Transcriptional regulation of methionine synthase by homocysteine and choline in Aspergillus nidulans.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kacprzak MM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1223784 | biostudies-other | 2003 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:1. Choline O-sulphate is taken up from the growth medium to the same extent by sulphur-deficient and sulphur-sufficient mycelia of Aspergillus nidulans, but hydrolysis of the transported sulphate ester in vivo only occurs in the sulphur-deficient mycelia. 2. Choline sulphatase activity could not be detected in vitro in sulphur-sufficient mycelia of wild-type and sulphur mutants of A. nidulans, but after sulphur starvation all strains showed appreciable activity of this enzyme. 3. Optimum activity of choline sulphatase in an ultrasonically treated preparation of sulphur-deficient mycelia was at pH7.5. The optimum substrate concentration was in excess of 25mm and K(m) was 0.035m. The enzyme was completely inhibited by 10mm-SO(3) (2-), PO(4) (3-), CN(-) and cysteine. 4. Growth of sulphur-deficient mycelia on various sulphur sources resulted in a decrease of choline sulphatase activity in vitro. The decrease appeared to be due to a repression of choline sulphatase synthesis rather than to inhibition of activity. De-repression by growth on a sulphur-deficient medium was prevented by cycloheximide. Unlike the choline sulphatase of bacteria the fungal enzyme did not need to be substrate-induced. 5. By using sulphur mutants the identity of the co-repressor was limited to S(2)O(3) (2-), cysteine-S-sulphonate, cysteine or compounds derived directly from them. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the co-repressor is cysteine. 6. Inhibition of choline sulphatase activity in vivo was demonstrated with cysteine as the sulphur source for growth.
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Project description:Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a process that selects the energetically most favorable carbon source in an environment. CCR represses the use of less favorable carbon sources when a better source is available. Glucose is the preferential carbon source for most microorganisms because it is rapidly metabolized, generating quick energy for growth. In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, CCR is mediated by the transcription factor CreA, a C2H2 finger domain DNA-binding protein. The aim of this work was to investigate the regulation of CreA and characterize its functionally distinct protein domains. CreA depends in part on de novo protein synthesis and is regulated in part by ubiquitination. CreC, the scaffold protein in the CreB-CreC deubiquitination (DUB) complex, is essential for CreA function and stability. Deletion of select protein domains in CreA resulted in persistent nuclear localization and target gene repression. A region in CreA conserved between Aspergillus spp. and Trichoderma reesei was identified as essential for growth on various carbon, nitrogen, and lipid sources. In addition, a role of CreA in amino acid transport and nitrogen assimilation was observed. Taken together, these results indicate previously unidentified functions of this important transcription factor. These novel functions serve as a basis for additional research in fungal carbon metabolism with the potential aim to improve fungal industrial applications.
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