Induction of xylanase by β-methylxyloside in Cryptococcus albidus

Abstract The compound β-methylxyloside (β-MX) was found to induce the production of extracellular xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) by the yeast Cryptococcus albidus . The induction of xylanase by β-MX requires de novo protein synthesis and proceeds via de novo accumulation of translatable mRNA coding for xylanase as demonstrated by the addition of cycloheximide. In vitro translation of cellular messenger RNA followed by immunoprecipitation with xylanase-specific antibodies reveals that the stimulation leads to the appearance of xylanase-coding mRNA. In vivo labeling experiments show that the β-MX induces specifically the 48 kDa xylanase, and that the addition of xylose in the culture medium reverses the β-MX action by suppressing completely the production of xylanase by the cells.