Open AccessEvidence that p-Fluorophenylalanine has a Direct Effect on Tubulin in Aspergillus nidulans
Author(s) -
Morris Nr,
Oakley Ce
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of general microbiology/journal of general microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2059-9323
pISSN - 0022-1287
DOI - 10.1099/00221287-114-2-449
Subject(s) - aspergillus nidulans , phenylalanine , biology , tubulin , genetics , allele , mutation , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , microtubule , mutant , amino acid
Three temperature-sensitive alleles of benA (benA11, 17 and 21) confer resistance to growth inhibition by p-fluorophenylalanine (FPA). FPA resistance cosegregates with the benA gene. Two back-mutations in benA which cause loss of temperature sensitivity cause loss of FPA resistance, and two indirect suppressors of benA temperature sensitivity also cause FPA resistance to be lost. These results indicate that FPA resistance is an intrinsic property of the benA mutations. The intracellular phenylalanine concentrations of these strains are normal as is their ability to take up phenylalanine from the medium. We conclude that FPA must inhibit growth and cause non-disjunction by a direct effect on the polymerization of tubulin.