J. Bacteriol., Feb 1996, 945-950, Vol 178, No. 4
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology

The glucose effect and regulation of alpha-amylase synthesis in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

C Haseltine, M Rolfsmeier and P Blum
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588- 0666, USA.

An alpha-amylase was purified from culture supernatants of Sulfolobus solfataricus 98/2 during growth on starch as the sole carbon and energy source. The enzyme is a homodimer with a subunit mass of 120 kDa. It catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch, dextrin, and alpha-cyclodextrin with similar efficiencies. Addition of exogenous glucose represses production of alpha-amylase, demonstrating that a classical glucose effect is operative in this organism. Synthesis of [35S]-alpha-amylase protein is also subject to the glucose effect. alpha-Amylase is constitutively produced at low levels but can be induced further by starch addition. The absolute levels of alpha-amylase detected in culture supernatants varied greatly with the type of sole carbon source used to support growth. Aspartate was identified as the most repressing sole carbon source for alpha-amylase production, while glutamate was the most derepressing. The pattern of regulation of alpha-amylase production seen in this organism indicates that a catabolite repression- like system is present in a member of the archaea.

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