High frequency gene conversion among benomyl resistant transformants in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae

Abstract

Three different methods, (i) PEG, (ii) electroporation and (iii) biolistic, were employed to transform Metarhizium anisopliue using benomyl resistance as a selectable marker. Transformation frequencies and mitotic stability varied for each method, from 0.8 to 6.9 transformants pg-' of DNA and 46%, respectively, by the PEG method; 1.3 to 1.8 transformants pgLg-l of DNA and 67% by electroporation; and 32 to 201 transformants pg -' of DNA and 90% by biolistic. We demonstrate by PCR that 60% of the transformants were generated by gene conversion.

Part of CIRS Nexus · Curated by Lauren Lowenstein, The Biotoxin Lady