Transformation of Trichoderma reesei based on hygromycin B resistance using homologous expression signals.

Trichoderma reesei was transformed to hygromycin B resistance using a novel vector, which contains the E. coli hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene (hph) fused between promoter and terminator elements of the homologous Trichoderma pki1 (coding for pyruvate kinase) and cbh2 (coding for cellobiohydrolase II) genes, respectively. Transformation frequencies of over 1,800--2,500 transformants/micrograms DNA were obtained, which is a 15--20-fold increase over that with pAN7-1, which contains hph between A. nidulans expression signals. Mitotically-stable transformants contained the hph gene and the regulatory sequences of the pki1 promoter and the cbh2 terminator integrated into the genome. Evidence for preferentially ectopic integration is given.