Regulation of sulfate transport and synthesis of sulfur-containing amino acids.

Recent research indicates that several sulfate transporters - exhibiting different tissue specificities and modes of expression - may play distinct roles in sulfate uptake within specific tissues and in long-distance sulfate translocation. The transcription levels of particular genes and feedback inhibition of serine acetyltransferase play major roles in regulating sulfur assimilation and cysteine synthesis. O-acetylserine and glutathione presumably act within the cysteine synthesis pathway as derepressor and repressor, respectively. A unique autoregulatory mechanism that stabilizes mRNA levels has recently been proposed for the regulation of methionine synthesis.