Cloning and functional analysis of the orotidine‐5′‐phosphate decarboxylase gene ( PbrURA3 ) of the pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

A genomic clone encoding the Paracoccidioides brasiliensis orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase gene ( PbrURA3 ) was isolated by screening a subgenomic plasmid DNA library of this fungus, using a PCR amplification product of the gene as a probe. Sequence analysis revealed that the gene contains an open reading frame of 855 bp with a single intron (162 bp), and encodes a putative 285 amino acids polypeptide of estimated molecular weight 31.1 kDa and isoelectric point 6.5. The deduced amino acid sequence predicted a 73.4% identity with orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase of Aspergillus nidulans . Functionality of the gene was demonstrated by transformation into a Saccharomyces cerevisiae ura3 null mutant. The PbrURA3 gene sequence has been submitted to GenBank database under Accession No. AJ133782. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.