Energetics of vacuolar compartmentation of arginine in Neurospora crassa.

The energy requirements for the uptake and retention of arginine by vacuoles of Neurospora crassa have been studied. Exponentially growing mycelial cultures were treated with inhibitors of respiration or glycolysis or an uncoupler of respiration. Catabolism of arginine was monitored as urea production in urease-less strains. The rationale was that the rate and extent of such catabolism was indicative of the cytosolic arginine concentration. No catabolism was observed in cultures treated with an inhibitor or an uncoupler of respiration, but cultures treated with inhibitors of glycolysis rapidly degraded arginine. These differences could not be accounted for by alterations in the level or activity of arginase. Mycelia growing in arginine-supplemented medium and treated with an inhibitor or uncoupler of respiration degraded an amount of arginine equivalent to the cytosolic fraction of the arginine pool. The inhibitors and the uncoupler of respiration reduced the ATP pool and the energy charge. The inhibitors of glycolysis reduced the ATP pool but did not affect the energy charge. The results suggest that metabolic energy is required for the transport of arginine into the vacuoles but not for its retention. The latter is affected by inhibitors of glycolysis. The form of energy and the nature of the vacuolar transport mechanism(s) are discussed.