The tryptophan operon of the facultative methylotrophic bacteria Pseudomonas sp. M. III. Characteristics of regulatory 5-MTR mutants

Regulatory 5-DL-methyltryptophan (5-MT)-resistant mutants of facultative methylotrophic Pseudomonas sp. M. were obtained. They are able to excrete tryptophan into the growth medium (60 to 300 g/ml). 5-MTR regulatory mutants are characterized by depression of trpE, trpD and trpC genes, which causes the production of intermediates of tryptophan biosynthesis and results in trpA and trpB genes induction as well as in two-fold activation of N-5-phosphoribosyl anthranilateisomerase (trpF gene product). Besides, all mutants demonstrate reduction of synthase feed-back inhibition about 4-11-fold. Together with tryptophan excretion, 5-MTR regulatory mutants are able to excrete tyrosine and unable to utilize this amino acid as the sole carbon source, which points to multiple nature of the selective effect of 5-MT.