Evidence for induced synthesis of an active transport factor for mandelate in Pseudomonas putida.

1. At low concentrations of mandelate there is a lag before induction of the mandelate regulon begins at a sub-maximum rate. Cells preinduced with a saturating concentration of inducer do not exhibit this lag when they are transferred to sub-maximum inducer concentrations and are able to maintain a high rate of induction under these conditions. 2. Chloramphenicol was used to show that a protein is synthesized during the lag period that is probably responsible for the maintenance effects observed in batch and continuous cultures. 3. Direct measurements appear to show that induced cells possess an active transport factor for mandelate, sensitive to dinitrophenol, and this is presumably responsible for the maintenance effect. Mandelate is accumulated unchanged against a concentration gradient from media containing low concentrations. At higher external concentrations no accumulation occurs and only a rapid equilibration is noted. Uninduced cells merely equilibrate mandelate.