Control of beta-glucosidase synthesis in Mucor racemosus.

The beta-glucosidase of Mucor racemosus was shown to be synthesized when the organism was grown in the presence of such diverse carbon sources as glycerol, lactate, xylose, ribose, alpha-methylglucoside, alpha-phenylglucoside, maltose, and cellobiose. Enzyme synthesis was strongly repressed in the presence of hexoses. In addition, exogenous cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) resulted in enzyme repression. When cAMP was added exogenously after enzyme activity had accumulated, a reversible enzyme inactivation occurred. Growth on disaccharides (maltose or cellobiose) was severely retarded in the presence of cAMP, whereas that on glucose remained unaffected. The results indicate a probable role for cAMP in control of glucosidase synthesis in Mucor.