Substrate-dependent differential splicing of introns in the regions encoding the cellulose binding domains of two exocellobiohydrolase I-like genes in Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Recently, we have shown differential splicing of an intron in the cbhI.2 gene of Phanerochaete chrysosporium ME446; this intron lies within the region of the gene encoding the cellulose binding domain (P.F.G. Sims, M. S. Soares-Felipe, Q. Wang, M.E. Gent, C. Tempelaars, and P. Broda, Mol. Microbiol. 12:209-216, 1994). Here, we show that such differential splicing occurs in the cbhI.1 gene of this fungus as well as in the cbhI.2 gene and that this phenomenon is substrate dependent. Avicel elicits the synthesis of both classes of mRNA transcripts from both of these genes. In contrast, carboxymethyl cellulose predominantly elicits the synthesis of fully spliced transcripts from both genes. Such differential splicing might allow this fungus to regulate the specificities of substrate binding for these cellulases.