Genetic evidence for a role of hexokinase isozyme PII in carbon catabolite repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that was selected for resistance to carbon catabolite repression also had reduced hexokinase activity. Hexokinase isoenzymes were purified from mutant and wild type cells. The specific glucokinase and hexokinase isozyme PI were present at normal levels in mutant and wild type, but no hexokinase isozyme PII activity was detected in the mutant. Staining for enzyme activity after electrophoresis of crude extracts also indicated that hexokinase PII was absent in the mutant. Mutant and wild type segregants gained by tetrad analysis were investigated electrophoretically. Staining for enzyme activity confirmed that catalytically inactive hexokinase PII and the defect in carbon catabolite repression always co-segregated. The results support the hypothesis that hexokinase PII might mediate carbon catabolite repression.