Differential regulation of the active and inactive forms of Saccharomyces cerevisiae acid phosphatase.

Acid phosphatase in S. cerevisiae exists as an enzymatically active, cell wall associated form and as an enzymatically inactive, probably membrane-bound form (Schweingruber and Schweingruber, in press). Orthophosphate dependent and independent regulation determines the level of acid phosphatase activity. To deduce the regulation mechanisms we purified and quantified active and inactive acid phosphatase from cells grown under different physiological conditions and displaying variable levels of enzyme activity. Orthophosphate dependent regulation does not include significant changes in the amount of total (active and inactive) acid phosphatase protein synthesized. Under the experimental conditions chosen increased activity is achieved by preferential synthesis of the active form and by increasing the specific activity of the active enzyme. Orthophosphate independent regulation seems to occur by similar mechanisms.