title: Differential flux through the quinate and shikimate pathways. Implications for the channelling hypothesis.
abstract: The qutC gene encoding dehydroshikimate dehydratase has been constitutively overexpressed in Aspergillus nidulans from a range of 1-30-fold over the normal wild-type level. This overexpression leads to impaired growth in minimal medium which can be alleviated by the addition of aromatic amino acids to the medium. Overexpression of the qutC gene in mutant strains lacking protocatechuic acid (PCA) oxygenase leads to the build up of PCA in the medium, which can be measured by a simple assay. Measuring the rate of production of PCA in strains overproducing dehydroshikimate dehydratase and correlating this with the level of overproduction and impaired ability to grow in minimal medium lacking aromatic amino acids leads to the conclusion that (a) the metabolites 3-dehydroquinate and dehydroshikimate leak from the AROM protein at a rate comparable with the extent of flux catalysed by the AROM protein, (b) the AROM protein has a low-level channelling function probably as a result of the close juxtaposition of five active sites and (c) this channelling function is only physiologically significant under non-optimal conditions of nutrient supply and oxygenation, when the organism is in situ in its natural environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van den Hombergh
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hawkins
mesh_terms: D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism; D008190:Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); D010957:Plasmids; D011801:Quinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012765:Shikimic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D014166:Transferases
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; C019728:arom enzyme; D011801:Quinic Acid; D012765:Shikimic Acid; C009091:protocatechuic acid; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; D014166:Transferases; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); D008190:Lyases; C044921:3-dehydroshikimate dehydratase; D006836:Hydro-Lyases