Enzymatic lesions in methionine mutants of Aspergillus nidulans: role and regulation of an alternative pathway for cysteine and methionine synthesis

In Aspergillus nidulans the pathway involving cystathionine formation is the main one for homocysteine synthesis. Mutants lacking cystathionine gamma-synthase or beta-cystathionase are auxotrophs suppressible by: (i) mutations in the main pathway of cysteine synthesis (cysA1, cysB1, and cysC1), (ii) mutations causing stimulation of cysteine catabolism (su101), and (iii) mutations in a presumed regulatory gene (suAmeth). A relative shortage of cysteine in the first group of suppressors causes a derepression of homocysteine synthase, the enzyme involved in the alternative pathway of homocysteine synthesis. A similar derepression is observed in the suAmeth strain. Homocysteine synthesized by this pathway serves as precursor for cysteine and methionine synthesis. A mutant with altered homocysteine synthase is a prototroph, indicating that this enzyme is not essential for the fungus.