alpha-Aminoadipate as a primary nitrogen source for Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants

J Bacteriol. 1985 May;162(2):579-83. doi: 10.1128/jb.162.2.579-583.1985.

Abstract

In contrast to wild-type strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, lys2 and lys5 mutants are able to utilize alpha-aminoadipate as a primary source of nitrogen. Chattoo et al. (B. B. Chattoo, F. Sherman, D. A. Azubalis, T. A. Fjellstedt, D. Mehnert, and M. Ogur, Genetics 93:51-65, 1979) relied on this difference in the effective utilization of alpha-aminoadipate to develop a procedure for directly selecting lys2 and lys5 mutants. In this study we used a range of mutant strains and various media to determine why normal strains are unable to utilize alpha-aminoadipate as a nitrogen source. Our results demonstrate that the anabolism of high levels of alpha-aminoadipate through the biosynthetic pathway of lysine results in the accumulation of a toxic intermediate and, furthermore, that lys2 and lys5 mutants contain blocks leading to the formation of this intermediate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid / antagonists & inhibitors
  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid / metabolism*
  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid / toxicity
  • Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic / metabolism*
  • Ammonia / pharmacology
  • Lysine / biosynthesis*
  • Lysine / genetics
  • Mutation
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic
  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid
  • Ammonia
  • Lysine
  • Nitrogen