Role of sulfhydryl compounds in the control of tyrosinase activity in Neurospora crassa.

It is known that Neurospora crassa mycelia cultured in standard concentrations (76 to 190 micrograms/ml) of sulfate accumulate a low molecular weight inhibitor of tyrosinase (monophenol, dihydroxyphenylalanine: oxygen oxidoreductase; EC 1.14.1.18.1.). This is not observed in cultures grown under sulfate-limiting conditions. The chemical nature of tyrosinase inhibition was investigated. It was shown to be due to the low molecular weight sulfhydryl fraction of the extracts, in which glutathione is predominant. The concentration of low molecular weight sulfhydryl compounds decreased sharply in mycelia submitted to various treatments which also derepressed tyrosinase, such as (i) starvation in phosphate buffer, (ii) treatment with cycloheximide, and (iii) mating. These results suggest that the concentration of sulfhydryl compounds may be of physiological significance in the control of tyrosinase activity in N. crassa.