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Regulation of pyrimidine salvage in Aspergillus nidulans: A role for the major regulatory gene areA mediating nitrogen metabolite repression

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Summary

The synthesis of thymine 7-hydroxylase, an α-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase, is subject both to nitrogen metabolite repression and to oxygen repression, while synthesis of the other pyrimidine salvage pathway dioxygenase, pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside 2′-hydroxylase, is subject to neither. areA300, an allele of the positive acting regulatory gene areA mediating nitrogen metabolite repression in Aspergillus nidulans, considerably elevates levels of thymine 7-hydroxylase, probably alleviating at least partly both nitrogen metabolite repression and oxygen repression. areA300 has little or no effect on levels of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside 2′-hydroxylase but does elevate net uptake capacities for thymine, thymidine and deoxyuridine two-fold. areA300 was selected as allowing thymine to supplement a pyrimidine auxotrophy and was found to allow supplementation by thymidine, other pyrimidine nucleosides and pyrimidine salvage intermediates as well. This is the first reported evidence for areA control over an activity(-ies) not directly concerned with nitrogen source utilization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Sciences, University of San Diego, 92110, San Diego, Ca, USA

    Patricia M. Shaffer

  2. Department of Genetics, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, NEI 7RU, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

    Herbert N. Arst Jr.

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  1. Patricia M. Shaffer
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  2. Herbert N. Arst Jr.
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Communicated by W. Gajewski

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Shaffer, P.M., Arst, H.N. Regulation of pyrimidine salvage in Aspergillus nidulans: A role for the major regulatory gene areA mediating nitrogen metabolite repression. Molec Gen Genet 198, 139–145 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328713

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328713

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