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Abstract
The ascomycete Cadophora finlandica, which can form mycorrhizas with ectomycorrhizal
and ericoid hosts, is commonly found in heavy metal polluted soils. To understand
the selective advantage of this organism at contaminated sites heavy metal regulated
genes from C. finlandica were investigated. For gene identification a strategy based
on a genomic microarray was chosen, which allows a rapid, genome-wide screening in
genetically poorly characterized organisms. In a preliminary screen eleven plasmids
covering eight distinct genomic regions and encoding a total of ten Cd-regulated genes
were identified. Northern analyses with RNA from C. finlandica grown in the presence
of either Cd, Pb or Zn revealed different transcription patterns in response to the
heavy metals present in the growth medium. The Cd-regulated genes are predicted to
encode several extracellular proteins with unknown functions, transporters, a centaurin-type
regulator of intracellular membrane trafficking, a GNAT-family acetyltransferase and
a B-type cyclin.