Induction of the acetamidase of Aspergillus nidulans by acetate metabolism

Abstract

Growth tests and enzyme determinations strongly suggest that the acetamidase of Aspergillus nidulans is induced by a product of acetate metabolism rather than the substrate, acetamide. The cis-dominant mutation, amdI9, which is closely linked to amdS, the structural gene for the acetamidase, results in greatly increased sensitivity to induction by acetate metabolism. Propionate, L-threonine, and ethanol also result in acetamidase induction. Mutations in the facA, facB, and facC genes, which lead to low levels of acetyl-coenzyme A synthase, are epistatic to the amdI9 mutation for strong growth on acetamide medium and abolish acetamide and propionamide induction of the acetamidase and isocitrate lyase enzymes. Acetate, L-threonine, and ethanol, however, can induce these enzymes in strains containing facA and facC lesions but not in strains containing a facB lesion. The evidence suggests that acetamidase and isocitrate lyase may be induced by a similar mechanism.