A cDNA clone demonstrating a high degree of homology to the thiamine repressed nmt1 gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe was isolated from the aflatoxigenic fungus; Aspergillus parasiticus. The deduced polypeptide of a cDNA clone from A. parasiticus had an amino acid sequence identity of 60% with that of the nmtI gene of S. pombe. Transcription of the nmt1 gene homolog in the fungus was strongly inhibited by concentrations of thiamine of 2.0 mu M or higher.