Increases in Gene-Targeting Frequencies Due to Disruption of kueA as a ku80 Homolog in Citric Acid-Producing Aspergillus niger

Abstract

Low efficiencies of gene targeting hamper functional genomics in industrially important strains of Aspergillus niger. To generate strains showing high gene-targeting frequencies in A. niger WU-2223L producing citric acid, disruption of kueA encoding Ku80 homolog was performed. Disruption of kueA increased gene-targeting frequencies to 70%, and had no effect on citric acid production.