Nutritional regulation of proteinase production in the fungus, Tritirachium album

The fungus, Tritirachium album, produces a number of proteinases under prop er conditions. We have studied the nutritional regulation mechanisms for pr oteinase production in the mold, i.e. the effects of carbon and nitrogen so urces, and the influence of starvation. Proteinase production was induced w hen the nitrogen source was an exogenous protein or peptide, such as pepton es or yeast extract. The production rate was affected by the amount of avai lable inducing substrate. Inorganic nitrogen compounds, i.e., ammonium or n itrate salts, had a repressing effect on the production. Production was not induced if a detectable concentration of glucose or sucrose was present in the medium. Starvation did not trigger proteinase production.