Evidence for control of nitrogen metabolism by a START-dependent mechanism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A role for KEM1 at the START of the cell cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

KEM1 is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene, conserved in all eukaryotes, whose deletion leads to pleiotropic phenotypes. For the most part, these phenotypes are thought to arise from Kem1p's role in RNA turnover, because Kem1p is a major 5'-3' cytoplasmic exonuclease. For example, the exonuclease-dependent role of Kem1p is involved in the exit from mitosis, by degrading the mRNA of the mitotic cyclin CLB2. Here, we describe the identification of a KEM1 truncation, KEM1(1-975), that accelerated the G1 to S transition and initiation of DNA replication when over-expressed. Interestingly, although this truncated Kem1p lacked exonuclease activity, it could efficiently complement another function affected by the loss of KEM1, microtubule-dependent nuclear migration. Taken together, the results we report here suggest that Kem1p might have a previously unrecognized role at the G1 to S transition, but not through its exonuclease activity. Our findings also support the notion that Kem1p is a multifunctional protein with distinct and separable roles.

Gid8p (Dcr1p) and Dcr2p function in a common pathway to promote START completion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

How cells determine when to initiate DNA replication is poorly understood. Here we report that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae overexpression of the dosage-dependent cell cycle regulator genes DCR2 (YLR361C) and GID8 (DCR1/YMR135C) accelerates initiation of DNA replication. Cells lacking both GID8 and DCR2 delay initiation of DNA replication. Genetic analysis suggests that Gid8p functions upstream of Dcr2p to promote cell cycle progression. DCR2 is predicted to encode a gene product with phosphoesterase activity. Consistent with these predictions, a DCR2 allele carrying a His338 point mutation, which in known protein phosphatases prevents catalysis but allows substrate binding, antagonized the function of the wild-type DCR2 allele. Finally, we report genetic interactions involving GID8, DCR2, and CLN3 (which encodes a G(1) cyclin) or SWI4 (which encodes a transcription factor of the G(1)/S transcription program). Our findings identify two gene products with a probable regulatory role in the timing of initiation of cell division.

Hym1p affects cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae HYM1 gene is conserved among eukaryotes. The mammalian orthologue (called MO25) mediates signaling through the AMP-activated protein kinase and other related kinases, implicated in cell proliferation. In yeast, Hym1p plays a role in cellular morphogenesis and also promotes the daughter cell-specific localization of the Ace2p transcription factor. Here, we report that increased dosage of HYM1 apparently shortens the G1 phase of the cell cycle. In the absence of HYM1 or ACE2, mother and daughter cells divide with the same generation times. Genetic analysis of HYM1, ACE2 and CLN3 mutants suggests that these genes together contribute to the establishment of asynchronous mother-daughter cell divisions, but probably not in a linear pathway. Our overall data suggest that Hym1p has a regulatory role in cell cycle progression.

A new enrichment approach identifies genes that alter cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mechanisms that coordinate cell growth with division are thought to determine the timing of initiation of cell division and to limit overall cell proliferation. To identify genes involved in this process in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we describe a method that does not rely on cell size alterations or resistance to pheromone. Instead, our approach was based on the cell surface deposition of the Flo1p protein in cells having passed START. We found that over-expression of HXT11 (which encodes a plasma membrane transporter), PPE1 (coding for a protein methyl esterase), or SIK1 (which encodes a protein involved in rRNA processing) shortened the duration of the G1 phase of the cell cycle, prior to the initiation of DNA replication. In addition, we found that, although SIK1 was not part of a mitotic checkpoint, SIK1 over-expression caused spindle orientation defects and sensitized G2/M checkpoint mutant cells. Thus, unlike HXT11 and PPE1, SIK1 over-expression is also associated with mitotic functions. Overall, we used a novel enrichment approach and identified genes that were not previously associated with cell cycle progression. This approach can be extended to other organisms.