University of California, Irvine, Department of Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Dr. Rowland H. Davis

(Ph.D., Harvard University, 1958)

Regulation of polyamine metabolism in Neurospora crassa

  • Faculty Profile

    Publications via PubMed (NIH National Library of Medicine)

  • E-mail: rhdavis@uci.edu

    • The polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) are small, basic molecules found in all living cells. We have concentrated on the metabolism of these compounds in the fungus Neurospora crassa. The polyamines are derived from ornithine, an arginine intermediate, via the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). ODC activity becomes elevated over 100 fold in N. crassa upon polyamine starvation, an increase caused by a higher synthetic rate and a decreased rate of degradation of the enzyme. Molecular work on the ODC gene (spe-1) reveals that the mRNA has a coding sequence preceded by a very long (622 nucleotides) 5' leader, and that the rate of synthesis of the enzyme is repressed by polyamines by diminishing the abundance of spe-1 mRNA. Other work in the laboratory has included the genetics of polyamine synthesis, the transport of polyamines through the cell membrane, and the identification of cellular functions that require polyamines. Dr. Davis has recently discontinuted his laboratory work, and has become engaged in writing in the area of microbial genetics and molecular biology.
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