Identification of the aciA gene controlled by the amdA regulatory gene in Aspergillus nidulans

The amdA gene is one of a number of transacting regulatory genes controlling expression of the amdS gene in A. nidulans. A polypeptide of approximately 42,000 molecular weight has been found to be synthesized constitutively in amdA mutant strains and to be acetate inducible. A lambda clone containing a gene, called aciA, coding for this polypeptide has been isolated using differential screening with cDNA probes. Two acetate inducible RNA species have been identified by probing Northern blots with aciA containing probes. It is suggested that the amdA gene is a regulatory gene involved in acetate induction of aciA and amdS expression. The function of the aciA gene is not yet known.