Regulation of tyrosine biosynthesis by phenylalanine in anthramycin-producing streptomyces refuineus

The regulation of tyrosine production in the anthramycin-producing organism Streptomyces refuineus var. thermotolerans has been studied with wild-type and tyrosine auxotrophic organisms. Growth of the auxotroph on minimal medium plus phenylalanine suggested that phenylalanine may increase the supply of tyrosine. In incubation with whole cells, tyrosine levels increased in response to added phenylalanine. However, no radiolabeled tyrosine was detected after incubation with ¹⁴C-phenylalanine. Thus, no phenylalanine hydroxylase is present. Phenylalanine was found to feedback inhibit prephenate dehydratase, resulting in an increase in NAD-dependent prephenate dehydrogenase activity, thus channeling prephenic acid toward tyrosine.