S-adenosyl methionine-mediated repression of methionine biosynthetic enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Human β-defensin-2 production from S. cerevisiae using the repressible MET17 promoter

Background

Baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a proven host for the commercial production of recombinant biopharmaceutical proteins. For the manufacture of heterologous proteins with activities deleterious to the host it can be desirable to minimise production during the growth phase and induce production late in the exponential phase. Protein expression by regulated promoter systems offers the possibility of improving productivity in this way by separating the recombinant protein production phase from the yeast growth phase. Commonly used inducible promoters do not always offer convenient solutions for industrial scale biopharmaceutical production with engineered yeast systems.

Results

Here we show improved secretion of the antimicrobial protein, human β-defensin-2, (hBD2), using the S. cerevisiae MET17 promoter by repressing expression during the growth phase. In shake flask culture, a higher final concentration of human β-defensin-2 was obtained using the repressible MET17 promoter system than when using the strong constitutive promoter from proteinase B (PRB1) in a yeast strain developed for high-level commercial production of recombinant proteins. Furthermore, this was achieved in under half the time using the MET17 promoter compared to the PRB1 promoter. Cell density, plasmid copy-number, transcript level and protein concentration in the culture supernatant were used to study the effects of different initial methionine concentrations in the culture media for the production of human β-defensin-2 secreted from S. cerevisiae.

Conclusions

The repressible S. cerevisiae MET17 promoter was more efficient than a strong constitutive promoter for the production of human β-defensin-2 from S. cerevisiae in small-scale culture and offers advantages for the commercial production of this and other heterologous proteins which are deleterious to the host organism. Furthermore, the MET17 promoter activity can be modulated by methionine alone, which has a safety profile applicable to biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Comprehensive phenotypic analysis of single-gene deletion and overexpression strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We quantified the growth behaviour of all available single-gene deletion and overexpression strains of budding yeast. Genome-wide analyses enabled the extraction of the genes and identification of the functional categories for which genetic perturbation caused the change of growth behaviour. Statistical analyses revealed defective growth for 646 deletion and 1302 overexpression strains. We classified these deleted and overexpressed genes into known functional categories, and identified several functional categories having fragility and robustness for cellular growth. We also screened the deletion and overexpression strains that exhibited a significantly higher growth rate than the strain without genetic perturbation, and found that three deletion and two overexpression strains were high-growth strains. The genes and functional categories identified in the analysis might provide useful information on designing industrially useful yeast strains.

Identification of MET10-932 and characterization as an allele reducing hydrogen sulfide formation in wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A vineyard isolate of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, UCD932, was identified as a strain producing little or no detectable hydrogen sulfide during wine fermentation. Genetic analysis revealed that this trait segregated as a single genetic determinant. The gene also conferred a white colony phenotype on BiGGY agar (bismuth-glucose-glycine-yeast agar), which is thought to indicate low basal levels of sulfite reductase activity. However, this isolate does not display a requirement for S-containing amino acids, indicating that the sulfate reduction pathway is fully operational. Genetic crosses against known mutations conferring white colony color on BiGGY agar identified the gene leading to reduced H(2)S formation as an allele of MET10 (MET10-932), which encodes a catalytic subunit of sulfite reductase. Sequence analysis of MET10-932 revealed several corresponding amino acid differences in relation to laboratory strain S288C. Allele differences for other genes of the sulfate reduction pathway were also detected in UCD932. The MET10 allele of UCD932 was found to be unique in comparison to the sequences of several other vineyard isolates with differing levels of production of H(2)S. Replacing the MET10 allele of high-H(2)S-producing strains with MET10-932 prevented H(2)S formation by those strains. A single mutative change, corresponding to T662K, in MET10-932 resulted in a loss of H(2)S production. The role of site 662 in sulfide reduction was further analyzed by changing the encoded amino acid at this position. A change back to threonine or to the conservative serine fully restored the H(2)S formation conferred by this allele. In addition to T662K, arginine, tryptophan, and glutamic acid substitutions similarly reduced sulfide formation.

Identification of genes affecting hydrogen sulfide formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A screen of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion strain set was performed to identify genes affecting hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) production. Mutants were screened using two assays: colony color on BiGGY agar, which detects the basal level of sulfite reductase activity, and production of H(2)S in a synthetic juice medium using lead acetate detection of free sulfide in the headspace. A total of 88 mutants produced darker colony colors than the parental strain, and 4 produced colonies significantly lighter in color. There was no correlation between the appearance of a dark colony color on BiGGY agar and H(2)S production in synthetic juice media. Sixteen null mutations were identified as leading to the production of increased levels of H(2)S in synthetic juice using the headspace analysis assay. All 16 mutants also produced H(2)S in actual juices. Five of these genes encode proteins involved in sulfur containing amino acid or precursor biosynthesis and are directly associated with the sulfate assimilation pathway. The remaining genes encode proteins involved in a variety of cellular activities, including cell membrane integrity, cell energy regulation and balance, or other metabolic functions. The levels of hydrogen sulfide production of each of the 16 strains varied in response to nutritional conditions. In most cases, creation of multiple deletions of the 16 mutations in the same strain did not lead to a further increase in H(2)S production, instead often resulting in decreased levels.

MET17 and hydrogen sulfide formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Commercial isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae differ in the production of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) during fermentation, which has been attributed to variation in the ability to incorporate reduced sulfur into organic compounds. We transformed two commercial strains (UCD522 and UCD713) with a plasmid overexpressing the MET17 gene, which encodes the bifunctional O-acetylserine/O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase (OAS/OAH SHLase), to test the hypothesis that the level of activity of this enzyme limits reduced sulfur incorporation, leading to H(2)S release. Overexpression of MET17 resulted in a 10- to 70-fold increase in OAS/OAH SHLase activity in UCD522 but had no impact on the level of H(2)S produced. In contrast, OAS/OAH SHLase activity was not as highly expressed in transformants of UCD713 (0.5- to 10-fold) but resulted in greatly reduced H(2)S formation. Overexpression of OAS/OAH SHLase activity was greater in UCD713 when grown under low-nitrogen conditions, but the impact on reduction of H(2)S was greater under high-nitrogen conditions. Thus, there was not a good correlation between the level of enzyme activity and H(2)S production. We measured cellular levels of cysteine to determine the impact of overexpression of OAS/OAH SHLase activity on sulfur incorporation. While Met17p activity was not correlated with increased cysteine production, conditions that led to elevated cytoplasmic levels of cysteine also reduced H(2)S formation. Our data do not support the simple hypothesis that variation in OAS/OAH SHLase activity is correlated with H(2)S production and release.

Methionine reduces spontaneous and alkylation-induced mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells deficient in O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase

The exposure of DNA to reactive intracellular metabolites is thought to be a major cause of spontaneous mutagenesis. DNA alkylation is implicated in the above process by the fact that bacterial and yeast cells lacking DNA alkylation-specific repair genes exhibit elevated spontaneous mutation rates. The origin of the intracellular alkylating molecules is not clear; however, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) has been proposed as one source because it has a reactive methyl group known to methylate proteins and DNA. We supplemented yeast cultures with excess methionine and examined the effects of increased endogenous SAM concentration on spontaneous and alkylation-induced mutagenesis in the absence of various DNA repair pathways. Our results show that either the excess methionine, or the increased SAM produced as a result of this treatment, is able to protect yeast cells from mutagenesis, and that this effect is alkylation-damage-specific. The protective effect was observed only in the mgt1 mutant deficient in the O(6)-methylguanine-DNA repair methyltransferase, but not in the wild type or other DNA repair-deficient strains, indicating that the protection is specific for O-methyl lesions. Thus, our results may lend support to the recently reported chemopreventive effect of SAM in rodents and further suggest that the observed tumor prevention by SAM may be, in part, due to its suppression of spontaneous mutagenesis in mammals. Given that a strong correlation has been established between O(6)-methylguanine and carcinogenicity, this study may offer a novel approach to preventing carcinogenesis.

In Saccharomyces cerevisae, feedback inhibition of homocitrate synthase isoenzymes by lysine modulates the activation of LYS gene expression by Lys14p

Expression of the structural genes for lysine biosynthesis responds to an induction mechanism mediated by the transcriptional activator Lys14p in the presence of alpha-aminoadipate semialdehyde (alphaAASA), an intermediate of the pathway acting as a coinducer. This activation is reduced by the presence of lysine in the growth medium, leading to apparent repression. In this report we demonstrate that Saccharomyces cerevisiae possesses two genes, LYS20 and LYS21, encoding two homocitrate synthase isoenzymes which are located in the nucleus. Each isoform is inhibited by lysine with a different sensitivity. Lysine-overproducing mutants were isolated as resistant to aminoethylcysteine, a toxic lysine analog. Mutations, LYS20fbr and LYS21fbr, are allelic to LYS20 and LYS21, and lead to desensitization of homocitrate synthase activity towards lysine and to a loss of apparent repression by this amino acid. There is a fair correlation between the I0.5 of homocitrate synthase for lysine, the intracellular lysine pool and the levels of Lys enzymes, confirming the importance of the activity control of the first step of the pathway for the expression of LYS genes. The data are consistent with the conclusion that inhibition by lysine of Lys14p activation results from the control of alphaAASA production through the feedback inhibition of homocitrate synthase activity.

Metabolism of sulfur amino acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sulfur amino acid biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves a large number of enzymes required for the de novo biosynthesis of methionine and cysteine and the recycling of organic sulfur metabolites. This review summarizes the details of these processes and analyzes the molecular data which have been acquired in this metabolic area. Sulfur biochemistry appears not to be unique through terrestrial life, and S. cerevisiae is one of the species of sulfate-assimilatory organisms possessing a larger set of enzymes for sulfur metabolism. The review also deals with several enzyme deficiencies that lead to a nutritional requirement for organic sulfur, although they do not correspond to defects within the biosynthetic pathway. In S. cerevisiae, the sulfur amino acid biosynthetic pathway is tightly controlled: in response to an increase in the amount of intracellular S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), transcription of the coregulated genes is turned off. The second part of the review is devoted to the molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation. The coordinated response to AdoMet requires two cis-acting promoter elements. One centers on the sequence TCACGTG, which also constitutes a component of all S. cerevisiae centromeres. Situated upstream of the sulfur genes, this element is the binding site of a transcription activation complex consisting of a basic helix-loop-helix factor, Cbf1p, and two basic leucine zipper factors, Met4p and Met28p. Molecular studies have unraveled the specific functions for each subunit of the Cbf1p-Met4p-Met28p complex as well as the modalities of its assembly on the DNA. The Cbf1p-Met4p-Met28p complex contains only one transcription activation module, the Met4p subunit. Detailed mutational analysis of Met4p has elucidated its functional organization. In addition to its activation and bZIP domains, Met4p contains two regulatory domains, called the inhibitory region and the auxiliary domain. When the level of intracellular AdoMet increases, the transcription activation function of Met4 is prevented by Met30p, which binds to the Met4 inhibitory region. In addition to the Cbf1p-Met4p-Met28p complex, transcriptional regulation involves two zinc finger-containing proteins, Met31p and Met32p. The AdoMet-mediated control of the sulfur amino acid pathway illustrates the molecular strategies used by eucaryotic cells to couple gene expression to metabolic changes.

Determination of sulphite reductase activity and its response to assimilable nitrogen status in a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast

The liberation of H2S is a common problem afflicting wine fermentation. Sulphite reductase activity of a commercial wine yeast was investigated to define its involvement in this process. The activity studied here differed from those characterized previously from cider and bakers' yeasts by displaying a greater sensitivity to cold, low ionic strength and possibly, proteolytic action. These differences necessitated the development of a new method of quantification. Through this method, the onset of H2S liberation was shown not to be a result of variations in the levels of sulphite reductase activity. Thus, high levels of activity which occurred during the exponential phase of growth were not necessarily accompanied by the liberation of H2S. Similarly, nitrogen-starved cultures which liberated H2S showed no corresponding increase in sulphite reductase activity from prestarvation levels. In fact, rates of H2S liberation from cultures and in enzyme assays agreed closely. A short-term independence of sulphite reductase activity from culture nitrogen status was therefore evident. The only influence of nitrogen was achieved in its absence when enzyme activity decayed with a half-life (4.25 h) which was comparable to that induced by the presence of cycloheximide (5.75 h). A proposed transcriptional control mechanism mediated by methionine derivatives was only partly effective in this strain although an in vitro inhibitory effect of methionine was implicated. These data therefore support the notion that H2S liberation in response to nitrogen starvation stems from a failure of metabolism to sequester H2S which continues to be formed, at least initially, at prestarvation rates.

Modification of biochemical pathways in industrial yeasts

Yeasts have many applications in industrial food and beverage production. While these uses are often of ancient origin, modern demands for control of the amounts of process-derived compounds and for cost-effective processing can make it desirable to modify metabolic pathways of production yeasts. While the genetics of standard laboratory strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are well described, industrial strains and species are less characterized, and many of them have a complicated genetic constitution. Nevertheless, their biochemical pathways can be modified, and the knowledge becoming available on the physiology of genetic reference strains of S. cerevisiae is a great help in directing the modifications of the industrial yeasts towards practical goals.

Antifungal azoxybacilin exhibits activity by inhibiting gene expression of sulfite reductase

Azoxybacilin, produced by Bacillus cereus, has a broad spectrum of antifungal activity in methionine-free medium and has been suggested to inhibit sulfite fixation. We have further investigated the mode of action by which azoxybacilin kills fungi. The compound inhibited the incorporation of [35S] sulfate into acid-insoluble fractions of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under conditions in which virtually no inhibition was observed for DNA, RNA, or protein synthesis. It did not interfere with the activity of the enzymes for sulfate assimilation but clearly inhibited the induction of those enzymes when S. cerevisiae cells were transferred from rich medium to a synthetic methionine-free medium. Particularly strong inhibition was observed in the induction of sulfite reductase. Northern (RNA) analysis revealed that azoxybacilin decreased the level of mRNA of genes for sulfate assimilation, including MET10 for sulfite reductase and MET4, the transactivator of MET10 and other sulfate assimilation genes. When activities of azoxybacilin were compared for mRNA and enzyme syntheses from MET10, the concentration required for inhibition of transcription of the gene was about 10 times higher (50% inhibitory concentration = 30 micrograms/ml) than that required for inhibition of induction of enzyme synthesis (50% inhibitory concentration = 3 micrograms/ml). The data suggest that azoxybacilin acts on at least two steps in the expression of sulfite reductase; the transcriptional activation of MET4 and a posttranscriptional regulation in MET10 expression. We conclude that azoxybacilin exhibits antifungal activity by interfering with the regulation of expression of sulfite reductase activity.

Regulation of hydrogen sulfide liberation in wine-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains by assimilable nitrogen

Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine-producing yeast cultures grown under model winemaking conditions could be induced to liberate hydrogen sulfide (H2S) by starvation for assimilable nitrogen. The amount of H2S produced was dependent on the yeast strain, the sulfur precursor compound, the culture growth rate, and the activity of the sulfite reductase enzyme (EC 1.8.1.2) immediately before nitrogen depletion. Increased H2S formation relative to its utilization by metabolism was not a consequence of a de novo synthesis of sulfite reductase. The greatest amount of H2S was produced when nitrogen became depleted during the exponential phase of growth or during growth on amino acids capable of supporting short doubling times. Both sulfate and sulfite were able to act as substrates for the generation of H2S in the absence of assimilable nitrogen; however, sulfate reduction was tightly regulated, leading to limited H2S liberation, whereas sulfite reduction appeared to be uncontrolled. In addition to ammonium, most amino acids were able to suppress the liberation of excess H2S when added as sole sources of nitrogen, particularly for one of the strains studied. Cysteine was the most notable exception, inducing the liberation of H2S at levels exceeding that of the nitrogen-depleted control. Threonine and proline also proved to be poor substitutes for ammonium. These data suggest that any compound that can efficiently generate sulfide-binding nitrogenous precursors of organic sulfur compounds will prevent the liberation of excess H2S.

Differential accumulation of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase transcripts in response to salt stress

NaCl stress causes the accumulation of several mRNAs in tomato seedlings. An upregulated cDNA clone, SAM1, was found to encode a S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase enzyme (AdoMet synthetase). Expression of the cDNA SAM1 in a yeast mutant lacking functional SAM genes resulted in high AdoMet synthetase activity and AdoMet accumulation. We show that tomato plants contain at least four SAM isogenes. Clones corresponding to isogenes SAM2 and SAM3 have also been isolated and sequenced. They encode predicted polypeptides 95% and 92% identical, respectively, to the SAM1-encoded AdoMet Synthetase. RNA hybridization analysis showed a differential response of SAM genes to salt and other stress treatments. SAM1 and SAM3 mRNAs accumulated in the root in response to NaCl, mannitol or ABA treatments. SAM1 mRNA accumulated also in leaf tissue. These increases of mRNA level were apparent as soon as 8 h after the initiation of the salt treatment and were maintained for at least 3 days. A possible role for AdoMet synthetases in the adaptation to salt stress is discussed.

At least four regulatory genes control sulphur metabolite repression in Aspergillus nidulans

Mutations in four genes: sconA (formerly suA25meth, mapA25), sconB (formerly mapB1), sconC and sconD, the last two identified in this work, relieve a group of sulphur amino acid biosynthetic enzymes from methionine-mediated sulphur metabolite repression. Exogenous methionine has no effect on sulphate assimilation in the mutant strains, whereas in the wild type it causes almost complete elimination of sulphate incorporation. In both mutant and wild-type strains methionine is efficiently taken up and metabolized to S-adenosylmethionine, homocysteine and other compounds, scon mutants also show elevated levels of folate-metabolizing enzymes which results from the large pool of homocysteine found in these strains. The folate enzymes appear to be inducible by homocysteine and repressible by methionine (or S-adenosylmethionine).

Biosynthesis of sulphur amino acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: regulatory roles of methionine and S-adenosylmethionine reassessed

cys4-1, a mutation in the reverse trans-sulphuration pathway, relieves the sulphate assimilation pathway and homocysteine synthase from methionine-mediated repression. Since the mutation blocks the synthesis of cysteine from methionine downstream from homocysteine, this indicates that neither methionine nor S-adenosylmethionine serve as low-molecular-mass effectors in this regulatory system, contradicting earlier hypotheses.

Four major transcriptional responses in the methionine/threonine biosynthetic pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genes encoding enzymes in the threonine/methionine biosynthetic pathway were cloned and used to investigate their transcriptional response to signals known to affect gene expression on the basis of enzyme specific-activities. Four major responses were evident: strong repression by methionine of MET3, MET5 and MET14, as previously described for MET3, MET2 and MET25; weak repression by methionine of MET6; weak stimulation by methionine but no response to threonine was seen for THR1, HOM2 and HOM3; no response to any of the signals tested, for HOM6 and MES1. In a BOR3 mutant, THR1, HOM2 and HOM3 mRNA levels were increased slightly. The stimulation of transcription by methionine for HOM2, HOM3 and THR1 is mediated by the GCN4 gene product and hence these genes are under the general amino acid control. In addition to the strong repression by methionine, MET5 is also regulated by the general control.

Posttranscriptional regulation of the expression of MET2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The first step of the specific pathway for methionine biosynthesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is catalyzed by the enzyme L-homoserine-O-acetyltransferase (HSTase) (EC 2.3.1.31), encoded by the MET2 gene. In order to ascertain whether there is a posttranscriptional control on the MET2 gene expression, as suggested by previous results on the expression of the cloned gene, systems for high inducible expression of MET2 gene were constructed. In these constructs the MET2 gene was cloned in yeast expression vectors under the control of an inducible yeast GAL promoter element so that the MET2 was transcribed at very high levels under induced conditions. Measurements of the specific mRNA levels showed a strong stimulation of MET2 gene transcription in yeast transformants grown on galactose as carbon source, corresponding to 50-100-fold the repressed conditions, while only a 2-fold increase of the enzymatic activity was observed. In addition, no evidence of a strong induced polypeptide of appropriate size on two dimensional gel electrophoresis was obtained. To understand the functional role of the non-coding 5' region of MET2 mRNA, we performed either a partial and a complete deletion of the 5' leader sequence, but even with these constructs an elevated mRNA level was not associated to a marked increase of the HSTase activity. These data support the idea of a posttranscriptional regulation of MET2 gene expression and show that the untranslated region of the specific mRNA is not involved in this regulatory mechanism.

Elements involved in S-adenosylmethionine-mediated regulation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MET25 gene

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the MET25 gene encodes O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase. Synthesis of this enzyme is repressed by the presence of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in the growth medium. We identified cis elements required for MET25 expression by analyzing small deletions in the MET25 promoter region. The results revealed a regulatory region, acting as an upstream activation site, that activated transcription of MET25 in the absence of methionine or AdoMet. We found that, for the most part, repression of MET25 expression was due to a lack of activation at this site, reinforced by an independent repression mechanism. The activation region contained a repeated dyad sequence that is also found in the promoter regions of other unlinked but coordinately regulated genes (MET3, MET2, and SAM2). We show that the presence of the two dyads is necessary for maximal gene expression. Moreover, we demonstrate that in addition to this transcriptional regulation, a posttranscriptional regulation, probably targeted at the 5' region of mRNA, is involved in MET25 expression.

Roles of O-acetyl-L-homoserine sulfhydrylases in micro-organisms

O-Acetyl-L-homoserine sulfhydrylase (EC 4.2.99.10) is essential for certain micro-organisms, functioning as a homocysteine synthase in the pathway of methionine synthesis. It participates in an alternative pathway of L-homocysteine synthesis for those microbes in which homocysteine is synthesized mainly via cystathionine. The protein can also catalyze the de novo synthesis of L-cysteine and O-alkyl-L-homoserine in some microorganisms. The enzyme possibly recycles the methylthio group of methionine.

Elements involved in S-adenosylmethionine-mediated regulation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MET25 gene

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the MET25 gene encodes O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylase. Synthesis of this enzyme is repressed by the presence of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in the growth medium. We identified cis elements required for MET25 expression by analyzing small deletions in the MET25 promoter region. The results revealed a regulatory region, acting as an upstream activation site, that activated transcription of MET25 in the absence of methionine or AdoMet. We found that, for the most part, repression of MET25 expression was due to a lack of activation at this site, reinforced by an independent repression mechanism. The activation region contained a repeated dyad sequence that is also found in the promoter regions of other unlinked but coordinately regulated genes (MET3, MET2, and SAM2). We show that the presence of the two dyads is necessary for maximal gene expression. Moreover, we demonstrate that in addition to this transcriptional regulation, a posttranscriptional regulation, probably targeted at the 5' region of mRNA, is involved in MET25 expression.

Molecular genetics of met 17 and met 25 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: intragenic complementation between mutations of a single structural gene

We cloned the MET 17 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by functional complementation after transformation of a yeast met 17 mutant. Restriction mapping and nucleotide sequencing of the MET 17 clones revealed that these were from the same genomic region as clones isolated previously and shown to contain the MET 25 gene encoding the enzyme O-acetylhomoserine, O-acetylserine sulphydrylase (OAH-OAS sulphydrylase). Transformation studies with MET 25 clones showed that the MET 17 and MET 25 functions were both endoced in a single transcription unit. We conclude that met 17 and met 25 are both mutations in the structural gene for the OAH-OAS sulphydrylase subunit and that each affects a different functional domain of the enzyme allowing subunit complementation in the met 17 X met 25 diploid. Enzyme assays indicated that the diploid, although not requiring methionine, had a low OAH-OAS sulphydrylase activity (10% of wild type). This is consistent with MET 17 and MET 25 being the same gene. We found that both met 17 and met 25 mutants were devoid of 3' phospho-adenosine 5' phospho-sulphite (PAPS) reductase activity and that this activity was fully restored in the met 17 X met 25 diploid. The possible interactions between OAH-OAS sulphydrylase and PAPS reductase are discussed.

Molecular cloning and regulation of the expression of the MET2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The MET2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which codes for homoserine-O-acetyltransferase, a key enzyme in methionine biosynthesis, was isolated by complementation of a met2 mutant strain of S. cerevisiae with a yeast gene bank. A 3.9-kb genomic fragment contains the entire gene, as demonstrated by genetic and molecular analysis of the integrative transformants. A polyadenylated mRNA of 1700 nt is detected by Northern blot hybridization with a MET2 probe. The level of this mRNA decreases by addition of exogenous methionine or of S-adenosylmethionine, suggesting a transcriptional regulation. The level of specific mRNA and the enzyme activity found in transformants that bear the MET2 gene on a multicopy plasmid suggest that also a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism may be operative in budding yeast.

The MET2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence

A 5.1-kb DNA fragment from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which complements a yeast met2 mutant strain, has been cloned. This fragment contains the wild-type MET2 gene which codes for the homoserine O-transacetylase, one of the methionine biosynthetic enzymes. The presence of the MET2 gene has been shown by integrative transformation experiments and genetic analyses of the resulting transformants. The complete nucleotide sequence of a 2826-bp DNA fragment carrying the MET2 gene has been determined. The sequence contains one major open reading frame of 438 codons, giving a calculated Mr of 48,370 for the encoded protein. We have identified the transcriptional product of the MET2 gene and estimated its size at 1650 nucleotides.

Effects of sinefungin on rRNA production and methylation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The antifungal agent, Sinefungin (SF), has been shown to be an inhibitor of transmethylation reactions. We report here the effects of SF on the production and methylation of rRNA in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Under conditions of SF treatment which have been shown to affect the regulation of cell proliferation in this yeast, pulse-chase labeling experiments using [methyl-3H]methionine and [3H]uracil indicated that methyl incorporation into rRNA during a short labeling period was inhibited, and stable 18 S rRNA production was differentially decreased. Other experiments quantitating modified nucleotides in newly produced rRNA showed that stable molecules were methylated. Taken together, these results suggest that SF slows methylation of rRNA, and is associated with differential loss of undermethylated 18 S rRNA species.

The expression of the MET25 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated transcriptionally

The MET25 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cloned by functional complementation after transformation of a yeast met25 mutant. Subcloning of the DNA fragment bearing MET25 located the gene on a 2.3 kb region. The gene was formally identified by integration at the chromosomal MET25 locus. The cloned MET25 gene was used as a probe to measure the MET25 messenger RNA in a wild-type strain grown under conditions which promoted or failed to promote repression of MET25 expression. It was found that, under repression conditions, MET25 messenger RNA was reduced tenfold when compared with non-repression conditions. This suggests that the expression of MET25 is regulated transcriptionally. The direction of transcription, the size of the transcript and the position of the transcribed part of the gene were determined. Deletion mapping of the regulatory region was carried out. Deleted plasmids were introduced back into yeast cells and tested for their ability to complement met25 mutations and to promote regulation of expression of the MET25 gene by exogenous methionine. By this method the regulatory region was found to be confined to a 130 bp region.

Transcriptional regulation of the MET3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The MET3 gene, coding for ATP sulfurylase (ATPS), an enzyme implicated in methionine biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was cloned by functional complementation, after transformation, of a yeast met3 mutant strain. The cloned MET3 gene was used as a probe to measure the specific MET3 messenger RNA in a wild-type strain grown under conditions which promote or fail to promote repression of ATPS synthesis. It was found that the level of MET3 messenger RNA is reduced ten-fold when the strain is grown under conditions where ATPS synthesis is repressed, suggesting that the MET3 expression is regulated transcriptionally. The direction of transcription and the size of the transcript have been determined.

Methionine-defective mutants in Candida utilis

Ethionine-resistant mutants of Candida utilis CCY-158 overproducing methionine have been isolated. In these mutants the intracellular methionine concentration decreased significantly during the stationary phase. The wild-type strain CCY-158 and the ethionine-resistant mutants isolated were able to use methionine as the nitrogen source but not as the carbon source. From these ethionine-resistant mutants we isolated mutants unable to use methionine as nitrogen source (Mec- mutants), the principal alteration being at the level of methionine uptake. Some of the Mec mutants lost also the ability to use other amino acids as nitrogen source.

The two methionine adenosyl transferases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidence for the existence of dimeric enzymes

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae either of the two genes SAM1 and SAM2 is able to produce a functional methionine adenosyl transferase (MATI and MATII). In a wild-type strain, MATI and MATII are present in dimeric forms: MATI-MATI, MATII-MATII and perhaps MATI-MATII. A hypothesis is presented to explain the possible role of these different forms of methionine adenosyl transferase in S. cerevisiae.

S-adenosyl methionine requiring mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidences for the existence of two methionine adenosyl transferases

Mutants requiring S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) for growth have been selected in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two classes of mutants have been found. One class corresponds to the simultaneous occurrence of mutations at two unlinked loci SAM1 and SAM2 and presents a strict SAM requirement for growth on any medium. The second class corresponds to special single mutations in the gene SAM2 which lead to a residual growth on minimal medium but to normal growth on SAM supplemented medium or on a complex medium like YPGA not containing any SAM. These genetic data can be taken as an indication that Saccharomyces cerevisiae possesses two isoenzymatic methionine adenosyl transferases (MAT). In addition, SAM1 and SAM2 loci have been identified respectively with the ETH-10 and ETH2 loci previously described. Biochemical evidences corroborate the genetic results. Two MAT activities can be dissociated in a wild type extract (MATI and MATII) by DEAE cellulose chromatography. Mutations at the SAM1 locus lead to the absence or to the modification of MATII whereas mutations at the SAM2 locus lead to the absence or to the modification of MATI. Moreover, some of our results seem to show that MATI and MATII are associated in vivo.

Sulfate uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: biochemical and genetic study

Sulfate uptake is the first step of the sulfate assimilation pathway, which has been shown in our laboratory to be part of the methionine biosynthetic pathway. Kinetic study of sulfate uptake has shown a biphasic curve in a Lineweaver-Burk plot. The analysis of this plot indicates that two enzymes participate in sulfate uptake. One (permease I) has a high affinity for the substrate (K(m) = 0.005 mM); the other (permease II) shows a much lower affinity for sulfate (K(m) = 0.35 mM). Regulation of the synthesis of both permeases is under the control of exogenous methionine or S-adenosylmethionine. It was shown, moreover, that synthesis of sulfate permeases is coordinated with the synthesis of the other methionine biosynthetic enzymes thus far studied in our laboratory. An additional specific regulation of sulfate permeases by inhibition of their activity by endogenous sulfate and adenosyl phosphosulfate (an intermediate metabolite in sulfate assimilation) has been shown. A mutant unable to concentrate sulfate has been selected. This strain carried mutations in two independent genes. These two mutations, separated in two different strains, lead to modified kinetics of sulfate uptake. The study of these strains leads us to postulate that there is an interaction in situ between the products of these two genes.

Regulation of extracellular protease production in Candida lipolytica

Production of extracellular protease by Candida lipolytica NRRL Y-1094 was derepressed upon transfer to carbon-, nitrogen- or sulphur-free medium but not upon transfer to phosphorus-free medium. The protease activities produced under the three nutrient limitations had alkaline pH optima and similar substrate and inhibitor specificities. Any one of the following three conditions was found to be sufficient for derepression of extracellular protease: (a) "poor" carbon source, (b) cysteine intracellular pool below 0.5 micronmol/g dry weight cells and (c) ammonia intracellular pool below 10 micronmol/g dry weight cells. Thus, extracellular protease production in C. lipolytica was subject to at least three different regulatory controls, carbon, sulphur and nitrogen repression. Intracellular cysteine and ammonia appeared to be the metabolic signals for sulphur and nitrogen repression, respectively. Anabolic glutamate dehydrogenase did not act as a regulatory protein mediating nitrogen repression. Exogenous protein had an inductive effect on extracellular protease production.

Mechanism of inhibition of Chromatium D growth by L-methionine. Regulation of L-threonine biosynthesis by the intracellular level of S-adenosylmethionine

(1) An unusual accumulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine in Chromatium D was associated with a marked growth inhibition by L-methionine. The inhibition was overcome by L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-phyenylalanine, L-threonine, L-valine and putrescien. Based on their effects, these compounds are classified into 3 types. (2) L-Isoleucine, L-leucine, L-phyenylalanine and L-valine (Type I) inhibited the L-methionine uptake and consequently prevented the bacterium from the unusual accumulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine even in the presence of L-methionine in the medium. Putrescine (Type II) stimulated the consumption of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, but did not influence the L-methionine uptake. Hence, the effect of putrescine would be explained by the action to diminish the intracellular level of S-adenosyl-L-methionine. L-Threonine (Type III) neither inhibited the L-methionine uptake nor affected the content of S-adenoxyl-L-methionine due to the addition of L-methionine. (3) The specific activity of homoserine kinase (EC 2.7.1.39) was greatly lowered by the addition of L-methionine under conditions in which Chromatium D unusually accumulates S-adenoxyl-L-methionine. Homoserine dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.3) activity was inhbitied by S-adenosyl-L-methionine (50% inhibition index, 3.5 mM). These facts strongly suggest that the growth inhibition by L-methionine is associated with the L-threonine deficiency caused by the unusual accumulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine.

Studies on metabolic role of 5'-Methylthioadenosine in Ochromonas malhamensis and other microorganisms

Several compound containing a thiomethyl group were found to replace vitamin B12 in a protozoan, Ochromonas malhamensis. The order of the effectiveness was as follows: 5'-methylthioadenosine is greater than S-adenosylmethionine is greater than 5-methylthioribose is greater then L-methionine. A similar order was obtained with respect to the permeability of these compounds into the protozoan cells, except for S-adenosylmethionine. 5'-Methylthioadenosine and 5-methylthioribose as well as L-methionine markedly increased the intracellular content of L-methionine. The level of S-adenosylmethionine was also increased by them, but to lesser degree. The thiomethyl group of the compounds was established to be incorporated into S-adenosylmethionine. The metabolic fate of the thiomethyl group of 5'-methylthioadenosine cannot be distinguished from that of L-methionine. A high activity of 5'-methylthioadenosine nucleosidase was detected in the cell-free extracts of the protozoan. These results strongly suggest that 5'-methylthioadenosine would be metabolized to L-methionine would be ocnverted to S-adenosylmethionine. Like L-methionine and vitamin B12, 5'-methylthioadenosine and 5-methylthioribose may play an important role in maintenance of the C-1 pool in Ochromonas malhamensis. Neither 5'-methylthioadenosine nor 5-methylthioribose replaced vitamin B12 in some vitamin B12-requiring bacteria. This result is consistent with the fact that neither compounds was significantly taken up by these bacteria.

Methionine-and S-adenosyl methionine-mediated repression in a methionyl-transfer ribonucleic-acid synthetase mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain unable to grow at 38 C and bearing a modified methionyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase has been studied. It has been shown that, in this mutant, the percentage of tRNAmet charged in vivo paralleled the degree of repressibility of methionine biosynthetic enzymes by exogenous methionine. On the contrary, the repression mediated by exogenous S-adenosylmethionine does not correlate with complete acylation of tRNAmet. Althought McLaughlin and Hartwell reported previously that the thermosensitivity and the defect in the methionyl-tRNA synthetase were due to the same genetic lesion (1969), no diffenence could be found in the methionyl-tRNA synthetase activity or in the pattern of repressibility of methionine biosynthetic pathway after growth at the premissive and at a semipermissive temperature. It appears that the mutant also exhibits some other modified characters that render unlikely the existence of only one genetic lesion in this strain. A genetic study of this mutant was undertaken which led to the conclusion that the thermosensitivity and the other defects are not related to the methionyl-tRNA synthetase modification. It was shown that the modified repressibility of methionine biosynthetic enzymes by methionine and the lack of acylation of tRNAmet in vivo follow the methionyl-tRNA synthetase modification. These results are in favor of the idea that methionyl-tRNAmet, more likely than methionine, is implicated in the regulation of the biosynthesis of methionine.

Existence of two levels of repression in the biosynthesis of methionine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: effect of lomofungin on enzyme synthesis

Derepression of a methionine biosynthetic enzyme (homocysteine synthase) has been studied after repression either by exogenous methionine or by exogenous S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Lomofungin, which inhibits the synthesis of ribosomal precursor and messenger ribonucleic acid but not of protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been used in this system. It has been shown that the addition of this antibiotic prevents the derepression of homocysteine synthase after repression by exogenous methionine but not after repression by exogenous SAM. These experiments with lomofungin and the kinetics of repression after addition of methionine or SAM to the growth medium provide evidence that the repression induced by exogenous methionine acts at the transcriptional level whereas the repression induced by exogenous SAM acts at the translational level.

Biochemical and regulatory effects of methionine analogues in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The effect of three methionine analogues, ethionine, selenomethionine, and trifluoromethionine, on the biosynthesis of methionine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been investigated. We have found the following to be true. (i) A sharp decrease in the endogenous methionine concentration occurs after the addition of any one of these analogues to growing cells. (ii) All of them can be transferred to methionine transfer ribonucleic acid in vitro as well as in vivo with, as a consequence, their incorporation into proteins. In the absence of radioactive trifluoromethionine, this conclusion results from experiments of an indirect nature and must be taken as an indication rather than a direct demonstration. (iii) Ethionine and selenomethionine can be activated as homologues of S-adenosylmethionine, whereas trifluoromethionine cannot. (iv) All of them can act as repressors of the methionine biosynthetic pathway. This has been shown by measuring the de novo rate of synthesis of methionine in a culture grown in the presence of any one of the three analogues.

tRNAs undermethylation in a met-regulatory mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A study of in vivo and in vitro methylation of tRNAs in regulatory mutants affected in methionine-mediated repression (eth2, eth3, eth10) has led to the following results: 1) The eth2-2 carrying strain presents a great undermethylation of its tRNAs of the same order of magnitude as observed during methionine starvation of methionine auxotrophs. 2) This undermethylation leads to a shift of the tRNAIII met peak on a BD cellulose column, while tRNAIII met peak is unchanged. 3) The study of a double mutant strain carrying eth2 and met2 mutations has shown that this undermethylation is a consequence of the high internal pool of methionine. 4) Undermethylation unequally affects the different bases and the different tRNA species.

Methionine-dependent synthesis of ribosomal ribonucleic acid during sporulation and vegetative growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Methionine limitation during growth and sporulation of a methionine-requiring diploid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes two significant changes in the normal synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA). First, whereas 18S ribosomal RNA is produced, there is no significant accumulation of either 26S ribosomal RNA or 5.8S RNA. The effect of methionine on the accumulation of these RNA species occurs after the formation of a common 35S precursor molecule which is still observed in the absence of methionine. During sporulation, diploid strains of S. cerevisiae produce a stable, virtually unmethylated 20S RNA which has previously been shown to be largely homologous to methylated 18S ribosomal RNA. The appearance of this species is not affected by the presence or absence of methionine from sporulation medium. However, when exponentially growing vegetative cells are starved for methionine, unmethylated 20S RNA is found. The 20S RNA, which had previously been observed only in cells undergoing sporulation, accumulates at the same time as a methylated 18S RNA. These effects on ribosomal RNA synthesis are specific for methionine limitation, and are not observed if protein synthesis is inhibited by cycloheximide or if cells are starved for a carbon source or for another amino acid. The phenomena are not marker specific as analogous results have been obtained for both a methionine-requiring diploid homozygous for met13 and a diploid homozygous for met2. The results demonstrate that methylation of ribosomal RNA or other methionine-dependent events plays a critical role in the recognition and processing of ribosomal precursor RNA to the final mature species.

Active transport of exogenous S-adenosylmethionine and related compounds into cells and vacuoles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae 4094-B (alpha, ade-2, ura-1) in potassium phosphate buffer with glucose under aerobic conditions took up (-)S-adenosyl-l-methionine from the medium in sufficient quantity to permit the demonstration of its accumulation in the vacuole by ultraviolet micrography. The same result was obtained with (+/-)S-adenosyl-l-methionine, (+/-)S-adenosyl-d-methionine, and (-)S-adenosyl-l-ethionine. The rate of uptake was slow with (-)S-adenosyl-S(n-propyl)-l-homocysteine and S-adenosyl-d-homocysteine. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine was assimilated rapidly, but intracellular degradation precluded accumulation and ultraviolet micrographic studies. The uptake of 5'-methyl-, 5'-ethyl-, 5'-n-propylthioadenosine, and 5'-dimethylsulfonium adenosine was minimal.