Regulation of alpha-galactosidase synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and effect of cerulenin on the secretion of this enzyme.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae -136ts MEL10 (a thermosensitive mutant whose RNA synthesis is inhibited at 37 degrees C but is normal at 23 degrees C), when grown at 23 degrees C in the presence of galactose, melibiose or L-arabinose, these cells synthesize alpha-galactosidase mRNA. In the simultaneous presence of both galactose and glucose the transcription of alpha-galactosidase mRNA is blocked. Glucose also interferes with mRNA translation, but the degree of inhibition depends on concentration and time of addition of the hexose to induced cells. It has been found that the final concentration of alpha-galactosidase produced by induced cells when transferred at the non-permissive temperature (37 degrees C) is inversely proportional to the incubation time in glucose. Cerulenin inhibits lipid formation on growing yeasts, but protein synthesis and selective permeability are not affected. The antibiotic partially inhibits secretion of alpha-galactosidase with a parallel accumulation of this enzyme in membranous structures, specially at the level of the plasma membrane. Induction of alpha-galactosidase or cerulenin addition to growing cells, results in changes in the polypeptide composition of the plasma membrane.