REPRESSION OF PSEUDOMONAS-FLUORESCENS EXTRACELLULAR LIPASE SECRETION BY ARGININE

The effect of arginine on the production of extracellular lipase by Pseudomonas fluorescens 32 A was studied. Arginine repressed lipase production when N was supplied partially or totally as arginine. Proteinase production was unaffected under the same conditions. Arginine did not repress lipase secretion when cells were pregrown in an arginine-containing medium; however, repression was found with uninduced cells. Several arginine-analogues were tested for the ability to repress lipase secretion and, of these, L-homoarginine and L-canavanine were the most effective. D-Arginine, L-arginine methyl ester, and L-ornithine did not cause repression. With the exception of glutamic acid and methionine, those amino acids that supplied N but not C for growth were found to repress lipase secretion. It is suggested that the accumulation of metabolic intermediate(s) may cause repression of lipase production. © 1990, Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research. All rights reserved.