Regeneration of invertase in Neurospora crassa

A possible rôle for acid phosphatase in gamma-amino-n-butyrate uptake in Aspergillus nidulans

Previously published work from another laboratory has shown that the mutation pacC-5 in the ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans leads to loss of an acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) activity and is probably located in the structural gene for this enzyme. Here, we show that, pleiotropically, pacC-5 considerably reduces gamma-amino-n-butyrate transport levels as shown both by direct uptake measurements and two kinds of growth tests. A reduction in expression of the permease specified by the gabA gene is almost certainly responsible for the gamma-amino-n-butyrate uptake defect in pacC-5 strains. pacC-5 does not reduce L-proline uptake, mainly mediated by the prnB permease, or beta-alanine uptake. This work and our previously published results suggest that, although it does not uniquely reduce gamma-amino-n-butyrate uptake, pacC-5 is highly selective in its effects on transport processes. It is therefore probable that the acid phosphatase specified by the pacC gene plays some rôle in the synthesis, membrane integration or functioning of a particular class of permeases. A rôle for acid phosphatases in membrane processes casts an intriguing new light on the fact that these enzymes are periplasmic and extracellular in many micro-organisms including A. nidulans.

Derepression of beta-1,3-glucanases in Penicillium italicum: localization of the various enzymes and correlation with cell wall glucan mobilization and autolysis

The localization of the derepressible beta-1,3-glucanases of Penicillium italicum and the cell wall autolysis under conditions of beta-1,3-glucanase derepression (24 h in a low-glucose medium) were studied. About 15% of the total activity was secreted into the culture medium during the 24-h period and consisted of similar amounts of each of the three beta-1,3-glucanases (I, II, III) produced by this species. Treatment of derepressed mycelia with periplasmic enzyme-inactivating agents resulted in a loss of 45% of the mycelium-bound beta-1,3-glucanase. Analysis of periplasmic enzymes solubilized by 2 M NaCl or by autolysis of isolated cell walls revealed that only beta-1,3-glucanases II and III were bound to the cell wall. These two enzymes were capable of releasing in vitro reducing sugars from cell walls, whereas beta-1,3-glucanase I was not. In addition, the autolytic activity of cell walls isolated from derepressed mycelium was greater than that of cell walls isolated from repressed mycelium. The incubation of the fungus in the low-glucose medium also resulted in the in vivo mobilization of 34% of the cell wall beta-1,3-glucan, and this mobilization was fully prevented by cycloheximide, which also blocked derepression of beta-1,3-glucanases. Derepression of beta-1,3-glucanase seems to be coupled to the mobilization of cell wall glucan.

Site of initial glycosylation of mannoproteins from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The cellular site of initial glycosylation of proteins from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied. Short pulses of [U-14C]mannose label the ribosomal fraction of the yeast. Most of the label was associated with polysomes; monosomes contained only a small amount of radioactivity. All of the radioactivity present in the polysomal fraction was accounted by mannose and smaller amounts of glucose and glucosamine. Puromycin treatment detached more than 50% of the radioactivity from the polysomes; treatment of polysomes at pH 10.0 also caused the release of radioactivity. These results indicate that initial sugar binding occurs while the nascent polypeptide chains are still growing on the ribosomes. When the cells were preincubated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose, incorporation of [U-14C]mannose into the polysomes and the cell wall was inhibited, whereas its incorporation into membrane fractions was unimpaired. It was concluded that 2-deoxy-D-glucose inhibited the synthesis of glycoproteins by interference with the initial glycosylation steps at the ribosomal level.