INDUCTION AND MULTI-SENSITIVE END-PRODUCT REPRESSION IN THE ENZYMIC PATHWAY DEGRADING MANDELATE IN PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS

Abstract

The first five enzymes involved in the degradation of mandelate in P. fluorescens have been examined. Induction is not significantly affected by glucose. The first three enzymes form a group inducible by mandelate and re-pressible by benzoate, catechol and succinate. The possibility that benzoate and catechol act as repressors only after they have been degraded to succinate is unlikely since mutants blocked at suitable points in the pathway have the same repression pattern as the wild type. It is concluded that synthesis of the enzymes is subject to a multi- sensitive repression mechanism that can be independently activated by benzoate or catechol or succinate. In each case the repression can be largely overcome by increasing the concentration of the inducer. The enzymes of the first group are thus controlled by a dual system in which induction by the first substrate is opposed by repression exerted by the end product of the first group and by the products of succeeding groups.