Neurospora trehalase and its structural gene.

We have isolated Neurospora trehalaseless mutants and mapped the trehalase structural gene to linkage group I. The structural gene mutations not only affect thermostability and other characteristics of the enzyme but also affect the production of an inhibitor of the wild-type trehalase. The inhibitor appears to be the mutant trehalase. We suggest that the mutant subunits act as inhibitors by entering into the multimeric forms of the enzyme and altering the ability of the normal wild-type subunits to catalyze the cleavage of trehalose.--Wild type trehalase has been purified to near homogeneity, and its characteristics have been studied. It was purified as a tetramer, with each subunit having a molecular weight of 88,000.--We have studied the regulation of trehalase and found the production of trehalase to be glucose repressible. Cells begin to produce trehalase 60 min after being transferred to glucose-free medium.