Alpha-glucosidase synthesis in yeast cells depleted of intramitochondrial ATP.

We have studied the dependence on mitochondrial ATP of expression of MAL genes specifying maltose utilization in yeast. It was found that bongkrekic acid does not prevent the maltose induced synthesis of alpha-glucosidase in derepressed cells of the wild-type and corresponding respiratory-deficient mutant of Saacharomyces cerevisiae. The results suggest that expression of nuclear genes specifying alpha-glucosidase and maltose catabolism in yeast is apparently not dependent on the proper function of mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocase and does not even require the presence of normal levels of ATP in mitochondria.