THE ACU-1 GENE OF COPRINUS-CINEREUS IS A REGULATORY GENE REQUIRED FOR INDUCTION OF ACETATE UTILIZATION ENZYMES

We have isolated a gene from Coprinus cinereus which cross-hybridises to the facA and acu-5 genes of Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa, respectively. These genes encode acetyl-CoA synthetase, an enzyme which is inducible by acetate and required for growth on acetate as sole carbon source. We have designated the C. cinereus gene acs-1 and have used transformation to demonstrate its functional homology to the ascomycete genes by complementation of an N. crassa acu-5 mutation. The acs-1 gene has never been identified by mutation; mutations leading to loss of acetyl-CoA synthetase function map to another gene, acu-1. Using Northern analyses we have shown that acu-1 has a regulatory function that is required for acetate-induced transcription of acs-1 and of another acetate utilisation gene, acu-7, the isocitrate lyase structural gene.