Glycerol Utilization by Schizosaccharomyces pombe: Phosphorylation of Dihydroxyacetone by a Specific Kinase as the Second Step

Crude cell extracts of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (strains NCYC 132 and 972h−) can phosphorylate dihydroxyacetone but not glycerol; activity for dl-glyceraldehyde is very low. This suggests that a specific dihydroxyacetone kinase is present and catalyses the second step in a pathway for glycerol utilization, in which the initial step is an oxidation by an NAD+-linked glycerol dehydrogenase. In support of this pathway (glycerol→dihydroxyacetone→dihydroxyacetone phosphate), both strains can utilize glycerol or dihydroxyacetone. but not dl-glyceraldehyde, as growth substrates. Both enzymes are subject to catabolite repression and may also be inducible but are not co-ordinately regulated.