Proteinases in fungal morphogenesis.

Fungal morphogenesis is a regulated series of events, leading to changes from one state to another, in which proteolysis could be regarded as one of the controlling functions. Proteinases are essential for the supply of amino acids, selective inactivation of specific growth phase proteins not required during development and for the activation and modification of the enzymes involved in cell wall synthesis. A critical evaluation of the role of proteinases as a biochemical correlate in fungal morphogenesis is discussed.