Dual regulation of the synthesis of the arginine pathway carbamoylphosphate synthase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by specific and general controls of amino acid biosynthesis

Mol Gen Genet. 1979 Jul 13;174(2):163-71. doi: 10.1007/BF00268353.

Abstract

The synthesis of the arginine pathway carbamoylphosphate synthase (CPSase A) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is subject to two control mechanisms. One mechanism is specific for CPSase A and is exerted by arginine; it probably involves a repressor-operator type of interaction. This "specific" mechanism regulates the expression of gene cpaI coding for the small "glutaminase" subunit of CPSase A but has little influence on the production of the large subunit of the enzyme, a product of gene cpaII. This large component, which alone has no biological significance, accumulates freely under conditions of arginine repression. The second mechanism is general: it controls enzyme synthesis in a number of amino acid biosynthetic pathways in addition to the arginine sequence. Two types of evidence that this "general" mechanism participates in the control of CPSase A synthesis are presented: (1) Derepression upon starvation for any amino acid of which the synthesis is subject to this general control; and (2) repression during growth in amino acid-rich medium. In contrast to the specific mechanism, the "general" mechanism regulates the expression of both the cpaI and cpaII genes.

MeSH terms

  • Arginine / biosynthesis
  • Carbamoyl-Phosphate Synthase (Glutamine-Hydrolyzing) / genetics*
  • Genes
  • Genes, Regulator
  • Operon*
  • Phosphotransferases / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism

Substances

  • Arginine
  • Phosphotransferases
  • Carbamoyl-Phosphate Synthase (Glutamine-Hydrolyzing)