Genetic and enzymatic analysis of a glycerol kinase deficient mutant in Neurospora crassa.

Genetic analysis showed that the glycerol non-utilizing isolate gly-u(234) of Neurospora crassa is derived by mutation in a nuclear gene situated in the right arm of linkage group I, about 2.2 cross-over units distal to ad-9 and 11 units proximal to nit-1. Enzymatic testings using a radiochemical method indicate that the mutant is deficient for the enzyme glycerol kinase. The radiochemical testings further indicate that the mutation has inactivated an inducible glycerol kinase, while a low residual activity may be due to a second, basal and non-inducible glycerol kinase, in accordance with a proposal by North (1973, 1974) that Neurospora has two glycerol kinases with these properties.