Role of the regulator-gene product (repressor) in catabolite repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis in Escherichia coli

Sustained oscillations and threshold phenomena in an operon control circuit

A genetic regulatory model involving a positive feedback (via induction) and a negative feedback (via catabolite repression) is analyzed and applied to the problem of the lac operon regulation in E. coli. Damped and sustained oscillations of the limit cycle type are found along with threshold phenomena corresponding to multiple limit cycles or to multiple steady states, for values of the parameters compatible with experimental data. A comparison with the observations of Knorre and Goodwin is outlined.

Transient repression of the lac operon - the effect of a lac promoter deletion

Experiments have been done to show whether the lac promoter delection L1, which partly alleviates catabolite repression, also affects transient repression of lac. In stain L1/F'M15 all of the beta-galactosidase is synthesized from a chromosomal gene cis to L1, whereas 98% of the thiogalactosidase transacetylase is synthesized from an episomal gene cis to an intact i-p-o region. The addition of glucose to induced cultures of strain L1/F'M15 growing in glycerol medium caused extensive transient repression of transacetylase but almost no transient repression of beta-galactosidase. In control experiments with a diploid stain of genotype p(+)z(+)a(-)/F'p(+)z(-)a(+) the two enzymes suffered equal transient repression. Thus L1 substantially relieves transient repression.

Adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate and catabolite repression in Escherichia coli

1. Both permanent and transient catabolite repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis in Escherichia coli are abolished by 5mm-3':5'-cyclic-AMP when elicited by glucose, but not when caused by a mixture of glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, gluconate and casein hydrolysate (casamino acids). 2. Glucose uptake is slightly increased by 3':5'-cyclic-AMP. 3. No significant effects of the nucleotide were found on the synthesis of protein and RNA, either in exponential growth on one substrate, or during a growth shift from glycerol to glycerol plus glucose. 4. Marked changes in the soluble-protein profiles of cells growing in glycerol and glucose were caused by the presence of 3':5'-cyclic-AMP. 5. Measurements of (14)CO(2) release from specifically-labelled glucose showed that 3':5'-cyclic-AMP greatly stimulated glycolytic activity while having a minor depressing effect on the metabolic flow through the pentose phosphate cycle. 6. The concentrations of several metabolic intermediates, particularly fructose 1,6-diphosphate, were greatly affected by the presence of 3':5'-cyclic-AMP. 7. Several metabolites partially relieved glucose repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis in EDTA-treated cells; three out of five of these metabolites reversed the effect more effectively than did 3':5'-cyclic-AMP. 8. The evidence for and against a direct role for 3':5'-cyclic-AMP is discussed. It is concluded that the evidence for indirect action is at least as strong as that for direct action.

Carabolite repression of the lac operon. Repression of translation

1. Experiments were devised to show whether catabolite repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis operates at the level of transcription or of translation. Escherichia coli K12 was induced for a short period in non-repressing medium (glycerol-minimal medium), and transcription of the lac operon was terminated by either of two methods; glucose was then added as a source of the catabolite repressor during the subsequent translation of the accumulated beta-galactosidase messenger RNA. 2. When induced bacteria in glycerol medium were infected with T6 phage, which is known to halt transcription, the addition of glucose up to 3min. later diminished the yield of beta-galactosidase. 3. When induced bacteria in glycerol medium were removed from the inducer and resuspended in fresh medium (a process that is also known to halt transcription), the yield of enzyme was again diminished by the presence of glucose in the resuspension medium. 4. It is concluded that repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis can be brought about by the presence of glucose during the translation phase only. 5. In E. coli strain 300U the effect on translation was sufficient to account for almost all the catabolite repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis observed during exponential growth of the organism in glucose-minimal medium. In E. coli strain 200P, however, much more severe repression occurred during exponential growth, and an additional effect of glucose is postulated.

Corepressor system for catabolite repression of the lac operon in Escherichia coli

Acetylated amino sugars, normally used in the biosynthesis of cell walls and cell membranes, were found to play a role as corepressors for catabolite repression of the lac operon in Escherichia coli. This conclusion was derived from studies conducted on mutants of E. coli that were able to assimilate an exogenous source of N-acetylglucosamine (AcGN) but were unable to dissimilate or grow on this compound. At concentrations less than 10(-4)m, AcGN caused severe catabolite repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis in cultures grown under either nonrepressed or partially repressed conditions. This repression occurred in the absence of any effect of AcGN on either the carbon and energy metabolism or the growth of the organism. In addition, this repression by AcGN occurred in a mutant strain that is constitutive for beta-galactosidase production, demonstrating that the AcGN effect does not involve the uptake of inducer. This model for the corepressor system of catabolite repression is discussed in relation to the existing theories on repression of the lac operon.

Molecular basis of transient repression of beta-galactosidase in Escherichia coli

The molecular basis of transient repression of beta-galactosidase by glucose was examined. This repression acted only at the level of transcription. Apparently, it was not mediated by the I-gene product. Analysis of single cells in a culture subjected to transient repression showed that essentially all cells initially experienced repression and later became gradually resistant to repression.

Catabolite repression in Escherichia coli. A study of two hypotheses

1. Two hypotheses to account for general catabolite repression of the lactose enzymes in Escherichia coli were tested: the dilution model of Palmer & Moses (1967), and the specific catabolite repressor model of Loomis & Magasanik (1965, 1967). 2. The dilution model predicts that in mutants lacking the i-o regulation system the differential rate of beta-galactosidase synthesis should increase when amino acid-synthesizing enzymes are repressed by the presence of amino acids in the medium. It also predicts that with such mutants the total absence of P(i) from the medium should not result in the complete cessation of beta-galactosidase synthesis that is observed with wild-type cells. 3. Neither prediction was confirmed experimentally, and it is concluded that this model cannot explain catabolite repression. 4. The specific repressor hypothesis depends on the properties of a strain of E. coli carrying the CR(-) mutation. It requires both that cells of this genotype should be totally resistant to general catabolite repression and that this resistance should be specific for the lactose enzymes. 5. In fact the synthesis of beta-galactosidase by CR(-) cells, though showing resistance to catabolite repression by growth on glucose, was found to be repressed in several other circumstances. 6. Two other inducible enzymes, l-tryptophanase and d-serine deaminase, also showed resistance to repression by glucose in CR(-) cells. 7. It is concluded that this model, too, does not account for general catabolite repression. 8. Strains carrying deletions at either end of the lactose operon that extend into the structural genes of the operon continue to exhibit catabolite repression. 9. These experiments appear to eliminate the possibility that catabolite repression operates at the level of DNA transcription, and suggest that repression affects instead the translation of messenger RNA into protein.