Regulation of the amdS Gene in Aspergillus nidulans

Abstract

The amdS gene of Aspergillus nidulans encodes an acetamidase enzyme that hydrolyses acetamide and a limited range of other amides. This allows acetamide to be used as a sole source of nitrogen or as a source of carbon. As far as we know, this gene plays no role with respect to the physiology or development of A. nidulans since deletion mutants of amdS have no detectable phenotype other than an inability to catabolize acetamide (Hynes 1979). It should also be noted that acetamide is a poor sole source of carbon or nitrogen for A. nidulans and it is unclear whether acetamide would be a significant source of metabolites in the natural environment. However, genes with significant similarity to amdS have been found in other Aspergillus spp. (J.A. Sharp, unpubl. data) and in other organisms in the course of recent genome sequencing projects.