THE ROLE OF A PROTEASE IN SPORULATION OF PENICILLIUM JANTHINELLUM

Abstract

Although peptidase A, the trypsinogen-activating acid protease of Penicillium janthinellum, is formed during the post-logarithmic phase of growth and while the organism is actively sporulating, there is no direct correlation between the production of the enzyme and sporulation. The evidence for this is threefold: (a) in surface cultures acridine orange almost completely suppresses enzyme formation but reduces sporulation to a much smaller extent; (b) 6-ethyl-thiopurine decreases spore formation but stimulates the production of peptidase A; (c) transfer of mycelium in the log phase from a complete, synthetic medium to a medium lacking nitrate induces the formation of high enzyme levels without affecting the spore count.The possibility of an indirect connection between sporulation and peptidase production is not ruled out.