Effect of metabolic conditions on protein turnover in yeast

1. In yeast growing on ethanol a turnover rate of up to 2%/h was measured. As much as 80% of the protein was subject to turnover, and no marked heterogeneity in the rate of degradation of protein was observed. When the yeast grew on glucose, the protein was degraded at a lower rate (0.5-1%/h). 2. Starvation for a nitrogen source increased the rate of protein degradation severalfold, whereas deprivation of phosphate had only a marginal effect (30% increase). Removal of glucose from a medium containing 50mM-phosphate did not cause marked changes in the rate of protein degradation. In contrast, when the media were low in phosphate (0.1 mM) removal of glucose increased the rate of turnover 2-4-fold. 3. Protein degradation proceeded unimpaired when the intracellular concentration of ATP decreased from 4 to 1 mM, but stopped completely when it decreased below 0.3 mM.