Characterisation of a cyanide hydratase gene in the phytopathogenic fungus Leptosphaeria maculans

A gene encoding a cyanide hydratase was cloned from an aggressive isolate of Leptosphaeria maculans, the fungus which causes blackleg disease of oilseed Brassica spp. This enzyme catalyses the breakdown of hydrogen cyanide to a less toxic compound, formamide. The predicted amino acid sequence of cyanide hydratase in L. maculans is 77% and 82% identical to cyanide hydratases from two other ascomycetes, Gloeocercospora sorghi and Fusarium lateritium, respectively. The gene is present as a single copy in the L. maculans genome, in both aggressive and nonaggressive isolates, although there is a restriction fragment length polymorphism between these two isolate groups for this gene. The cyanide hydratase promoter contains four putative target sites for GATA transcription factors, proteins that regulate nitrogen metabolism and other processes. Transcription of cyanide hydratase in an aggressive L, maculans isolate is induced strongly by potassium cyanide. Transcription of the gene is detectable in cotyledons of Brassica juncea and B. napus during infection. L. maculans can utilise the reaction product, formamide, as a sole source of nitrogen.