Identification of two genes controlling kasugamycin resistance in the filamentous fungusPodospora anserina

Abstract

SummaryWe have investigated the effect of the ribosome-targeted antibiotic kasugamycin (ksg) inPodospora anserina. While ksg inhibits both growth and sporulation, it has a stronger inhibitory effect on the sporulation process. It was previously reported that sporulation ofPodosporacould be impaired when ribosomes translate with a too high accuracy, and since ksg was demonstrated to increase the ribosomal accuracy inE. coli, we wondered whether it would act similarly inPodospora. As a first approach we have isolated two mutations at different loci,Ks1andKs2, that increase the resistance to ksg at the level of both growth and sporulation. InterestinglyKs1−1also confers a decreased resistance to paromomycin, which is a mistranslation inducer. Characterization ofKs1−1andKs2−1mutants suggests that they could be ribosomal mutants.