Different cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate requirements for induction of beta-galactosidase and tryptophanase. Effect of osmotic pressure on intracellular cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate concentrations.

In this study we have tried to answer the following questions: (1) is it possible for different catabolite-repressible genes, although submitted to the same control, to be expressed selectively depending upon the growth conditions, and (2) what is the effect of increasing the osmolarity of the medium on the intracellular level of cAMP? Two conditions were found to cause a continuous variation of intracellular cAMP levels during growth. With different strains, higher cAMP levels are required for induction of the tryptophanase gene than one required for induction of the lactose operon. cAMP has been provided externally in adenyl cyclase minus cells of a mutant that has been made permeable by EDTA treatment. Although external cAMP concentrations, 10 times higher than the usual intracellular levels, are required for induction of beta-galactosidase and tryptophanase, the difference of requirements of cAMP is maintained. An increase in the osmolarity of the medium by sucrose addition causes a fourfold decrease in the intracellular cAMP level. As a consequence this prevents the induction of tryptophanase whereas beta-galactosidase is still inducible. After pulse induction, a difference in the kinetics of expression of the tryptophanase and beta-galactosidase genes was found. Its relationship with the previous results is discussed.