Stimulation by Mammalian Insulin of Glycogen Metabolism in a Wall-Less Strain of Neurospora crassa*

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Abstract
Addition of bovine insulin to cells of the wall-less variant FGSC4761 of Neurospora crassa ("slime") produced several significant effects on glycogen metabolism. 1) Intracellular levels of the glycogen precursor UDP-glucose decreased 17-18% (P < 0.01) within 30 min of insulin addition. 2) Cells grown with insulin possessed 40% more glycogen than did control cells. 3) The incorporation of 14C-labeled glucose into glycogen increased 41% after 30-min treatment with 100 nM bovine insulin (P < 0.01). 4) Insulin treatment of the cells caused activation of the enzyme glycogen synthase from a glucose-6-phosphate-dependent form to an independent form. Half-maximum activation occurred with 2 nM insulin. These are similar to insulin-induced effects in some mammalian cells. In contrast, no insulin-induced effect on glucose transport could be demonstrated in these cells.