Regulation of galactokinase gene expression in Tetrahymena thermophila. I. Intracellular catecholamine control of galactokinase expression.

The addition of glucose to the medium of Tetrahymena thermophila results in a 7-fold repression of galactokinase (EC 2.7.1.6; ATP:D-galactose-1-phosphotransferase). The presence of millimolar amounts of the catecholamines dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine or the hormone glucagon also results in the repression of galactokinase in the absence of glucose. The addition of millimolar amounts of adrenergic agonists (isoproterenol, tyramine, 2-amino-6,7-dihydroxytetrahydronaphthalene) results in significant repression of galactokinase in the absence of glucose; concentrations of 2-amino-6,7-dihydroxytetrahydronaphthalene less than or equal to 10(-4) M result in a derepression of galactokinase specific activity. Addition of adrenergic antagonists (propranolol, dichloroisoproterenol) have no effect on galactokinase activity at concentrations less than 10(-4) M but do arrest cell growth at greater concentrations. The addition of the cAMP analogs caffeine or theophylline in millimolar amounts results in repression of galactokinase activity; however, cell growth is greatly slowed or completely arrested at these concentrations. Analysis of the repression response of several mutants demonstrates that mutants deficient in catecholamine biosynthesis are altered in their regulation of galactokinase. Measurements of intracellular cAMP levels for 0-24 h following the addition of several of the above compounds to exponentially growing cells did not demonstrate any change over this period. Measurement of intracellular cAMP levels for 24 h following the addition of glucose or galactose to exponentially growing wild-type and mutant cell strains did not demonstrate any difference in cAMP concentrations over this period although a wide range of galactokinase activity was exhibited. Starvation of wild-type cells prior to the addition of glucose in minimal medium without added carbohydrate resulted in a significant increase in cAMP following the addition of glucose. This increase is demonstrated to be dependent upon the ability of the cells to resume division after the arrest of growth and is not correlated with galactokinase regulation. These results support the conclusion that cAMP is not involved in the repression of galactokinase gene expression initiated by glucose or hormone-like effectors and demonstrate the participation of an adrenergic control system in galactokinase regulation which is subordinate to the regulation by glucose. A possible model is discussed.