Cloning, characterization and functionality of the orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase gene (URA3) of the glycolipid-producing yeast Candida bombicola

Abstract

Candida bombicola is a yeast species known to synthesize glycolipids. Although these glycolipids find several industrial, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications, very little is known about the genetics of C. bombicola. A basic tool for genetic study and modification is the availability of an efficient transformation and selection system. In order to develop such a system, the URA3 gene of Candida bombicola was isolated using degenerate PCR and genomic walking. The gene encodes for an enzyme of 262 amino acids and shows high homology with the known orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylases of several other yeast species. The functionality of the gene was proved by complementation of a URA3-negative Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. The GenBank Accession No. of the sequence described in this article is DQ916828. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.