The first step in the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids by Candida maltosa was eatalysed by two isozymes of 3-deoxy-~-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase. The formation of which was constitutive. The phenylalanine-sensitive and the tyrosine-sensitive DAHP synthases were partially purified by hydroxylapatite chromatography and several properties of the separated isozymes were studied. Both enzymes showed a molecular weight of 90,000. The Km-values of the tyrosine-sensitive DAHP synthase were 0.20 mM for erythrose-4-phosphate (E-4-P) and 0.50 mm for phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). Inhibition of this isozyme reaction by L-tyrosine was competitive with respect to E-4-P (Ki = 0.028 mM) and non-competitive with respect to PEP.The Km-values of the phenylalanine-sensitive DAHP synthase were estimated to be 0.85 mM for E-4-P and 0.63 mm for PEP; a Ki of 0.097 mix was obtained for L-phenylalanine. A number of tyrosine and phenylalanine analogues and biosynthetic intermediates also inhibited the two isozyme reactions. For example, we observed a strong inhibitory effect of p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate on the tyrosine-sensitive DAHP synthase and of phenylpyruvate on the phenylalanine-sensitive isozyme. Prephenate and arogenate had a less pronounced effect on the phenylalanine-sensitive DAHP synthase.In microorganisms and plants 3-deoxy-~-arabino-hcptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHP synthase) catalyses the first reaction of the common biosynthesis pathway for aromatic amino acids. The mechanisms of regulation of the enzyme have been studied in a wide variety of organisms. it has been shown that DAHP synthase is a regulated enzyme that is subject to the most diverse number of distinctly different patterns of feedback inhibition known for a single enzyme (JENSEN and REBELLO 1970). These properties of DAHP synthase exist in nature to regulate the multibranched pathway of aromatic biosynthesis and ensure an unimpaired formation of all endproducts.I n Neurospora crassa and enterobacteria three isozymes of DAHP synthase have been described which are feedback inhibited by phenylalanine, tyrosine or tryptophan ( BROWN and DOY 1966, JENSEN andNASSER 1968). In contrast, in cyanobacteria, Euglena and some species of PsedomoncLs the enzyme is a single protein, which can be inhibited by one or more aromatic amino acids (HALL et al. , BYNG et al. 1981, WIIITAKER et al. 1981. Two isozymes exist in the three yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Hansenula henricii, examined so far : a tyrosine-sensitive and a phenylalanine-sensitive DAHP synthase (LINGENS et , SCHWEINGRUBER and WYSSLING 1974, BODE and BIRNBAUM 1978.We have recently shown that the first reaction of the branched aromatic pathway in the n-alkane utilising yeast Candida maltosa is also catalysed by two isozymes (BODE et al. 1984a). In the present paper we describe some catalytic properties of these isozymes and report that the DAHP synthases are not only inhibited by phenylalanine or tyrosine but also by intermediates and analogues.1 .