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J Bacteriol. 1968 August; 96(2): 383-388
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mutants of Neurospora crassa Deficient in Ornithine--Transaminase

^a Department of Botany, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

ABSTRACT

The arg-12^s mutation of Neurospora causes a partial block in the ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) reaction. Strains carrying this mutation will use endogenous ornithine, but not exogenous ornithine, as a precursor of arginine. Certain strains carrying arg-12^s may be used for direct selection of variants able to use exogenous ornithine as an arginine precursor. Among eight such derivatives, six lacked the catabolic enzyme ornithine transaminase (OTA). All six mutations were alleles of a single gene, designated ota, on linkage group III. No mutation affected arginase, the first enzyme in the catabolic pathway with OTA. Strains carrying ota mutations alone are vigorous prototrophs, but, unlike wild-type Neurospora, fail to use ornithine efficiently as a sole nitrogen source. The selection method by which ota mutants arose suggests that OTA is severely competitive with OTC for exogeneous ornithine.

¹ Holder of a Public Health Service International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (F05-TW-1046). Present address: Instituto de Estudios Medicos y Biologicos, Universidad Nacional Autonoma, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.

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