Methylammonium resistance in Aspergillus nidulans. 1969

H N Arst, and D J Cove

Mutants of Aspergillus nidulans resistant to methylammonium toxicity are simultaneously derepressed in the presence of ammonium for apparently all ammonium-repressible activities. Enzyme assays directly demonstrate derepression of nitrate, nitrite, and hydroxylamine reductases, xanthine dehydrogenase, urate oxidase, and allantoinase, whereas in vivo tests show that ammonium and methylammonium repression or inhibition (or both) is relieved in these mutants in pathways of nitrate assimilation, purine transport and degradation, and amino acid, amine, and amide catabolism. Ammonium and methylammonium uptake is apparently not defective in these mutants, for they grow normally on limiting levels of these ions as sole nitrogen source. There is no evidence that more than one gene can mutate to produce the methylammonium resistance (mea(R)) phenotype. Such mutations are semidominant in both heterocaryons and diploids. The ability of mea(R) mutations to effect derepression of activities specified by genes within another nucleus in a heterocaryon shows that the action of the mea product is not restricted to the nucleus. Three types of hypotheses might explain this generalized derepression. First, ammonium and methylammonium might not themselves be co-repressors but might require a metabolic conversion, blocked in these mutants, to become co-repressors. Secondly, the mea locus might specify an activity expressed in mea(R) but not wild-type (mea(S)) strains, which diminishes the concentration of ammonium and methylammonium participating in co-repression. Finally, ammonium repression might involve a macromolecular control element specified by the mea(R) locus and common to many or all ammonium-repressible systems. The existence of "regulation reversal mutations" at the mea(R) locus and the lack of uniformity and coordination with which different enzymatic activities respond to mutational derepression is most compatible with the last type of hypothesis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008967 Molecular Biology A discipline concerned with studying biological phenomena in terms of the chemical and physical interactions of molecules. Biochemical Genetics,Biology, Molecular,Genetics, Biochemical,Genetics, Molecular,Molecular Genetics,Biochemical Genetic,Genetic, Biochemical,Genetic, Molecular,Molecular Genetic
D009154 Mutation Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations. Mutations
D009566 Nitrates Inorganic or organic salts and esters of nitric acid. These compounds contain the NO3- radical. Nitrate
D009573 Nitrites Salts of nitrous acid or compounds containing the group NO2-. The inorganic nitrites of the type MNO2 (where M Nitrite
D010088 Oxidoreductases The class of all enzymes catalyzing oxidoreduction reactions. The substrate that is oxidized is regarded as a hydrogen donor. The systematic name is based on donor:acceptor oxidoreductase. The recommended name will be dehydrogenase, wherever this is possible; as an alternative, reductase can be used. Oxidase is only used in cases where O2 is the acceptor. (Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992, p9) Dehydrogenases,Oxidases,Oxidoreductase,Reductases,Dehydrogenase,Oxidase,Reductase
D011687 Purines A series of heterocyclic compounds that are variously substituted in nature and are known also as purine bases. They include ADENINE and GUANINE, constituents of nucleic acids, as well as many alkaloids such as CAFFEINE and THEOPHYLLINE. Uric acid is the metabolic end product of purine metabolism.
D001966 Bromine A halogen with the atomic symbol Br, atomic number 35, and atomic weight 79.904. It is a volatile reddish-brown liquid that gives off suffocating vapors, is corrosive to the skin, and may cause severe gastroenteritis if ingested. Bromine-79,Bromine 79
D002467 Cell Nucleus Within a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-limited body which contains chromosomes and one or more nucleoli (CELL NUCLEOLUS). The nuclear membrane consists of a double unit-type membrane which is perforated by a number of pores; the outermost membrane is continuous with the ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. A cell may contain more than one nucleus. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed) Cell Nuclei,Nuclei, Cell,Nucleus, Cell
D002713 Chlorine An element with atomic symbol Cl, atomic number 17, and atomic weight 35, and member of the halogen family. Chlorine Gas,Chlorine-35,Cl2 Gas,Chlorine 35,Gas, Chlorine,Gas, Cl2
D004171 Diploidy The chromosomal constitution of cells, in which each type of CHROMOSOME is represented twice. Symbol: 2N or 2X. Diploid,Diploid Cell,Cell, Diploid,Cells, Diploid,Diploid Cells,Diploidies,Diploids

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