Relationships between trehalose metabolism and maltose utilization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

A specific deficiency in UDPG-linked trehalose-6-phosphate synthase in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been associated with a single nuclear gene, sst1. Strains bearing this abnormal allele lacked the capacity to accumulate trehalose during growth on glucose or galactose medium or when incubated with glucose in nonproliferating conditions. However, sst1 strains still exhibited trehalose accumulation during growth on maltose medium, provided they contained a gene for maltose fermentation (MAL gene). Introduction of a constitutive MAL (c) gene into an sst1 strain rendered the strain capable of accumulating trehalose during growth on glucose medium, but did not restore the normal capacity to convert glucose to trehalose in nonproliferating conditions. Different systems, I and II, of trehalose accumulation are proposed. System I would require the UPDG-linked synthase, whereas system II, which is normally specific for maltose, would utilize a different enzyme. It is unlikely that system II produces trehalose by trans-glucosylation, since it converted glucose to trehalose in MAL (c) sst1 strains. The results indicate that maltose specifically induces the production of the MAL gene-product, which, in turn, would stimulate the formation (or activation) of system II.