Increase of enzyme activities in Neurospora crassa during incubation at low temperatures

The effect of lowering the incubation temperature of sucrose-grown cultures of Neurospora crassa on the level of various enzyme activities was investigated. Of twelve inducible/derepressible activities studied, three, in addition to glycerol kinase, were found to increase during 48 h of incubation at 4-6 degrees C: trehalase (increase in specific activity of 3-10-fold), beta-glucosidase (6-12-fold) and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (4 to 6-fold). The maximum increases occurred at 6 degrees C and no increases took place in mycelia incubated at 0 degrees C. The kinetics of the changes in activity were markedly different from those observed previously with glycerol kinase. The increases were inhibited by cycloheximide. Trehalase, beta-glucosidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities were not rapidly lost when cultures incubated at 6 degrees C were returned to 26 degrees C.