG AAG CCC CAT GCC TGC ACC TCC ATT ACC TGC 591 Arg Thr His Thr Gly Glu Lys Pro His Ala Cys Thr Ser Ile Thr Cys 80 85 90 TTT TTT TTC TAATTTACCT GCCAATACAA GACTTTTTTT TTTCTTGTTC 640 Phe Phe Phe 95 GTAGGGCGGC GGCTCCTCAG CGCTAAGATG CGTTTTTACG TATCTCCCCT CTGGGGGTGG 700 CAAAAATGGA GGGGGGAGGG TCAACCTTGG AATCAGGCTA GATTGCCTCT TTTTCTTCTT 760 CCCCGGTGTG TGTGTGTGAG AGAGAGAGTG TGTGAGTTGA TGTGGGGGAT GGCGTCCGTT 820 TGGCTCGCTT GGATGGAATG CTATGGAAGA GCGAGAGGCA ACACTGTATT GTCACTGTAC 880 AGTGGTAGGT TGACCCATGG AGCATTGGTG GGATTGGTGA GGTAACACAA TCTTGTGTGG 940 TCCCTTTCTT TCGAGATACC TGATGGGGAA AATTCCGTTG ATGATGTGCC GGGGGATCTT 1000 CACTTTGATA CGAGGCTGTA TCCCTGGTGC TGTACCTTGA CTGTGGCTCT ATTGCTACGA 1060 TAGAGGGTAG GCCACATGAA GGGGGGCTTC TTTATTTCTT TCCCTTGTGA TATCTGCACC 1120 TGATTGCTTG ATGGAAAATG GGCCGATGAA TAGAGGCATG ACGGCCCTTT ATGATACGAG 1180 GAAGATGGGG GCATTTTTTT TCGCGTGTGA TGACTCGCTT GATGACATGA GGAGGTGTGG 1240 CATCAGCTCC CCGTTACACA AAAATTCTAC GAATAGCGAT CTGGAAAGAC GCTCTGTTGA 1300 AAAAAAAA 1308 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 7: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 95 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 7: Met Gin Arg Ala Gin Ser Ala Val Asp Phe Ser Asn Leu Leu Asn Pro 1 5 10 15 Thr Ser Ala Ala Gly Gin Asp Ser Gly Ala Met Ser Thr Ala Ala Val 20 25 30 Thr Val Ile Lys Pro Asn Gly Pro Ile Pro Gly Thr Gin Ser Thr Glu 35 40 45 Thr Ala Asn Glu Leu Pro Arg Pro Tyr Lys Cys Pro Leu Cys Asp Lys 50 55 60 Ala Phe His Arg Leu Glu His Gin Thr Arg His Ile Arg Thr His Thr 65 70 75 80 Gly Glu Lys Pro His Ala Cys Thr Ser Ile Thr Cys Phe Phe Phe 85 90 95 INDICATIONS RELATING TO A DEPOSITED MICROORGANISM (PCT Rule I3bis) A. Tbe indications made below relate to tbe microorganism referred to in tbe descπption on page 1 7 , line 2 9 B. IDENTIFICATION OF DEPOSIT Further deposits are identified on an additional sheet | | Name of depositary institution Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSM) Address of depositary institution (including postal code and country) Mascheroder Weg 1 b, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany Date of deposit 25 August 1995 Accession Number DSM 10 190 C. ADDITIONAL INDICATIONS (leave blank if not applicable) Tbis information is continued on an additional sheet |X | In respect of those designations in which a European patent or a patent in Finland or Norway is sought, a sample of the deposited microorganism will be made available until the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent or the corresponding information concerning the patent in Finland or Norway or until the date on which the application has been refused or withdrawn or is deemed to be withdrawn, only by the issue of such a sample to an expert nominated by the person re¬ questing the sample (Rule 28(4) EPC and the corresponding regulations in Finland and Norway). D. DESIGNATED STATES FOR WHICH INDICATIONS ARE MADE (ifthe indications are not for ail designated States) E. SEPARATE FURNISHING OF INDICATIONS (leave blank if not applicable) Tbe indications listed below will be submitted to tbe international Bureau later (specify the general nature of the indications e.g , 'Accession Number of Deposit') For International Bureau use only [ j This sheet was received by tbe International Bureau on: Authorized officer INDICATIONS RELATING TO A DEPOSITED MICROORGANISM The indications made below relate to tbe microorganism referred to in the description on page 1 7 . -li•_ne 29 B. IDENTD7ICATION OF DEPOSIT Further deposits are identified on an additional sheet I I Name of depositary institution Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSM) Address of depositary institution (including postal code and country) Mascheroder Weg 1 b, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany Date of deposit 25 August 1995 Accession Number * QSM 10190 C. ADDITIONAL INDICATIONS (leave blank if not applicable) This information is continued on an additional sheet P When designating Australia, in accordance with regulation 3.25 of the Patents Regulations (Australia Statutory Rules 1991 No. 71), samples of materials deposited in accordance with the Budapest Treaty in relation to this Patent Request are only to be provided before: the patent is granted on the application; or the application has lapsed or been withdrawn or refused; to a person who is: a skilled addressee without an interest in the invention; and nominated by a person who makes a request for thej furnishing of those samples. D. DESIGNATED STATES FOR WHICH INDICATIONS ARE MADE (if the indications are not for all designated States) E. SEPARATE FURNISHING OF INDICATIONS (leave blank if not applicable) The indications listed below will be submitted to tbe International Bureau later (specify the general nature of iheindications eg., 'Accession Number of Deposit") For International Bureau use only I I This sheet was received by tbe Intemationai Bureau on: Authorized officer

Claims: Claims 1. A mutated form of the native glucose repressor gene cre of filamentous fungi, wherein the mutation is situated in the C-terminal domain, the N-terminal first zinc finger being intact and the C-terminal region including the second zinc finger being mutated so that the viability of a strain carrying said mutated gene is maintained and the glucose repression is relieved. 2. The mutated cre gene according to claim 1 which encodes the amino acid sequence given in SEQ. ID. NO. 7. 3. The mutated cre gene according to claim 1, wherein only one of the two zinc fingers is retained. 4. The mutated cre gene according to claim 1 which maintains the viability of the strain but leads to incomplete glucose uptake from the medium. 5. A fungal strain transformed with the mutated cre gene according to any one of the claims 1 to 4. 6. Use of the fungal strain according to claim 5 in production of proteins. 7. Use of the fungal strain according to claim 5 in a process for protein production in which the growth rate of the strain is controlled by the nitrogen source in the medium. 8. Plasmid pMI-42 having the deposition number DSM 10190. 9. A process for enhancing the production of secreted proteins in a fungal host, which comprises transforming the mutated cre gene according to any one of the claims 1 to 4 into a suitable fungal host, cultivating the transformed host in a suitable growth medium comprising glucose, and recovering the protein produced. 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the fungal host belongs to the genus Trichoderma.

Inventors: ILMEN MARJA, PENTTILAE MERJA, SOEDERLUND HANS, ILMEN, MARJA, PENTTILAE, MERJA, SOEDERLUND, HANS
Applicants: ILMEN MARJA, PENTTILAE MERJA, SOEDERLUND HANS, VALTION TEKNILLINEN, ILMEN, MARJA, PENTTILAE, MERJA, SOEDERLUND, HANS, VALTION TEKNILLINEN TUTKIMUSKESKUS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: C12N15
IPC codes: C07K14, C12N1, C12N15, C12P21, C12R1