Heat shock-mediated cell cycle blockage and G1 cyclin expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The effect of heat stress on the cellular behavior, intracellular signaling profile of porcine growth hormone (pGH) in swine testicular cells

At present, heat stress caused by the thermal environment is the main factor that endangers the reproductive function of animals. Growth hormone (GH) is a polypeptide hormone, the biological function of reproductive organs has been reported, and it has many important physiological functions in the body. However, so far, the behavior and signal transduction of GH in testicular cells under heat stress are still unclear. To this end, in the current work, we use a swine testicular cell line (ST) as an in vitro model to explore the cell behavior and intracellular signaling profile of porcine growth hormone (pGH) under heat stress; the results showed that when cells were under heat stress, pGH and GHR were basically not internalized, and a large number of them accumulated on the cell membrane. In addition, we also studied the effect of pGH on the JAK2-STATs signaling pathway and IGF-1 expression under heat stress, we found that the ability of pGH to activate the JAK-STATs signaling pathway and IGF-1 under heat stress was greatly reduced (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our research shows that when cells undergo heat stress, the internalization of pGH and GHR were inhibited, and the activation of the JAK2-STATs signaling pathway and IGF-1 expression were reduced; this lays a solid foundation for further research on the effect of pGH on swine testicular tissue under thermal environment.

Stress granules display bistable dynamics modulated by Cdk

Stress granules (SGs) are conserved biomolecular condensates that originate in response to many stress conditions. These membraneless organelles contain nontranslating mRNAs and a diverse subproteome, but our knowledge of their regulation and functional relevance is still incipient. Here, we describe a mutual-inhibition interplay between SGs and Cdc28, the budding yeast Cdk. Among Cdc28 interactors acting as negative modulators of Start, we have identified Whi8, an RNA-binding protein that localizes to SGs and recruits the mRNA of CLN3, the most upstream G1 cyclin, for efficient translation inhibition and Cdk inactivation under stress. However, Whi8 also contributes to recruiting Cdc28 to SGs, where it acts to promote their dissolution. As predicted by a mutual-inhibition framework, the SG constitutes a bistable system that is modulated by Cdk. Since mammalian cells display a homologous mechanism, we propose that the opposing functions of specific mRNA-binding proteins and Cdk’s subjugate SG dynamics to a conserved hysteretic switch.

Understanding and exploiting interactions between cellular proteostasis pathways and infectious prion proteins for therapeutic benefit

Several neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals are caused by the misfolded prion protein (PrP^Sc), a self-propagating protein infectious agent that aggregates into oligomeric, fibrillar structures and leads to cell death by incompletely understood mechanisms. Work in multiple biological model systems, from simple baker's yeast to transgenic mouse lines, as well as in vitro studies, has illuminated molecular and cellular modifiers of prion disease. In this review, we focus on intersections between PrP and the proteostasis network, including unfolded protein stress response pathways and roles played by the powerful regulators of protein folding known as protein chaperones. We close with analysis of promising therapeutic avenues for treatment enabled by these studies.

Transient intracellular acidification regulates the core transcriptional heat shock response

Heat shock induces a conserved transcriptional program regulated by heat shock factor 1 (Hsf1) in eukaryotic cells. Activation of this heat shock response is triggered by heat-induced misfolding of newly synthesized polypeptides, and so has been thought to depend on ongoing protein synthesis. Here, using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we report the discovery that Hsf1 can be robustly activated when protein synthesis is inhibited, so long as cells undergo cytosolic acidification. Heat shock has long been known to cause transient intracellular acidification which, for reasons which have remained unclear, is associated with increased stress resistance in eukaryotes. We demonstrate that acidification is required for heat shock response induction in translationally inhibited cells, and specifically affects Hsf1 activation. Physiological heat-triggered acidification also increases population fitness and promotes cell cycle reentry following heat shock. Our results uncover a previously unknown adaptive dimension of the well-studied eukaryotic heat shock response.

The Lon Protease Links Nucleotide Metabolism with Proteotoxic Stress

During proteotoxic stress, bacteria maintain critical processes like DNA replication while removing misfolded proteins, which are degraded by the Lon protease. Here, we show that in Caulobacter crescentus Lon controls deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools during stress through degradation of the transcription factor CcrM. Elevated dNTP/nucleotide triphosphate (NTP) ratios in Δlon cells protects them from deletion of otherwise essential deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP)-producing pathways and shields them from hydroxyurea-induced loss of dNTPs. Increased dNTP production in Δlon results from higher expression of ribonucleotide reductase driven by increased CcrM. We show that misfolded proteins can stabilize CcrM by competing for limited protease and that Lon-dependent control of dNTPs improves fitness during protein misfolding conditions. We propose that linking dNTP production with availability of Lon allows Caulobacter to maintain replication capacity when misfolded protein burden increases, such as during rapid growth. Because Lon recognizes misfolded proteins regardless of the stress, this mechanism allows for response to a variety of unanticipated conditions.

Growth-Regulated Hsp70 Phosphorylation Regulates Stress Responses and Prion Maintenance

Maintenance of protein homeostasis in eukaryotes under normal growth and stress conditions requires the functions of Hsp70 chaperones and associated cochaperones. Here, we investigate an evolutionarily conserved serine phosphorylation that occurs at the site of communication between the nucleotide-binding and substrate-binding domains of Hsp70. Ser151 phosphorylation in yeast Hsp70 (Ssa1) is promoted by cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk1) during normal growth. Phosphomimetic substitutions at this site (S151D) dramatically downregulate heat shock responses, a result conserved with HSC70 S153 in human cells. Phosphomimetic forms of Ssa1 also fail to relocalize in response to starvation conditions, do not associate in vivo with Hsp40 cochaperones Ydj1 and Sis1, and do not catalyze refolding of denatured proteins in vitro in cooperation with Ydj1 and Hsp104. Despite these negative effects on HSC70/HSP70 function, the S151D phosphomimetic allele promotes survival of heavy metal exposure and suppresses the Sup35-dependent [PSI+ ] prion phenotype, consistent with proposed roles for Ssa1 and Hsp104 in generating self-nucleating seeds of misfolded proteins. Taken together, these results suggest that Cdk1 can downregulate Hsp70 function through phosphorylation of this site, with potential costs to overall chaperone efficiency but also advantages with respect to reduction of metal-induced and prion-dependent protein aggregate production.

Competition in the chaperone-client network subordinates cell-cycle entry to growth and stress

The precise coordination of growth and proliferation has a universal prevalence in cell homeostasis. As a prominent property, cell size is modulated by the coordination between these processes in bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that multifunctional chaperone systems play a concerted and limiting role in cell-cycle entry, specifically driving nuclear accumulation of the G1 Cdk-cyclin complex. Based on these findings, we establish and test a molecular competition model that recapitulates cell-cycle-entry dependence on growth rate. As key predictions at a single-cell level, we show that availability of the Ydj1 chaperone and nuclear accumulation of the G1 cyclin Cln3 are inversely dependent on growth rate and readily respond to changes in protein synthesis and stress conditions that alter protein folding requirements. Thus, chaperone workload would subordinate Start to the biosynthetic machinery and dynamically adjust proliferation to the growth potential of the cell.

Multiscale effects of heating and cooling on genes and gene networks

Fluctuating environments such as changes in ambient temperature represent a fundamental challenge to life. Cells must protect gene networks that protect them from such stresses, making it difficult to understand how temperature affects gene network function in general. Here, we focus on single genes and small synthetic network modules to reveal four key effects of nonoptimal temperatures at different biological scales: (i) a cell fate choice between arrest and resistance, (ii) slower growth rates, (iii) Arrhenius reaction rates, and (iv) protein structure changes. We develop a multiscale computational modeling framework that captures and predicts all of these effects. These findings promote our understanding of how temperature affects living systems and enables more robust cellular engineering for real-world applications.

Most organisms must cope with temperature changes. This involves genes and gene networks both as subjects and agents of cellular protection, creating difficulties in understanding. Here, we study how heating and cooling affect expression of single genes and synthetic gene circuits in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We discovered that nonoptimal temperatures induce a cell fate choice between stress resistance and growth arrest. This creates dramatic gene expression bimodality in isogenic cell populations, as arrest abolishes gene expression. Multiscale models incorporating population dynamics, temperature-dependent growth rates, and Arrhenius scaling of reaction rates captured the effects of cooling, but not those of heating in resistant cells. Molecular-dynamics simulations revealed how heating alters the conformational dynamics of the TetR repressor, fully explaining the experimental observations. Overall, nonoptimal temperatures induce a cell fate decision and corrupt gene and gene network function in computationally predictable ways, which may aid future applications of engineered microbes in nonstandard temperatures.

Heat shock protein 90 is required for sexual and asexual development, virulence, and heat shock response in Fusarium graminearum

Eukaryotic cells repress global translation and selectively upregulate stress response proteins by altering multiple steps in gene expression. In this study, genome-wide transcriptome analysis of cellular adaptation to thermal stress was performed on the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. The results revealed that profound alterations in gene expression were required for heat shock responses in F. graminearum. Among these proteins, heat shock protein 90 (FgHsp90) was revealed to play a central role in heat shock stress responses in this fungus. FgHsp90 was highly expressed and exclusively localised to nuclei in response to heat stress. Moreover, our comprehensive functional characterisation of FgHsp90 provides clear genetic evidence supporting its crucial roles in the vegetative growth, reproduction, and virulence of F. graminearum. In particular, FgHsp90 performs multiple functions as a transcriptional regulator of conidiation. Our findings provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying adaptation to heat shock and the roles of Hsp90 in fungal development.

Model-Based Analysis of Cell Cycle Responses to Dynamically Changing Environments

Cell cycle progression is carefully coordinated with a cell's intra- and extracellular environment. While some pathways have been identified that communicate information from the environment to the cell cycle, a systematic understanding of how this information is dynamically processed is lacking. We address this by performing dynamic sensitivity analysis of three mathematical models of the cell cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate that these models make broadly consistent qualitative predictions about cell cycle progression under dynamically changing conditions. For example, it is shown that the models predict anticorrelated changes in cell size and cell cycle duration under different environments independently of the growth rate. This prediction is validated by comparison to available literature data. Other consistent patterns emerge, such as widespread nonmonotonic changes in cell size down generations in response to parameter changes. We extend our analysis by investigating glucose signalling to the cell cycle, showing that known regulation of Cln3 translation and Cln1,2 transcription by glucose is sufficient to explain the experimentally observed changes in cell cycle dynamics at different glucose concentrations. Together, these results provide a framework for understanding the complex responses the cell cycle is capable of producing in response to dynamic environments.

Influence of heat shock and osmotic stresses on the growth and viability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae SUBSC01

Background

With a preceding scrutiny of bacterial cellular responses against heat shock and oxidative stresses, current research further investigated such impact on yeast cell. Present study attempted to observe the influence of high temperature (44–46 °C) on the growth and budding pattern of Saccharomyces cerevisiae SUBSC01. Effect of elevated sugar concentrations as another stress stimulant was also observed. Cell growth was measured through the estimation of the optical density at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀) and by the enumeration of colony forming units on the agar plates up to 450 min.

Results

Subsequent transformation in the yeast morphology and the cellular arrangement were noticed. A delayed and lengthy lag phase was observed when yeast strain was grown at 30, 37, and 40 °C, while at 32.5 °C, optimal growth pattern was noticed. Cells were found to lose culturability completely at 46 °C whereby cells without the cytoplasmic contents were also observed under the light microscope. Thus the critical growth temperature was recorded as 45 °C which was the highest temperature at which S. cerevisiae SUBSC01 could grow. However, a complete growth retardation was observed at 45 °C with the high concentrations of dextrose (0.36 g/l) and sucrose (0.18 g/l). Notably, yeast budding was found at 44 and 45 °C up to 270 min of incubation, which was further noticed to be suppressed at 46 °C.

Conclusions

Present study revealed that the optimal and the critical growth temperatures of S. cerevisiae SUBSC01 were 32.5 and 45 °C, respectively; and also projected on the inhibitory concentrations of sugars on yeast growth at that temperature.

Phosphoproteome dynamics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under heat shock and cold stress

The ability of cells and organisms to survive and function through changes in temperature evolved from their specific adaptations to nonoptimal growth conditions. Responses to elevated temperatures have been studied in yeast and other model organisms using transcriptome profiling and provided valuable biological insights on molecular mechanisms involved in stress tolerance and adaptation to adverse environment. In contrast, little is known about rapid signaling events associated with changes in temperature. To gain a better understanding of global changes in protein phosphorylation in response to heat and cold, we developed a high temporal resolution phosphoproteomics protocol to study cell signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The method allowed for quantitative analysis of phosphodynamics on 2,777 phosphosites from 1,228 proteins. The correlation of kinetic profiles between kinases and their substrates provided a predictive tool to identify new putative substrates for kinases such as Cdc28 and PKA. Cell cycle analyses revealed that the increased phosphorylation of Cdc28 at its inhibitory site Y19 during heat shock is an adaptive response that delays cell cycle progression under stress conditions. The cellular responses to heat and cold were associated with extensive changes in phosphorylation on proteins implicated in transcription, protein folding and degradation, cell cycle regulation and morphogenesis.

Sphingolipids and mitochondrial function, lessons learned from yeast

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, but also of cancer, diabetes and rare diseases such as Wilson's disease (WD) and Niemann Pick type C1 (NPC). Mitochondrial dysfunction underlying human pathologies has often been associated with an aberrant cellular sphingolipid metabolism. Sphingolipids (SLs) are important membrane constituents that also act as signaling molecules. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been pivotal in unraveling mammalian SL metabolism, mainly due to the high degree of conservation of SL metabolic pathways. In this review we will first provide a brief overview of the major differences in SL metabolism between yeast and mammalian cells and the use of SL biosynthetic inhibitors to elucidate the contribution of specific parts of the SL metabolic pathway in response to for instance stress. Next, we will discuss recent findings in yeast SL research concerning a crucial signaling role for SLs in orchestrating mitochondrial function, and translate these findings to relevant disease settings such as WD and NPC. In summary, recent research shows that S. cerevisiae is an invaluable model to investigate SLs as signaling molecules in modulating mitochondrial function, but can also be used as a tool to further enhance our current knowledge on SLs and mitochondria in mammalian cells.

Cell cycle population effects in perturbation studies

Growth condition perturbation or gene function disruption are commonly used strategies to study cellular systems. Although it is widely appreciated that such experiments may involve indirect effects, these frequently remain uncharacterized. Here, analysis of functionally unrelated Saccharyomyces cerevisiae deletion strains reveals a common gene expression signature. One property shared by these strains is slower growth, with increased presence of the signature in more slowly growing strains. The slow growth signature is highly similar to the environmental stress response (ESR), an expression response common to diverse environmental perturbations. Both environmental and genetic perturbations result in growth rate changes. These are accompanied by a change in the distribution of cells over different cell cycle phases. Rather than representing a direct expression response in single cells, both the slow growth signature and ESR mainly reflect a redistribution of cells over different cell cycle phases, primarily characterized by an increase in the G1 population. The findings have implications for any study of perturbation that is accompanied by growth rate changes. Strategies to counter these effects are presented and discussed.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes involved in survival of heat shock

The heat-shock response in cells, involving increased transcription of a specific set of genes in response to a sudden increase in temperature, is a highly conserved biological response occurring in all organisms. Despite considerable attention to the processes activated during heat shock, less is known about the role of genes in survival of a sudden temperature increase. Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes involved in the maintenance of heat-shock resistance in exponential and stationary phase were identified by screening the homozygous diploid deletants in nonessential genes and the heterozygous diploid mutants in essential genes for survival after a sudden shift in temperature from 30 to 50°. More than a thousand genes were identified that led to altered sensitivity to heat shock, with little overlap between them and those previously identified to affect thermotolerance. There was also little overlap with genes that are activated or repressed during heat-shock, with only 5% of them regulated by the heat-shock transcription factor. The target of rapamycin and protein kinase A pathways, lipid metabolism, vacuolar H⁺-ATPase, vacuolar protein sorting, and mitochondrial genome maintenance/translation were critical to maintenance of resistance. Mutants affected in l-tryptophan metabolism were heat-shock resistant in both growth phases; those affected in cytoplasmic ribosome biogenesis and DNA double-strand break repair were resistant in stationary phase, and in mRNA catabolic processes in exponential phase. Mutations affecting mitochondrial genome maintenance were highly represented in sensitive mutants. The cell division transcription factor Swi6p and Hac1p involved in the unfolded protein response also play roles in maintenance of heat-shock resistance.

Mechanisms of heat shock response in mammals

Heat shock (HS) is one of the best-studied exogenous cellular stresses. The cellular response to HS utilizes ancient molecular networks that are based primarily on the action of stress-induced heat shock proteins and HS factors. However, in one way or another, all cellular compartments and metabolic processes are involved in such a response. In this review, we aimed to summarize the experimental data concerning all aspects of the HS response in mammalian cells, such as HS-induced structural and functional alterations of cell membranes, the cytoskeleton and cellular organelles; the associated pathways that result in different modes of cell death and cell cycle arrest; and the effects of HS on transcription, splicing, translation, DNA repair, and replication.

Proteotoxic stress induces a cell-cycle arrest by stimulating Lon to degrade the replication initiator DnaA

The decision to initiate DNA replication is a critical step in the cell cycle of all organisms. Cells often delay replication in the face of stressful conditions, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Here, we demonstrate in Caulobacter crescentus that proteotoxic stress induces a cell-cycle arrest by triggering the degradation of DnaA, the conserved replication initiator. A depletion of available Hsp70 chaperone, DnaK, either through genetic manipulation or heat shock, induces synthesis of the Lon protease, which can directly degrade DnaA. Unexpectedly, we find that unfolded proteins, which accumulate following a loss of DnaK, also allosterically activate Lon to degrade DnaA, thereby ensuring a cell-cycle arrest. Our work reveals a mechanism for regulating DNA replication under adverse growth conditions. Additionally, our data indicate that unfolded proteins can actively and directly alter substrate recognition by cellular proteases.

Aneuploid yeast strains exhibit defects in cell growth and passage through START

Aneuploidy causes cell proliferation defects in budding yeast, with many aneuploid strains exhibiting a G1 delay. This study shows that the G1 delay in aneuploid budding yeast is caused by a growth defect and delayed passage through START due to delayed G1 cyclin accumulation.

Aneuploidy, a chromosome content that is not a multiple of the haploid karyotype, is associated with reduced fitness in all organisms analyzed to date. In budding yeast aneuploidy causes cell proliferation defects, with many different aneuploid strains exhibiting a delay in G1, a cell cycle stage governed by extracellular cues, growth rate, and cell cycle events. Here we characterize this G1 delay. We show that 10 of 14 aneuploid yeast strains exhibit a growth defect during G1. Furthermore, 10 of 14 aneuploid strains display a cell cycle entry delay that correlates with the size of the additional chromosome. This cell cycle entry delay is due to a delayed accumulation of G1 cyclins that can be suppressed by supplying cells with high levels of a G1 cyclin. Our results indicate that aneuploidy frequently interferes with the ability of cells to grow and, as with many other cellular stresses, entry into the cell cycle.

Biology of the heat shock response and protein chaperones: budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a model system

The eukaryotic heat shock response is an ancient and highly conserved transcriptional program that results in the immediate synthesis of a battery of cytoprotective genes in the presence of thermal and other environmental stresses. Many of these genes encode molecular chaperones, powerful protein remodelers with the capacity to shield, fold, or unfold substrates in a context-dependent manner. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae continues to be an invaluable model for driving the discovery of regulatory features of this fundamental stress response. In addition, budding yeast has been an outstanding model system to elucidate the cell biology of protein chaperones and their organization into functional networks. In this review, we evaluate our understanding of the multifaceted response to heat shock. In addition, the chaperone complement of the cytosol is compared to those of mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, organelles with their own unique protein homeostasis milieus. Finally, we examine recent advances in the understanding of the roles of protein chaperones and the heat shock response in pathogenic fungi, which is being accelerated by the wealth of information gained for budding yeast.

Glucose, nitrogen, and phosphate repletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: common transcriptional responses to different nutrient signals

Saccharomyces cerevisiae are able to control growth in response to changes in nutrient availability. The limitation for single macronutrients, including nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P), produces stable arrest in G1/G0. Restoration of the limiting nutrient quickly restores growth. It has been shown that glucose (G) depletion/repletion very rapidly alters the levels of more than 2000 transcripts by at least 2-fold, a large portion of which are involved with either protein production in growth or stress responses in starvation. Although the signals generated by G, N, and P are thought to be quite distinct, we tested the hypothesis that depletion and repletion of any of these three nutrients would affect a common core set of genes as part of a generalized response to conditions that promote growth and quiescence. We found that the response to depletion of G, N, or P produced similar quiescent states with largely similar transcriptomes. As we predicted, repletion of each of the nutrients G, N, or P induced a large (501) common core set of genes and repressed a large (616) common gene set. Each nutrient also produced nutrient-specific transcript changes. The transcriptional responses to each of the three nutrients depended on cAMP and, to a lesser extent, the TOR pathway. All three nutrients stimulated cAMP production within minutes of repletion, and artificially increasing cAMP levels was sufficient to replicate much of the core transcriptional response. The recently identified transceptors Gap1, Mep1, Mep2, and Mep3, as well as Pho84, all played some role in the core transcriptional responses to N or P. As expected, we found some evidence of cross talk between nutrient signals, yet each nutrient sends distinct signals.

What makes the engine hum: Rad6, a cell cycle supercharger

Deregulated CDK activity drives cell proliferation of the majority of human tumors, making CDKs highly relevant research subjects. Cdc28 controls cell cycle progression in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but the identity of many genes that function in conjunction with CDC28 to regulate the cell cycle and cell viability remains obscure. In a recent study, we used a chemical-genetic screen to identify the genetic network of CDC28. Through this analysis, we discovered that the Rad6-Bre1 pathway functions in this network and links ubiquitin levels to cell cycle progression by increasing transcription of cyclin genes. Thus, Rad6 boosts the activity of the cell cycle machinery.

The response to heat shock and oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A common need for microbial cells is the ability to respond to potentially toxic environmental insults. Here we review the progress in understanding the response of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to two important environmental stresses: heat shock and oxidative stress. Both of these stresses are fundamental challenges that microbes of all types will experience. The study of these environmental stress responses in S. cerevisiae has illuminated many of the features now viewed as central to our understanding of eukaryotic cell biology. Transcriptional activation plays an important role in driving the multifaceted reaction to elevated temperature and levels of reactive oxygen species. Advances provided by the development of whole genome analyses have led to an appreciation of the global reorganization of gene expression and its integration between different stress regimens. While the precise nature of the signal eliciting the heat shock response remains elusive, recent progress in the understanding of induction of the oxidative stress response is summarized here. Although these stress conditions represent ancient challenges to S. cerevisiae and other microbes, much remains to be learned about the mechanisms dedicated to dealing with these environmental parameters.

Quantitative shotgun proteomics using a uniform ¹⁵N-labeled standard to monitor proteome dynamics in time course experiments reveals new insights into the heat stress response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Crop-plant-yield safety is jeopardized by temperature stress caused by the global climate change. To take countermeasures by breeding and/or transgenic approaches it is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying plant acclimation to heat stress. To this end proteomics approaches are most promising, as acclimation is largely mediated by proteins. Accordingly, several proteomics studies, mainly based on two-dimensional gel-tandem MS approaches, were conducted in the past. However, results often were inconsistent, presumably attributable to artifacts inherent to the display of complex proteomes via two-dimensional-gels. We describe here a new approach to monitor proteome dynamics in time course experiments. This approach involves full ¹⁵N metabolic labeling and mass spectrometry based quantitative shotgun proteomics using a uniform ¹⁵N standard over all time points. It comprises a software framework, IOMIQS, that features batch job mediated automated peptide identification by four parallelized search engines, peptide quantification and data assembly for the processing of large numbers of samples. We have applied this approach to monitor proteome dynamics in a heat stress time course using the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as model system. We were able to identify 3433 Chlamydomonas proteins, of which 1116 were quantified in at least three of five time points of the time course. Statistical analyses revealed that levels of 38 proteins significantly increased, whereas levels of 206 proteins significantly decreased during heat stress. The increasing proteins comprise 25 (co-)chaperones and 13 proteins involved in chromatin remodeling, signal transduction, apoptosis, photosynthetic light reactions, and yet unknown functions. Proteins decreasing during heat stress were significantly enriched in functional categories that mediate carbon flux from CO₂ and external acetate into protein biosynthesis, which also correlated with a rapid, but fully reversible cell cycle arrest after onset of stress. Our approach opens up new perspectives for plant systems biology and provides novel insights into plant stress acclimation.

Cdc48 and cofactors Npl4-Ufd1 are important for G1 progression during heat stress by maintaining cell wall integrity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The ubiquitin-selective chaperone Cdc48, a member of the AAA (ATPase Associated with various cellular Activities) ATPase superfamily, is involved in many processes, including endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), ubiquitin- and proteasome-mediated protein degradation, and mitosis. Although Cdc48 was originally isolated as a cell cycle mutant in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, its cell cycle functions have not been well appreciated. We found that temperature-sensitive cdc48-3 mutant is largely arrested at mitosis at 37°C, whereas the mutant is also delayed in G1 progression at 38.5°C. Reporter assays show that the promoter activity of G1 cyclin CLN1, but not CLN2, is reduced in cdc48-3 at 38.5°C. The cofactor npl4-1 and ufd1-2 mutants also exhibit G1 delay and reduced CLN1 promoter activity at 38.5°C, suggesting that Npl4-Ufd1 complex mediates the function of Cdc48 at G1. The G1 delay of cdc48-3 at 38.5°C is a consequence of cell wall defect that over-activates Mpk1, a MAPK family member important for cell wall integrity in response to stress conditions including heat shock. cdc48-3 is hypersensitive to cell wall perturbing agents and is synthetic-sick with mutations in the cell wall integrity signaling pathway. Our results suggest that the cell wall defect in cdc48-3 is exacerbated by heat shock, which sustains Mpk1 activity to block G1 progression. Thus, Cdc48-Npl4-Ufd1 is important for the maintenance of cell wall integrity in order for normal cell growth and division.

Heat shock response in yeast involves changes in both transcription rates and mRNA stabilities

We have analyzed the heat stress response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by determining mRNA levels and transcription rates for the whole transcriptome after a shift from 25 °C to 37 °C. Using an established mathematical algorithm, theoretical mRNA decay rates have also been calculated from the experimental data. We have verified the mathematical predictions for selected genes by determining their mRNA decay rates at different times during heat stress response using the regulatable tetO promoter. This study indicates that the yeast response to heat shock is not only due to changes in transcription rates, but also to changes in the mRNA stabilities. mRNA stability is affected in 62% of the yeast genes and it is particularly important in shaping the mRNA profile of the genes belonging to the environmental stress response. In most cases, changes in transcription rates and mRNA stabilities are homodirectional for both parameters, although some interesting cases of antagonist behavior are found. The statistical analysis of gene targets and sequence motifs within the clusters of genes with similar behaviors shows that both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulons apparently contribute to the general heat stress response by means of transcriptional factors and RNA binding proteins.

Genome-wide analysis of the yeast transcriptome upon heat and cold shock

DNA arrays were used to measure changes in transcript levels as yeast cells responded to temperature shocks. The number of genes upregulated by temperature shifts from 30 ℃ to 37℃ or 45℃ was correlated with the severity of the stress. Pre-adaptation of cells, by growth at 37 ℃ previous to the 45℃ shift, caused a decrease in the number of genes related to this response. Heat shock also caused downregulation of a set of genes related to metabolism, cell growth and division, transcription, ribosomal proteins, protein synthesis and destination. Probably all of these responses combine to slow down cell growth and division during heat shock, thus saving energy for cell rescue. The presence of putative binding sites for Xbp1p in the promoters of these genes suggests a hypothetical role for this transcriptional repressor, although other mechanisms may be considered. The response to cold shock (4℃) affected a small number of genes, but the vast majority of those genes induced by exposure to 4 ℃ were also induced during heat shock; these genes share in their promoters cis-regulatory elements previously related to other stress responses.

Slow growth induces heat-shock resistance in normal and respiratory-deficient yeast

Yeast cells respond to a variety of environmental stresses, including heat shock and growth limitation. There is considerable overlap in these responses both from the point of view of gene expression patterns and cross-protection for survival. We performed experiments in which cells growing at different steady-state growth rates in chemostats were subjected to a short heat pulse. Gene expression patterns allowed us to partition genes whose expression responds to heat shock into subsets of genes that also respond to slow growth rate and those that do not. We found also that the degree of induction and repression of genes that respond to stress is generally weaker in respiratory deficient mutants, suggesting a role for increased respiratory activity in the apparent stress response to slow growth. Consistent with our gene expression results in wild-type cells, we found that cells growing more slowly are cross-protected for heat shock, i.e., better able to survive a lethal heat challenge. Surprisingly, however, we found no difference in cross-protection between respiratory-deficient and wild-type cells, suggesting induction of heat resistance at low growth rates is independent of respiratory activity, even though many of the changes in gene expression are not.

Genome-wide analysis reveals new roles for the activation domains of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae heat shock transcription factor (Hsf1) during the transient heat shock response

In response to elevated temperatures, cells from many organisms rapidly transcribe a number of mRNAs. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this protective response involves two regulatory systems: the heat shock transcription factor (Hsf1) and the Msn2 and Msn4 (Msn2/4) transcription factors. Both systems modulate the induction of specific heat shock genes. However, the contribution of Hsf1, independent of Msn2/4, is only beginning to emerge. To address this question, we constructed an msn2/4 double mutant and used microarrays to elucidate the genome-wide expression program of Hsf1. The data showed that 7.6% of the genome was heat-induced. The up-regulated genes belong to a wide range of functional categories, with a significant increase in the chaperone and metabolism genes. We then focused on the contribution of the activation domains of Hsf1 to the expression profile and extended our analysis to include msn2/4Delta strains deleted for the N-terminal or C-terminal activation domain of Hsf1. Cluster analysis of the heat-induced genes revealed activation domain-specific patterns of expression, with each cluster also showing distinct preferences for functional categories. Computational analysis of the promoters of the induced genes affected by the loss of an activation domain showed a distinct preference for positioning and topology of the Hsf1 binding site. This study provides insight into the important role that both activation domains play for the Hsf1 regulatory system to rapidly and effectively transcribe its regulon in response to heat shock.

Protein misfolding and temperature up-shift cause G1 arrest via a common mechanism dependent on heat shock factor in Saccharomycescerevisiae

Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the cell at high temperature may cause entry into a nonproliferating, heat-shocked state. The imino acid analog azetidine 2-carboxylic acid (AZC) is incorporated into cellular protein competitively with proline and can misfold proteins into which it is incorporated. AZC addition to budding yeast cells at concentrations sufficient to inhibit proliferation selectively activates heat shock factor (HSF). We find that AZC treatment fails to cause accumulation of glycogen and trehalose (Msn2/4-dependent processes) or to induce thermotolerance (a protein kinase C-dependent process). However, AZC-arrested cells can accumulate glycogen and trehalose and can acquire thermotolerance in response to a subsequent heat shock. We find that AZC treatment arrests cells in a viable state and that this arrest is reversible. We find that cells at high temperature or cells deficient in the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes Ubc4 and Ubc5 are hypersensitive to AZC-induced proliferation arrest. We find that AZC treatment mimics temperature up-shift in arresting cells in G1 and represses expression of CLN1 and CLN2. Mutants with reduced G1 cyclin-Cdc28 activity are hypersensitive to AZC-induced proliferation arrest. Expression of the hyperstable Cln3-2 protein prevents G1 arrest upon AZC treatment and temperature up-shift. Finally, we find that the EXA3-1 mutation, encoding a defective HSF, prevents efficient G1 arrest in response to both temperature up-shift and AZC treatment. We conclude that nontoxic levels of misfolded proteins (induced by AZC treatment or by high temperature) selectively activate HSF, which is required for subsequent G1 arrest.

Silent repair accounts for cell cycle specificity in the signaling of oxidative DNA lesions

Reactive oxygen species are the most important source of DNA lesions in aerobic organisms, but little is known about the activation of the DNA checkpoints in response to oxidative stress. We show that treatment of yeast cells with sublethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide induces a Mec1-dependent phosphorylation of Rad53 and a Rad53-dependent cell cycle delay specifically during S phase. The lack of Rad53 phosphorylation after hydrogen peroxide treatment in the G1 and G2 phases is due to the silent repair of oxidative DNA lesions produced at these stages by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Only the disruption of the BER pathway and the accumulation and/or treatment of DNA intermediates by alternative repair pathways reveal the existence of primary DNA lesions induced at all phases of the cell cycle by hydrogen peroxide. Our data illustrate both the concept of silent repair of DNA damage and the high sensitivity of S-phase cells to hydrogen peroxide.

Regulation of cell cycle progression by Swe1p and Hog1p following hypertonic stress

Exposure of yeast cells to an increase in external osmolarity induces a temporary growth arrest. Recovery from this stress is mediated by the accumulation of intracellular glycerol and the transcription of several stress response genes. Increased external osmolarity causes a transient accumulation of 1N and 2N cells and a concomitant depletion of S phase cells. Hypertonic stress triggers a cell cycle delay in G2 phase cells that appears distinct from the morphogenesis checkpoint, which operates in early S phase cells. Hypertonic stress causes a decrease in CLB2 mRNA, phosphorylation of Cdc28p, and inhibition of Clb2p-Cdc28p kinase activity, whereas Clb2 protein levels are unaffected. Like the morphogenesis checkpoint, the osmotic stress-induced G2 delay is dependent upon the kinase Swe1p, but is not tightly correlated with inhibition of Clb2p-Cdc28p kinase activity. Thus, deletion of SWE1 does not prevent the hypertonic stress-induced inhibition of Clb2p-Cdc28p kinase activity. Mutation of the Swe1p phosphorylation site on Cdc28p (Y19) does not fully eliminate the Swe1p-dependent cell cycle delay, suggesting that Swe1p may have functions independent of Cdc28p phosphorylation. Conversely, deletion of the mitogen-activated protein kinase HOG1 does prevent Clb2p-Cdc28p inhibition by hypertonic stress, but does not block Cdc28p phosphorylation or alleviate the cell cycle delay. However, Hog1p does contribute to proper nuclear segregation after hypertonic stress in cells that lack Swe1p. These results suggest a hypertonic stress-induced cell cycle delay in G2 phase that is mediated in a novel way by Swe1p in cooperation with Hog1p.

Hierarchy of S-phase-promoting factors: yeast Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase requires prior S-phase cyclin-dependent kinase activation

In all eukaryotes, the initiation of DNA synthesis requires the formation of prereplicative complexes (pre-RCs) on replication origins, followed by their activation by two S-T protein kinases, an S-phase cyclin-dependent kinase (S-CDK) and a homologue of yeast Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase (Dbf4p-dependent kinase [DDK]). Here, we show that yeast DDK activity is cell cycle regulated, though less tightly than that of the S-CDK Clb5-Cdk1, and peaks during S phase in correlation with Dbf4p levels. Dbf4p is short-lived throughout the cell cycle, but its instability is accentuated during G(1) by the anaphase-promoting complex. Downregulating DDK activity is physiologically important, as joint Cdc7p and Dbf4p overexpression is lethal. Because pre-RC formation is a highly ordered process, we asked whether S-CDK and DDK need also to function in a specific order for the firing of origins. We found that both kinases are activated independently, but we show that DDK can perform its function for DNA replication only after S-CDKs have been activated. Cdc45p, a protein needed for initiation, binds tightly to chromatin only after S-CDK activation (L. Zou and B. Stillman, Science 280:593-596, 1998). We show that Cdc45p is phosphorylated by DDK in vitro, suggesting that it might be one of DDK's critical substrates after S-CDK activation. Linking the origin-bound DDK to the tightly regulated S-CDK in a dependent sequence of events may ensure that DNA replication initiates only at the right time and place.

Regulation of Cdc28 cyclin-dependent protein kinase activity during the cell cycle of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The cyclin-dependent protein kinase (CDK) encoded by CDC28 is the master regulator of cell division in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By mechanisms that, for the most part, remain to be delineated, Cdc28 activity controls the timing of mitotic commitment, bud initiation, DNA replication, spindle formation, and chromosome separation. Environmental stimuli and progress through the cell cycle are monitored through checkpoint mechanisms that influence Cdc28 activity at key cell cycle stages. A vast body of information concerning how Cdc28 activity is timed and coordinated with various mitotic events has accrued. This article reviews that literature. Following an introduction to the properties of CDKs common to many eukaryotic species, the key influences on Cdc28 activity-cyclin-CKI binding and phosphorylation-dephosphorylation events-are examined. The processes controlling the abundance and activity of key Cdc28 regulators, especially transcriptional and proteolytic mechanisms, are then discussed in detail. Finally, the mechanisms by which environmental stimuli influence Cdc28 activity are summarized.

Cell-cycle arrest and inhibition of G1 cyclin translation by iron in AFT1-1(up) yeast

Although iron is an essential nutrient, it is also a potent cellular toxin, and the acquisition of iron is a highly regulated process in eukaryotes. In yeast, iron uptake is homeostatically regulated by the transcription factor encoded by AFT1. Expression of AFT1-1(up), a dominant mutant allele, results in inappropriately high rates of iron uptake, and AFT1-1(up) mutants grow slowly in the presence of high concentrations of iron. We present evidence that when Aft1-1(up) mutants are exposed to iron, they arrest the cell division cycle at the G1 regulatory point Start. This arrest is dependent on high-affinity iron uptake and does not require the activation of the DNA damage checkpoint governed by RAD9. The iron-induced arrest is bypassed by overexpression of a mutant G1 cyclin, cln3-2, and expression of the G1-specific cyclins Cln1 and Cln2 is reduced when yeast are exposed to increasing amounts of iron, which may account for the arrest. This reduction is not due to changes in transcription of CLN1 or CLN2, nor is it due to accelerated degradation of the protein. Instead, this reduction occurs at the level of Cln2 translation, a recently recognized locus of cell-cycle control in yeast.

Regulation of the Cln3-Cdc28 kinase by cAMP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae grows at widely varying rates in different growth media. In order to maintain a relatively constant cell size, yeast cells must regulate the rate of progress through the cell cycle to match changes in growth rate, moving quickly through G1 in rich medium, and slowly in poor medium. We have examined connections between nutrients, and the expression and activity of Cln3-Cdc28 kinase that regulates the G1-S boundary of the cell cycle in yeast, a point referred to as Start. We find that Cln3 protein levels are highest in glucose and lower in poorer carbon sources. This regulation involves both transcriptional and post-transcriptional control. Although the Ras-cAMP pathway does not appear to affect CLN3 transcription, cAMP increases Cln3 protein levels and Cln3-Cdc28 kinase activity. This regulation requires untranslated regions of the CLN3 message, and can be explained by changes in protein synthesis rates caused by cAMP. A model for CLN3 regulation and function is presented in which CLN3 regulates G1 length in response to nutrients.

Xbp1, a stress-induced transcriptional repressor of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Swi4/Mbp1 family

We have identified Xbp1 (XhoI site-binding protein 1) as a new DNA-binding protein with homology to the DNA-binding domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle regulating transcription factors Swi4 and Mbp1. The DNA recognition sequence was determined by random oligonucleotide selection and confirmed by gel retardation and footprint analyses. The consensus binding site of Xbp1, GcCTCGA(G/A)G(C/A)g(a/g), is a palindromic sequence, with an XhoI restriction enzyme recognition site at its center. This Xbpl binding site is similar to Swi4/Swi6 and Mbp1/Swi6 binding sites but shows a clear difference from these elements in one of the central core bases. There are binding sites for Xbp1 in the G1 cyclin promoter (CLN1), but they are distinct from the Swi4/Swi6 binding sites in CLN1, and Xbp1 will not bind to Swi4/Swi6 or Mbp1/Swi6 binding sites. The XBP1 promoter contains several stress-regulated elements, and its expression is induced by heat shock, high osmolarity, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and glucose starvation. When fused to the LexA DNA-binding domain, Xbp1 acts as transcriptional repressor, defining it as the first repressor in the Swi4/Mbp1 family and the first potential negative regulator of transcription induced by stress. Overexpression of XBP1 results in a slow-growth phenotype, lengthening of G1, an increase in cell volume, and a repression of G1 cyclin expression. These observations suggest that Xbp1 may contribute to the repression of specific transcripts and cause a transient cell cycle delay under stress conditions.

The Skn7 response regulator controls gene expression in the oxidative stress response of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Deletion of the bacterial two-component response regulator homologue Skn7 results in sensitivity of yeast to oxidizing agents indicating that Skn7 is involved in the response to this type of stress. Here we demonstrate that following oxidative stress, Skn7 regulates the induction of two genes: TRX2, encoding thioredoxin, and a gene encoding thioredoxin reductase. TRX2 is already known to be induced by oxidative stress dependent on the Yap1 protein, an AP1-like transcription factor responsible for the induction of gene expression in response to various stresses. The thioredoxin reductase gene has not previously been shown to be activated by oxidative stress and, significantly, we find that it too is regulated by Yap1. The control of at least TRX2 by Skn7 is a direct mechanism as Skn7 binds to the TRX2 gene promoter in vitro. This shows Skn7 to be a transcription factor, at present the only such eukaryotic two-component signalling protein. Our data further suggest that Skn7 and Yap1 co-operate on the TRX2 promoter, to induce transcription in response to oxidative stress.

The molecular chaperone Ydj1 is required for the p34CDC28-dependent phosphorylation of the cyclin Cln3 that signals its degradation

The G1 cyclin Cln3 of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is rapidly degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. This process is triggered by p34CDC28-dependent phosphorylation of Cln3. Here we demonstrate that the molecular chaperone Ydj1, a DnaJ homolog, is required for this phosphorylation. In a ydj1 mutant at the nonpermissive temperature, both phosphorylation and degradation of Cln3 were deficient. No change was seen upon inactivation of Sis1, another DnaJ homolog. The phosphorylation defect in the ydj1 mutant was specific to Cln3, because no reduction in the phosphorylation of Cln2 or histone H1, which also requires p34CDC28, was observed. Ydj1 was required for Cln3 phosphorylation and degradation rather than for the proper folding of this cyclin, since Cln3 produced in the ydj1 mutant was fully active in the stimulation of p34CDC28 histone kinase activity. Moreover, Ydj1 directly associates with Cln3 in close proximity to the segment that is phosphorylated and signals degradation. Thus, binding of Ydj1 to this domain of Cln3 seems to be essential for the phosphorylation and breakdown of this cyclin. In a cell-free system, purified Ydj1 stimulated the p34CDC28-dependent phosphorylation of the C-terminal segment of Cln3 and did not affect phosphorylation of Cln2 (as was found in vivo). The reconstitution of this process with pure components provides evidence of a direct role for the chaperone in the phosphorylation of Cln3.

Stress-induced transcriptional activation

Living cells, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, employ specific sensory and signalling systems to obtain and transmit information from their environment in order to adjust cellular metabolism, growth, and development to environmental alterations. Among external factors that trigger such molecular communications are nutrients, ions, drugs and other compounds, and physical parameters such as temperature and pressure. One could consider stress imposed on cells as any disturbance of the normal growth condition and even as any deviation from optimal growth circumstances. It may be worthwhile to distinguish specific and general stress circumstances. Reasoning from this angle, the extensively studied response to heat stress on the one hand is a specific response of cells challenged with supra-optimal temperatures. This response makes use of the sophisticated chaperoning mechanisms playing a role during normal protein folding and turnover. The response is aimed primarily at protection and repair of cellular components and partly at acquisition of heat tolerance. In addition, heat stress conditions induce a general response, in common with other metabolically adverse circumstances leading to physiological perturbations, such as oxidative stress or osmostress. Furthermore, it is obvious that limitation of essential nutrients, such as glucose or amino acids for yeasts, leads to such a metabolic response. The purpose of the general response may be to promote rapid recovery from the stressful condition and resumption of normal growth. This review focuses on the changes in gene expression that occur when cells are challenged by stress, with major emphasis on the transcription factors involved, their cognate promoter elements, and the modulation of their activity upon stress signal transduction. With respect to heat shock-induced changes, a wealth of information on both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, including yeasts, is available. As far as the concept of the general (metabolic) stress response is concerned, major attention will be paid to Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The budding yeast U5 snRNP Prp8 is a highly conserved protein which links RNA splicing with cell cycle progression

The dbf3 mutation was originally obtained in a screen for DNA synthesis mutants with a cell cycle phenotype in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have now isolated the DBF3 gene and found it to be an essential gene with an ORF of 7239 nucleotides, potentially encoding a large protein of 268 kDa. We also obtained an allele-specific high copy number suppressor of the dbf3-1 allele, encoded by the known SSB1 gene, a member of the Hsp70 family of heat shock proteins. The sequence of the Dbf3 protein is 58% identical over 2300 amino acid residues to a predicted protein from Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, partial sequences with 61% amino acid sequence identity were deduced from two files of human cDNA in the EST nucleotide database so that Dbf3 is a highly conserved protein. The nucleotide sequence of DBF3 turned out to be identical to the yeast gene PRP8, which encodes a U5 snRNP required for pre-mRNA splicing. This surprising result led us to further characterise the phenotype of dbf3 which confirmed its role in the cell cycle and showed it to function early, around the time of S phase. This data suggests a hitherto unexpected link between pre-mRNA splicing and the cell cycle.

Differential effects of Cdc68 on cell cycle-regulated promoters in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Swi4 and Swi6 form a complex which is required for Start-dependent activation of HO and for high-level expression of G1 cyclin genes CLN1 and CLN2. To identify other regulators of this pathway, we screened for dominant, recessive, conditional, and allele-specific suppressors of swi4 mutants. We isolated 16 recessive suppressors that define three genes, SSF1, SSF5, and SSF9 (suppressor of swi four). Mutations in all three genes bypass the requirement for both Swi4 and Swi6 for HO transcription and activate transcription from reporter genes lacking upstream activating sequences (UASs). SSF5 is allelic with SIN4 (TSF3), a gene implicated in global repression of transcription and chromatin structure, and SSF9 is likely to be a new global repressor of transcription. SSF1 is allelic with CDC68 (SPT16). cdc68 mutations have been shown to increase expression from defective promoters, while preventing transcription from other intact promoters, including CLN1 and CLN2. We find that CDC68 is a required activator of both SWI4 and SWI6, suggesting that CDC68's role at the CLN promoters may be indirect. The target of CDC68 within the SWI4 promoter is complex in that known activating elements (MluI cell cycle boxes) in the SWI4 promoter are required for CDC68 dependence but only within the context of the full-length promoter. This result suggests that there may be both a chromatin structure and a UAS-specific component to Cdc68 function at SWI4. We suggest that Cdc68 functions both in the assembly of repressive complexes that form on many intact promoters in vivo and in the relief of this repression during gene activation.

Differential effects of Cdc68 on cell cycle-regulated promoters in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Swi4 and Swi6 form a complex which is required for Start-dependent activation of HO and for high-level expression of G1 cyclin genes CLN1 and CLN2. To identify other regulators of this pathway, we screened for dominant, recessive, conditional, and allele-specific suppressors of swi4 mutants. We isolated 16 recessive suppressors that define three genes, SSF1, SSF5, and SSF9 (suppressor of swi four). Mutations in all three genes bypass the requirement for both Swi4 and Swi6 for HO transcription and activate transcription from reporter genes lacking upstream activating sequences (UASs). SSF5 is allelic with SIN4 (TSF3), a gene implicated in global repression of transcription and chromatin structure, and SSF9 is likely to be a new global repressor of transcription. SSF1 is allelic with CDC68 (SPT16). cdc68 mutations have been shown to increase expression from defective promoters, while preventing transcription from other intact promoters, including CLN1 and CLN2. We find that CDC68 is a required activator of both SWI4 and SWI6, suggesting that CDC68's role at the CLN promoters may be indirect. The target of CDC68 within the SWI4 promoter is complex in that known activating elements (MluI cell cycle boxes) in the SWI4 promoter are required for CDC68 dependence but only within the context of the full-length promoter. This result suggests that there may be both a chromatin structure and a UAS-specific component to Cdc68 function at SWI4. We suggest that Cdc68 functions both in the assembly of repressive complexes that form on many intact promoters in vivo and in the relief of this repression during gene activation.

Protein synthesis in long-term stationary-phase cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We are interested in characterizing the process of entry into and the maintenance of the stationary phase. To identify proteins that are induced during growth to stationary phase, we examined protein synthesis in long-term stationary-phase cultures using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Although the total rate of protein synthesis declined when growth ceased after the postdiauxic phase, the pattern of proteins synthesized remained similar throughout the experimental period (28 days), except at the diauxic shift. At the diauxic shift most proteins detectable by 2D-PAGE undergo a transient reduction in their relative rate of synthesis that ends when cells resume growth during the postdiauxic phase. We conclude from this that the transient repression of protein synthesis at the diauxic shift is not directly associated with stationary-phase arrest. A number of proteins that are synthesized after exponential phase have been identified by 2D-PAGE. These proteins could be divided into three temporal classes depending upon when their synthesis became detectable. One postexponential protein, designated p35, was induced later than all other proteins, and its relative rate of synthesis increased throughout stationary phase. Unlike most postexponential proteins, p35 was not regulated by heat shock or glucose repression. We also observed that a direct correlation between steady-state mRNA accumulation and protein synthesis for another postexponential protein (Ssa3p) or two closely related constitutive proteins (Ssa1p and Ssa2p) did not exist. We conclude from this result that synthesis of proteins in stationary phase is regulated by mechanisms other than the control of steady-state mRNA accumulation.

The B subunit of the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae executes an essential function at the initial stage of DNA replication

The four-subunit DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex is unique in its ability to synthesize DNA chains de novo, and some in vitro data suggest its involvement in initiation and elongation of chromosomal DNA replication, although direct in vivo evidence for a role in the initiation reaction is still lacking. The function of the B subunit of the complex is unknown, but the Saccharomyces cerevisiae POL12 gene, which encodes this protein, is essential for cell viability. We have produced different pol12 alleles by in vitro mutagenesis of the cloned gene. The in vivo analysis of our 18 pol12 alleles indicates that the conserved carboxy-terminal two-thirds of the protein contains regions that are essential for cell viability, while the more divergent NH2-terminal portion is partially dispensable. The characterization of the temperature-sensitive pol12-T9 mutant allele demonstrates that the B subunit is required for in vivo DNA synthesis and correct progression through S phase. Moreover, reciprocal shift experiments indicate that the POL12 gene product plays an essential role at the early stage of chromosomal DNA replication, before the hydroxyurea-sensitive step. A model for the role of the B subunit in initiation of DNA replication at an origin is presented.

The B subunit of the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae executes an essential function at the initial stage of DNA replication

The four-subunit DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex is unique in its ability to synthesize DNA chains de novo, and some in vitro data suggest its involvement in initiation and elongation of chromosomal DNA replication, although direct in vivo evidence for a role in the initiation reaction is still lacking. The function of the B subunit of the complex is unknown, but the Saccharomyces cerevisiae POL12 gene, which encodes this protein, is essential for cell viability. We have produced different pol12 alleles by in vitro mutagenesis of the cloned gene. The in vivo analysis of our 18 pol12 alleles indicates that the conserved carboxy-terminal two-thirds of the protein contains regions that are essential for cell viability, while the more divergent NH2-terminal portion is partially dispensable. The characterization of the temperature-sensitive pol12-T9 mutant allele demonstrates that the B subunit is required for in vivo DNA synthesis and correct progression through S phase. Moreover, reciprocal shift experiments indicate that the POL12 gene product plays an essential role at the early stage of chromosomal DNA replication, before the hydroxyurea-sensitive step. A model for the role of the B subunit in initiation of DNA replication at an origin is presented.