Two homologous zinc finger genes identified by multicopy suppression in a SNF1 protein kinase mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Conserved signaling modules regulate filamentous growth in fungi: a model for eukaryotic cell differentiation

Eukaryotic organisms are composed of different cell types with defined shapes and functions. Specific cell types are produced by the process of cell differentiation, which is regulated by signal transduction pathways. Signaling pathways regulate cell differentiation by sensing cues and controlling the expression of target genes whose products generate cell types with specific attributes. In studying how cells differentiate, fungi have proved valuable models because of their ease of genetic manipulation and striking cell morphologies. Many fungal species undergo filamentous growth-a specialized growth pattern where cells produce elongated tube-like projections. Filamentous growth promotes expansion into new environments, including invasion into plant and animal hosts by fungal pathogens. The same signaling pathways that regulate filamentous growth in fungi also control cell differentiation throughout eukaryotes and include highly conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, which is the focus of this review. In many fungal species, mucin-type sensors regulate MAPK pathways to control filamentous growth in response to diverse stimuli. Once activated, MAPK pathways reorganize cell polarity, induce changes in cell adhesion, and promote the secretion of degradative enzymes that mediate access to new environments. However, MAPK pathway regulation is complicated because related pathways can share components with each other yet induce unique responses (i.e. signal specificity). In addition, MAPK pathways function in highly integrated networks with other regulatory pathways (i.e. signal integration). Here, we discuss signal specificity and integration in several yeast models (mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans) by focusing on the filamentation MAPK pathway. Because of the strong evolutionary ties between species, a deeper understanding of the regulation of filamentous growth in established models and increasingly diverse fungal species can reveal fundamentally new mechanisms underlying eukaryotic cell differentiation.

Snf1/AMPK fine-tunes TORC1 signaling in response to glucose starvation

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) are central kinase modules of two opposing signaling pathways that control eukaryotic cell growth and metabolism in response to the availability of energy and nutrients. Accordingly, energy depletion activates AMPK to inhibit growth, while nutrients and high energy levels activate TORC1 to promote growth. Both in mammals and lower eukaryotes such as yeast, the AMPK and TORC1 pathways are wired to each other at different levels, which ensures homeostatic control of growth and metabolism. In this context, a previous study (Hughes Hallett et al., 2015) reported that AMPK in yeast, that is Snf1, prevents the transient TORC1 reactivation during the early phase following acute glucose starvation, but the underlying mechanism has remained elusive. Using a combination of unbiased mass spectrometry (MS)-based phosphoproteomics, genetic, biochemical, and physiological experiments, we show here that Snf1 temporally maintains TORC1 inactive in glucose-starved cells primarily through the TORC1-regulatory protein Pib2. Our data, therefore, extend the function of Pib2 to a hub that integrates both glucose and, as reported earlier, glutamine signals to control TORC1. We further demonstrate that Snf1 phosphorylates the TORC1 effector kinase Sch9 within its N-terminal region and thereby antagonizes the phosphorylation of a C-terminal TORC1-target residue within Sch9 itself that is critical for its activity. The consequences of Snf1-mediated phosphorylation of Pib2 and Sch9 are physiologically additive and sufficient to explain the role of Snf1 in short-term inhibition of TORC1 in acutely glucose-starved cells.

Fermentation Efficiency of Genetically Modified Yeasts in Grapes Must

Winemaking is a stressful procedure for yeast cells. The presence of high levels of carbohydrates at the beginning of the fermentation and the subsequent increase of ethanol levels alongside with other environmental factors force the cell to undergo a continuous adaptation process. Ideally, yeast strains should be able to adapt to this changing environment fast and they must be able to ferment at low temperatures with the highest possible fermentation rates. Additionally, the balanced utilization of glucose and fructose—the two major hexoses in grapes—is also important as any residual fructose may confers unwanted sweetness. As proteins, Msn2/4 are known to play pivotal roles in cell stress response, the question that arise regards the differentially cell response driven by specific point mutations in these two proteins, and the subsequent effects on alcoholic fermentation. Four different mutants in which serine residues have been replaced by alanine are studied in this paper. Our results indicate that substitution at position 533 of Msn4 protein (W_M4_533) significantly increases the fermentation rate even at low temperatures (12 °C), by lowering the fermentation’s activation energy. Similar results but to a lesser extent were obtained by the S582A substitution in Msn2 protein. In addition, W_M4_533 seems to have a more balanced utilization of must hexoses. From the present work it is concluded that genetic modification Msn2/4 represents a promising procedure for shortening the fermentation time, even at low temperatures, which in many cases constitutes an important technological requirement.

Msn2/4 transcription factors positively regulate expression of Atg39 ER-phagy receptor

Selective autophagy requires the autophagy receptor specifically localizing to the target for degradation. In the budding yeast, Atg39 and Atg40 function as an autophagy receptor for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-selective autophagy, referred to as ER-phagy. The expression level of the ATG39 gene is increased in response to ER stress and nitrogen starvation. Under unstressed conditions, ATG39 transcription is repressed by Mig1/2 repressors. ER stress activates Snf1 AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which negatively regulates Mig1/2 and consequently derepresses ATG39 transcription. However, ATG39 expression is still induced by ER stress and nitrogen starvation in the absence of Snf1, suggesting that additional molecules are involved in regulation of ATG39 expression. Here, we identify Msn2/4 transcription factors as an activator of ATG39 transcription. Not only ATG39 promoter activity but also ER-phagy are downregulated by loss of Msn2/4 and disruption of Msn2/4-binding consensus sequences located in the ATG39 promoter. We also find that the cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathway is involved in Msn2/4-mediated transcriptional regulation of ATG39. Our results suggest that yeast ER-phagy is appropriately controlled through modulation of the expression level of the ER-phagy receptor involving multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors.

Tolerance to nascent protein misfolding stress requires fine-tuning of the cAMP/PKA pathway

Protein aggregation is the abnormal association of misfolded proteins into larger, often insoluble structures that can be toxic during aging and in protein aggregation-associated diseases. Previous research has established a role for the cytosolic Tsa1 peroxiredoxin in responding to protein misfolding stress. Tsa1 is also known to downregulate the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway as part of the response to hydrogen peroxide stress. However, whether the cAMP/PKA pathway is involved in protein misfolding stress is not known. Using transcriptomics, we examined the response to protein misfolding stress and found upregulation of numerous stress gene functions and downregulation of many genes related to protein synthesis and other growth-related processes consistent with the well-characterized environmental stress response. The scope of the transcriptional response is largely similar in wild-type and tsa1 mutant strains, but the magnitude is dampened in the strain lacking Tsa1. We identified a direct protein interaction between Tsa1 and the Bcy1 regulatory subunit of PKA that is present under normal growth conditions and explains the observed differences in gene expression profiles. This interaction is increased in a redox-dependent manner in response to nascent protein misfolding, via Tsa1-mediated oxidation of Bcy1. Oxidation of Bcy1 causes a reduction in cAMP binding by Bcy1, which dampens PKA pathway activity, leading to a targeted reprogramming of gene expression. Redox regulation of the regulatory subunit of PKA provides a mechanism to mitigate the toxic consequences of protein misfolding stress that is distinct to stress caused by exogenous sources of reactive oxygen species.

Phenomic screen identifies a role for the yeast lysine acetyltransferase NuA4 in the control of Bcy1 subcellular localization, glycogen biosynthesis, and mitochondrial morphology

Cellular metabolism is tightly regulated by many signaling pathways and processes, including lysine acetylation of proteins. While lysine acetylation of metabolic enzymes can directly influence enzyme activity, there is growing evidence that lysine acetylation can also impact protein localization. As the Saccharomyces cerevisiae lysine acetyltransferase complex NuA4 has been implicated in a variety of metabolic processes, we have explored whether NuA4 controls the localization and/or protein levels of metabolic proteins. We performed a high-throughput microscopy screen of over 360 GFP-tagged metabolic proteins and identified 23 proteins whose localization and/or abundance changed upon deletion of the NuA4 scaffolding subunit, EAF1. Within this, three proteins were required for glycogen synthesis and 14 proteins were associated with the mitochondria. We determined that in eaf1Δ cells the transcription of glycogen biosynthesis genes is upregulated resulting in increased proteins and glycogen production. Further, in the absence of EAF1, mitochondria are highly fused, increasing in volume approximately 3-fold, and are chaotically distributed but remain functional. Both the increased glycogen synthesis and mitochondrial elongation in eaf1Δ cells are dependent on Bcy1, the yeast regulatory subunit of PKA. Surprisingly, in the absence of EAF1, Bcy1 localization changes from being nuclear to cytoplasmic and PKA activity is altered. We found that NuA4-dependent localization of Bcy1 is dependent on a lysine residue at position 313 of Bcy1. However, the glycogen accumulation and mitochondrial elongation phenotypes of eaf1Δ, while dependent on Bcy1, were not fully dependent on Bcy1-K313 acetylation state and subcellular localization of Bcy1. As NuA4 is highly conserved with the human Tip60 complex, our work may inform human disease biology, revealing new avenues to investigate the role of Tip60 in metabolic diseases.

Promoter Architecture and Promoter Engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Promoters play an essential role in the regulation of gene expression for fine-tuning genetic circuits and metabolic pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae). However, native promoters in S. cerevisiae have several limitations which hinder their applications in metabolic engineering. These limitations include an inadequate number of well-characterized promoters, poor dynamic range, and insufficient orthogonality to endogenous regulations. Therefore, it is necessary to perform promoter engineering to create synthetic promoters with better properties. Here, we review recent advances related to promoter architecture, promoter engineering and synthetic promoter applications in S. cerevisiae. We also provide a perspective of future directions in this field with an emphasis on the recent advances of machine learning based promoter designs.

Proline Homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: How Does the Stress-Responsive Transcription Factor Msn2 Play a Role?

Overexpression of MSN2, which is the transcription factor gene in response to stress, is well-known to increase the tolerance of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to a wide variety of environmental stresses. Recent studies have found that the Msn2 is a feasible potential mediator of proline homeostasis in yeast. This result is based on the finding that overexpression of the MSN2 gene exacerbates the cytotoxicity of yeast to various amino acid analogs whose uptake is increased by the active amino acid permeases localized on the plasma membrane as a result of a dysfunctional deubiquitination process. Increased understanding of the cellular responses induced by the Msn2-mediated proline incorporation will provide better comprehension of how cells respond to and counteract to different kinds of stimuli and will also contribute to the breeding of industrial yeast strains with increased productivity.

Genetic Regulators and Physiological Significance of Glycogen Storage in Candida albicans

The dimorphic human fungal pathogen C. albicans has broad metabolic flexibility that allows it to adapt to the nutrient conditions in different host habitats. C. albicans builds large carbohydrate stores (glycogen) at the end of exponential growth and begins consumption of stored carbohydrates when nutrients become limiting. The expression of genes required for the successful transition between host environments, including the factors controlling glycogen content, is controlled by protein kinase A signaling through the transcription factor Efg1. In addition to the inability to transition to hyphal growth, C. albicans efg1 mutants have low glycogen content and reduced long-term survival, suggesting that carbohydrate storage is required for viability during prolonged culture. To test this assumption, we constructed a glycogen-deficient C. albicans mutant and assessed its viability during extended culture. Pathways and additional genetic factors controlling C. albicans glycogen synthesis were identified through the screening of mutant libraries for strains with low glycogen content. Finally, a part of the Efg1-regulon was screened for mutants with a shortened long-term survival phenotype. We found that glycogen deficiency does not affect long-term survival, growth, metabolic flexibility or morphology of C. albicans. We conclude that glycogen is not an important contributor to C. albicans fitness.

Dynamic motif occupancy (DynaMO) analysis identifies transcription factors and their binding sites driving dynamic biological processes

Biological processes are usually associated with genome-wide remodeling of transcription driven by transcription factors (TFs). Identifying key TFs and their spatiotemporal binding patterns are indispensable to understanding how dynamic processes are programmed. However, most methods are designed to predict TF binding sites only. We present a computational method, dynamic motif occupancy analysis (DynaMO), to infer important TFs and their spatiotemporal binding activities in dynamic biological processes using chromatin profiling data from multiple biological conditions such as time-course histone modification ChIP-seq data. In the first step, DynaMO predicts TF binding sites with a random forests approach. Next and uniquely, DynaMO infers dynamic TF binding activities at predicted binding sites using their local chromatin profiles from multiple biological conditions. Another landmark of DynaMO is to identify key TFs in a dynamic process using a clustering and enrichment analysis of dynamic TF binding patterns. Application of DynaMO to the yeast ultradian cycle, mouse circadian clock and human neural differentiation exhibits its accuracy and versatility. We anticipate DynaMO will be generally useful for elucidating transcriptional programs in dynamic processes.

Regulation of the heat shock transcription factor Hsf1 in fungi: implications for temperature-dependent virulence traits

The impact of fungal pathogens on human health is devastating. For fungi and other pathogens, a key determinant of virulence is the capacity to thrive at host temperatures, with elevated temperature in the form of fever as a ubiquitous host response to defend against infection. A prominent feature of cells experiencing heat stress is the increased expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps) that play pivotal roles in the refolding of misfolded proteins in order to restore cellular homeostasis. Transcriptional activation of this heat shock response is orchestrated by the essential heat shock transcription factor, Hsf1. Although the influence of Hsf1 on cellular stress responses has been studied for decades, many aspects of its regulation and function remain largely enigmatic. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of how Hsf1 is regulated and activated in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and highlight exciting recent discoveries related to its diverse functions under both basal and stress conditions. Given that thermal adaption is a fundamental requirement for growth and virulence in fungal pathogens, we also compare and contrast Hsf1 activation and function in other fungal species with an emphasis on its role as a critical regulator of virulence traits.

Spontaneous mutations in CYC8 and MIG1 suppress the short chronological lifespan of budding yeast lacking SNF1/AMPK

Chronologically aging yeast cells are prone to adaptive regrowth, whereby mutants with a survival advantage spontaneously appear and re-enter the cell cycle in stationary phase cultures. Adaptive regrowth is especially noticeable with short-lived strains, including those defective for SNF1, the homolog of mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). SNF1 becomes active in response to multiple environmental stresses that occur in chronologically aging cells, including glucose depletion and oxidative stress. SNF1 is also required for the extension of chronological lifespan (CLS) by caloric restriction (CR) as defined as limiting glucose at the time of culture inoculation. To identify specific downstream SNF1 targets responsible for CLS extension during CR, we screened for adaptive regrowth mutants that restore chronological longevity to a short-lived snf1∆ parental strain. Whole genome sequencing of the adapted mutants revealed missense mutations in TPR motifs 9 and 10 of the transcriptional co-repressor Cyc8 that specifically mediate repression through the transcriptional repressor Mig1. Another mutation occurred in MIG1 itself, thus implicating the activation of Mig1-repressed genes as a key function of SNF1 in maintaining CLS. Consistent with this conclusion, the cyc8 TPR mutations partially restored growth on alternative carbon sources and significantly extended CLS compared to the snf1∆ parent. Furthermore, cyc8 TPR mutations reactivated multiple Mig1-repressed genes, including the transcription factor gene CAT8, which is responsible for activating genes of the glyoxylate and gluconeogenesis pathways. Deleting CAT8 completely blocked CLS extension by the cyc8 TPR mutations on CLS, identifying these pathways as key Snf1-regulated CLS determinants.

Stress response factors drive regrowth of quiescent cells

Quiescent cells exploit an array of transcription factors to activate stress response machinery and maintain survival under nutrient-limited conditions. Our recent findings reveal that these transcription factors also play an important role in the exit of quiescence and regrowth. By studying Saccharomyces cerevisiae under a continuous, nutrient-limited condition, we found that Msn2 and Msn4 function as master regulators of glycolytic genes in the quiescent-like phase. They control the timing of transition from quiescence to growth by regulating the accumulation rate of acetyl-CoA, a key metabolite that is downstream of glycolysis and drives growth. These findings suggest a model that Msn2/4 not only protect the cells from starvation but also facilitate their regrowth from quiescence. Thus, understanding the functions of stress response transcription factors in metabolic regulation will provide deeper insight into how quiescent cells manage the capacity of regrowth.

Msn2/4 regulate expression of glycolytic enzymes and control transition from quiescence to growth

Nutrient availability and stresses impact a cell's decision to enter a growth state or a quiescent state. Acetyl-CoA stimulates cell growth under nutrient-limiting conditions, but how cells generate acetyl-CoA under starvation stress is less understood. Here, we show that general stress response factors, Msn2 and Msn4, function as master transcriptional regulators of yeast glycolysis via directly binding and activating genes encoding glycolytic enzymes. Yeast cells lacking Msn2 and Msn4 exhibit prevalent repression of glycolytic genes and a significant delay of acetyl-CoA accumulation and reentry into growth from quiescence. Thus Msn2/4 exhibit a dual role in activating carbohydrate metabolism genes and stress response genes. These results suggest a possible mechanism by which starvation-induced stress response factors may prime quiescent cells to reenter growth through glycolysis when nutrients are limited.

The stress-regulatory transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 regulate fatty acid oxidation in budding yeast

The transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 (multicopy suppressor of SNF1 mutation proteins 2 and 4) bind the stress-response element in gene promoters in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae However, the roles of Msn2/4 in primary metabolic pathways such as fatty acid β-oxidation are unclear. Here, in silico analysis revealed that the promoters of most genes involved in the biogenesis, function, and regulation of the peroxisome contain Msn2/4-binding sites. We also found that transcript levels of MSN2/MSN4 are increased in glucose-depletion conditions and that during growth in nonpreferred carbon sources, Msn2 is constantly localized to the nucleus in wild-type cells. Of note, the double mutant msn2Δmsn4Δ exhibited a severe growth defect when grown with oleic acid as the sole carbon source and had reduced transcript levels of major β-oxidation genes. ChIP indicated that Msn2 has increased occupancy on the promoters of β-oxidation genes in glucose-depleted conditions, and in vivo reporter gene analysis indicated reduced expression of these genes in msn2Δmsn4Δ cells. Moreover, mobility shift assays revealed that Msn4 binds β-oxidation gene promoters. Immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-peroxisome membrane protein antibodies disclosed that the msn2Δmsn4Δ strain had fewer peroxisomes than the wild type, and lipid analysis indicated that the msn2Δmsn4Δ strain had increased triacylglycerol and steryl ester levels. Collectively, our data suggest that Msn2/Msn4 transcription factors activate expression of the genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. Because glucose sensing, signaling, and fatty acid β-oxidation pathways are evolutionarily conserved throughout eukaryotes, the msn2Δmsn4Δ strain could therefore be a good model system for further study of these critical processes.

The glucose sensor Snf1 and the transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 regulate transcription of the vacuolar iron importer gene CCC1 and iron resistance in yeast

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae stores iron in the vacuole, which is a major resistance mechanism against iron toxicity. One key protein involved in vacuolar iron storage is the iron importer Ccc1, which facilitates iron entry into the vacuole. Transcription of the CCC1 gene is largely regulated by the binding of iron-sulfur clusters to the activator domain of the transcriptional activator Yap5. Additional evidence, however, suggests that Yap5-independent transcriptional activation of CCC1 also contributes to iron resistance. Here, we demonstrate that components of the signaling pathway involving the low-glucose sensor Snf1 regulate CCC1 transcription and iron resistance. We found that SNF1 deletion acts synergistically with YAP5 deletion to regulate CCC1 transcription and iron resistance. A kinase-dead mutation of Snf1 lowered iron resistance as did deletion of SNF4, which encodes a partner protein of Snf1. Deletion of all three alternative partners of Snf1 encoded by SIT1, SIT2, and GAL83 decreased both CCC1 transcription and iron resistance. The Snf1 complex is known to activate the general stress transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4. We show that Msn2 and Msn4 contribute to Snf1-mediated CCC1 transcription. Of note, SNF1 deletion in combination with MSN2 and MSN4 deletion resulted in additive effects on CCC1 transcription, suggesting that other activators contribute to the regulation of CCC1 transcription. In conclusion, we show that yeast have developed multiple transcriptional mechanisms to regulate Ccc1 expression and to protect against high cytosolic iron toxicity.

Yeast Cip1 is activated by environmental stress to inhibit Cdk1-G1 cyclins via Mcm1 and Msn2/4

Upon environmental changes, proliferating cells delay cell cycle to prevent further damage accumulation. Yeast Cip1 is a Cdk1 and Cln2-associated protein. However, the function and regulation of Cip1 are still poorly understood. Here we report that Cip1 expression is co-regulated by the cell-cycle-mediated factor Mcm1 and the stress-mediated factors Msn2/4. Overexpression of Cip1 arrests cell cycle through inhibition of Cdk1–G1 cyclin complexes at G1 stage and the stress-activated protein kinase-dependent Cip1 T65, T69, and T73 phosphorylation may strengthen the Cip1and Cdk1–G1 cyclin interaction. Cip1 accumulation mainly targets Cdk1–Cln3 complex to prevent Whi5 phosphorylation and inhibit early G1 progression. Under osmotic stress, Cip1 expression triggers transient G1 delay which plays a functionally redundant role with another hyperosmolar activated CKI, Sic1. These findings indicate that Cip1 functions similarly to mammalian p21 as a stress-induced CDK inhibitor to decelerate cell cycle through G1 cyclins to cope with environmental stresses.

A G1 cell cycle regulatory kinase Cip1 has been identified in budding yeast but how this is regulated is unclear. Here the authors identify cell cycle (Mcm1) and stress-mediated (Msn 2/4) transcription factors as regulating Cip1, causing stress induced CDK inhibition and delay in cell cycle progression.

Fasting regulates EGR1 and protects from glucose- and dexamethasone-dependent sensitization to chemotherapy

Fasting reduces glucose levels and protects mice against chemotoxicity, yet drugs that promote hyperglycemia are widely used in cancer treatment. Here, we show that dexamethasone (Dexa) and rapamycin (Rapa), commonly administered to cancer patients, elevate glucose and sensitize cardiomyocytes and mice to the cancer drug doxorubicin (DXR). Such toxicity can be reversed by reducing circulating glucose levels by fasting or insulin. Furthermore, glucose injections alone reversed the fasting-dependent protection against DXR in mice, indicating that elevated glucose mediates, at least in part, the sensitizing effects of rapamycin and dexamethasone. In yeast, glucose activates protein kinase A (PKA) to accelerate aging by inhibiting transcription factors Msn2/4. Here, we show that fasting or glucose restriction (GR) regulate PKA and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to protect against DXR in part by activating the mammalian Msn2/4 ortholog early growth response protein 1 (EGR1). Increased expression of the EGR1-regulated cardioprotective peptides atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in heart tissue may also contribute to DXR resistance. Our findings suggest the existence of a glucose-PKA pathway that inactivates conserved zinc finger stress-resistance transcription factors to sensitize cells to toxins conserved from yeast to mammals. Our findings also describe a toxic role for drugs widely used in cancer treatment that promote hyperglycemia and identify dietary interventions that reverse these effects.

RNA-binding proteins and their role in the regulation of gene expression in Trypanosoma cruzi and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have important functions in the regulation of gene expression. RBPs play key roles in post-transcriptional processes in all eukaryotes, such as splicing regulation, mRNA transport and modulation of mRNA translation and decay. RBPs assemble into different mRNA-protein complexes, which form messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes (mRNPs). Gene expression regulation in trypanosomatids occurs mainly at the post-transcriptional level and RBPs play a key role in all processes. However, the functional characterization of RBPs in Trypanosoma cruzi has been impaired due to the lack of reliable reverse genetic manipulation tools. The comparison of RBPs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and T. cruzi might allow inferring on the function of these proteins based on the information available for the orthologous RNA-binding proteins from the S. cerevisiae model organism. In this review, we discuss the role of some RBPs from T. cruzi and their homologues in regulating gene expression in yeast.

From yeast to hypha: defining transcriptomic signatures of the morphological switch in the dimorphic fungal pathogen Ophiostoma novo-ulmi

Background

Yeast-to-hypha transition is a major morphological change in fungi. Molecular regulators and pathways that are involved in this process have been extensively studied in model species, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Mitogen-Actived Protein Kinase (MAPK) cascade, for example, is known to be involved in the yeast-to-pseudohypha switch. Yet the conservation of mechanisms regulating such morphological changes in non-model fungi is still poorly understood. Here, we investigate cell remodeling and transcriptomic modifications that occur during this morphological switch in the highly aggressive ascomycete fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, the causal agent of Dutch elm disease.

Results

Using a combination of light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and flow cytometry, we demonstrate that the morphological switch occurs in less than 27 h, with phenotypic cell modifications being detected within the first 4 h. Using RNAseq, we found that over 22% of the genome of O. novo-ulmi is differentially expressed during the transition. By performing clustering analyses of time series gene expression data, we identified several sets of genes that are differentially expressed according to distinct and representative temporal profiles. Further, we found that several genes that are homologous to S. cerevisiae MAPK genes are regulated during the yeast-to-hypha transition in O. novo-ulmi and mostly over-expressed, suggesting convergence in gene expression regulation.

Conclusions

Our results are the first report of a time-course experiment monitoring the morphological transition in a non-model Sordariomycota species and reveal many genes of interest for further functional investigations of fungal dimorphism.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3251-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aspergillus fumigatus virulence through the lens of transcription factors

Invasive aspergillosis (IA), most commonly caused by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, occurs in immune compromised individuals. The ability of A. fumigatus to proliferate in a multitude of environments is hypothesized to contribute to its pathogenicity and virulence. Transcription factors (TF) have long been recognized as critical proteins for fungal pathogenicity, as many are known to play important roles in the transcriptional regulation of pathways implicated in virulence. Such pathways include regulation of conidiation and development, adhesion, nutrient acquisition, adaptation to environmental stress, and interactions with the host immune system among others. In both murine and insect models of IA, TF loss of function in A. fumigatus results in cases of hyper- and hypovirulence as determined through host survival, fungal burden, and immune response analyses. Consequently, the study of specific TFs in A. fumigatus has revealed important insights into mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence. Although in vitro studies have identified virulence-related functions of specific TFs, the full picture of their in vivo functions remain largely enigmatic and an exciting area of current research. Moreover, the vast majority of TFs remain to be characterized and studied in this important human pathogen. Here in this mini-review we provide an overview of selected TFs in A. fumigatus and their contribution to our understanding of this important human pathogen's pathogenicity and virulence.

The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase VdPbs2 of Verticillium dahliae Regulates Microsclerotia Formation, Stress Response, and Plant Infection

Verticillium dahliae, a ubiquitous phytopathogenic fungus, forms resting structures, known as microsclerotia that play crucial roles in Verticillium wilt diseases. VdHog1, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), controls microsclerotia formation, virulence, and stress response in V. dahliae. In this study, we present detailed evidence that the conserved upstream component of VdHog1, VdPbs2, is a key regulator of microsclerotia formation, oxidative stress and fungicide response and plant virulence in V. dahliae. We identified VdPbs2, homologous to the yeast MAPK kinase Pbs2. Similar to the VdHog1 deletion mutant, VdPbs2 deletion strains exhibited delayed melanin synthesis and reduced formation of microsclerotia. When exposed to stresses, VdPbs2 mutants were more sensitive than the wild type to osmotic agents and peroxide, but more resistant to inhibitors of cell wall synthesis and some fungicides. Finally, VdPbs2 deletion mutants exhibited reduced virulence on smoke tree and tobacco seedlings. When taken together, we implicate that VdPbs2 and VdHog1 function in a cascade that regulates microsclerotia formation and virulence, but not all VdHog1 dependent functions are VdPbs2 regulated. This study thus provides novel insights into the signal transduction mechanisms that regulate microsclerotia formation and pathogenesis in this fungus.

Cross-stress resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast--new insight into an old phenomenon

Acquired stress resistance is the result of mild stress causing the acquisition of resistance to severe stress of the same or a different type. The mechanism of "same-stress" resistance (resistance to a second, strong stress after mild primary stress of the same type) probably depends on the activation of defense and repair mechanisms specific for a particular type of stress, while cross-stress resistance (i.e., resistance to a second, strong stress after a different type of mild primary stress) is the effect of activation of both a specific and general stress response program, which in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast is known as the environmental stress response (ESR). Advancements in research techniques have made it possible to study the mechanism of cross-stress resistance at various levels of cellular organization: stress signal transduction pathways, regulation of gene expression, and transcription or translation processes. As a result of this type of research, views on the cross-stress protection mechanism have been reconsidered. It was originally thought that cross-stress resistance, irrespective of the nature of the two stresses, was determined by universal mechanisms, i.e., the same mechanisms within the general stress response. They are now believed to be more specific and strictly dependent on the features of the first stress.

Search for genes responsible for the remarkably high acetic acid tolerance of a Zygosaccharomyces bailii-derived interspecies hybrid strain

Background

Zygosaccharomyces bailii is considered the most problematic acidic food spoilage yeast species due to its exceptional capacity to tolerate high concentrations of weak acids used as fungistatic preservatives at low pH. However, the mechanisms underlying its intrinsic remarkable tolerance to weak acids remain poorly understood. The identification of genes and mechanisms involved in Z. bailii acetic acid tolerance was on the focus of this study. For this, a genomic library from the highly acetic acid tolerant hybrid strain ISA1307, derived from Z. bailii and a closely related species and isolated from a sparkling wine production plant, was screened for acetic acid tolerance genes. This screen was based on the transformation of an acetic acid susceptible Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant deleted for the gene encoding the acetic acid resistance determinant transcription factor Haa1.

Results

The expression of 31 different DNA inserts from ISA1307 strain genome was found to significantly increase the host cell tolerance to acetic acid. The in silico analysis of these inserts was facilitated by the recently available genome sequence of this strain. In total, 65 complete or truncated ORFs were identified as putative determinants of acetic acid tolerance and an S. cerevisiae gene homologous to most of them was found. These include genes involved in cellular transport and transport routes, protein fate, protein synthesis, amino acid metabolism and transcription. The role of strong candidates in Z. bailii and S. cerevisiae acetic acid tolerance was confirmed based on homologous and heterologous expression analyses.

Conclusions

ISA1307 genes homologous to S. cerevisiae genes GYP8, WSC4, PMT1, KTR7, RKR1, TIF3, ILV3 and MSN4 are proposed as strong candidate determinants of acetic acid tolerance. The ORF ZBAI_02295 that contains a functional domain associated to the uncharacterised integral membrane proteins of unknown function of the DUP family is also suggested as a relevant tolerance determinant. The genes ZbMSN4 and ZbTIF3, encoding a putative stress response transcription factor and a putative translation initiation factor, were confirmed as determinants of acetic acid tolerance in both Z. bailii and S. cerevisiae. This study provides valuable indications on the cellular components, pathways and processes to be targeted in order to control food spoilage by the highly acetic acid tolerant Z. bailii and Z. bailii-derived strains. Additionally, this information is essential to guide the improvement of yeast cells robustness against acetic acid if the objective is their use as cell factories.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2278-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Condition-specific genetic interaction maps reveal crosstalk between the cAMP/PKA and the HOG MAPK pathways in the activation of the general stress response

Cells must quickly respond and efficiently adapt to environmental changes. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has multiple pathways that respond to specific environmental insults, as well as a generic stress response program. The later is regulated by two transcription factors, Msn2 and Msn4, that integrate information from upstream pathways to produce fast, tunable, and robust response to different environmental changes. To understand this integration, we employed a systematic approach to genetically dissect the contribution of various cellular pathways to Msn2/4 regulation under a range of stress and growth conditions. We established a high-throughput liquid handling and automated flow cytometry system and measured GFP levels in 68 single-knockout and 1,566 double-knockout strains that carry an HSP12-GFP allele as a reporter for Msn2/4 activity. Based on the expression of this Msn2/4 reporter in five different conditions, we identified numerous genetic and epistatic interactions between different components in the network upstream to Msn2/4. Our analysis gains new insights into the functional specialization of the RAS paralogs in the repression of stress response and identifies a three-way crosstalk between the Mediator complex, the HOG MAPK pathway, and the cAMP/PKA pathway.

A comprehensive proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of yeast deletion mutants of 14-3-3 orthologs and associated effects of rapamycin

We applied a multiplexed, MS-based strategy to interrogate the proteome and phosphoproteome of three yeast strains under two growth conditions in triplicate. The yeast proteins brain modulosignalin homologue (Bmh)1 and Bmh2, analogs to the 14-3-3 protein family, have a wide array of cellular functions including the regulation of phosphorylation events. Moreover, rapamycin is a drug that can regulate phosphorylation events. By performing a series of tandem mass tag 10-plex experiments, we investigated the alterations in the proteome and phosphoproteome of wildtype and two deletion strains (bmh1Δ and bmh2Δ) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae treated with rapamycin and DMSO as a control. Our 3 × 3 + 1 strategy allowed for triplicate analysis of each of the three strains, plus an additional sample consisting of an equal mix of all samples. We quantified over 4000 proteins and 20,000 phosphorylation events. Of these, we quantified over 3700 proteins across all 20 samples and over 14,300 phosphorylation events within each drug treatment. In total, data collected from four tandem mass tag 10-plex experiments required approximately 1 week of data collection on the mass spectrometer. This study underscores the complex cellular roles of Bmh1 and Bmh2 coupled with response to rapamycin treatment and emphasizes the utility of multiplexed proteomic techniques to elucidate comprehensive proteomes and phosphoproteomes.

Differential response of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata to oxidative and nitrosative stresses

Invasive candidiasis is associated with high mortality in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. Candida albicans is the main pathological agent followed by Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida tropicalis. These pathogens colonize different host tissues in humans as they are able to neutralize the reactive species generated from nitrogen and oxygen during the respiratory burst. Among the enzymatic mechanisms that Candida species have developed to protect against free radicals are enzymes with antioxidant and immunodominant functions such as flavohemoglobins, catalases, superoxide dismutases, glutathione reductases, thioredoxins, peroxidases, heat-shock proteins, and enolases. These mechanisms are under transcriptional regulation by factors such as Cta4p, Cwt1p, Yap1p, Skn7p, Msn2p, and Msn4p. However, even though it has been proposed that all Candida species have similar enzymatic systems, it has been observed that they respond differentially to various types of stress. These differential responses may explain the colonization of different organs by each species. Here, we review the enzymatic mechanisms developed by C. albicans and C. glabrata species in response to oxidative and nitrosative stresses. Lack of experimental information for other pathogenic species limits a comparative approach among different organisms.

Solving ethanol production problems with genetically modified yeast strains

The current world demand for bioethanol is increasing as a consequence of low fossil fuel availability and a growing number of ethanol/gasoline flex-fuel cars. In addition, countries in several parts of the world have agreed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the use of ethanol as a fuel (which produces fewer pollutants than petroleum products) has been considered to be a good alternative to petroleum products. The ethanol that is produced in Brazil from the first-generation process is optimized and can be accomplished at low cost. However, because of the large volume of ethanol that is produced and traded each year, any small improvement in the process could represent a savings of billions dollars. Several Brazilian research programs are investing in sugarcane improvement, but little attention has been given to the improvement of yeast strains that participate in the first-generation process at present. The Brazilian ethanol production process uses sugarcane as a carbon source for the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast is then grown at a high cellular density and high temperatures in large-capacity open tanks with cells recycle. All of these culture conditions compel the yeast to cope with several types of stress. Among the main stressors are high temperatures and high ethanol concentrations inside the fermentation tanks during alcohol production. Moreover, the competition between the desired yeast strains, which are inoculated at the beginning of the process, with contaminants such as wild type yeasts and bacteria, requires acid treatment to successfully recycle the cells. This review is focused on describing the problems and stressors within the Brazilian ethanol production system. It also highlights some genetic modifications that can help to circumvent these difficulties in yeast.

Insulin inhibits lipolysis in adipocytes via the evolutionarily conserved mTORC1-Egr1-ATGL-mediated pathway

One of the basic functions of insulin in the body is to inhibit lipolysis in adipocytes. Recently, we have found that insulin inhibits lipolysis and promotes triglyceride storage by decreasing transcription of adipose triglyceride lipase via the mTORC1-mediated pathway (P. Chakrabarti et al., Diabetes 59:775-781, 2010), although the mechanism of this effect remained unknown. Here, we used a genetic screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in order to identify a transcription factor that mediates the effect of Tor1 on the expression of the ATGL ortholog in yeast. This factor, Msn4p, has homologues in mammalian cells that form a family of early growth response transcription factors. One member of the family, Egr1, is induced by insulin and nutrients and directly inhibits activity of the ATGL promoter in vitro and expression of ATGL in cultured adipocytes. Feeding animals a high-fat diet increases the activity of mTORC1 and the expression of Egr1 while decreasing ATGL levels in epididymal fat. We suggest that the evolutionarily conserved mTORC1-Egr1-ATGL regulatory pathway represents an important component of the antilipolytic effect of insulin in the mammalian organism.

The yeast transcription factor Crz1 is activated by light in a Ca2+/calcineurin-dependent and PKA-independent manner

Light in the visible range can be stressful to non-photosynthetic organisms. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has earlier been reported to respond to blue light via activation of the stress-regulated transcription factor Msn2p. Environmental changes also induce activation of calcineurin, a Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent phosphatase, which in turn controls gene transcription by dephosphorylating the transcription factor Crz1p. We investigated the connection between cellular stress caused by blue light and Ca(2+) signalling in yeast by monitoring the nuclear localization dynamics of Crz1p, Msn2p and Msn4p. The three proteins exhibit distinctly different stress responses in relation to light exposure. Msn2p, and to a lesser degree Msn4p, oscillate rapidly between the nucleus and the cytoplasm in an apparently stochastic fashion. Crz1p, in contrast, displays a rapid and permanent nuclear localization induced by illumination, which triggers Crz1p-dependent transcription of its target gene CMK2. Moreover, increased extracellular Ca(2+) levels stimulates the light-induced responses of all three transcription factors, e.g. Crz1p localizes much quicker to the nucleus and a larger fraction of cells exhibits permanent Msn2p nuclear localization at higher Ca(2+) concentration. Studies in mutants lacking Ca(2+) transporters indicate that influx of extracellular Ca(2+) is crucial for the initial stages of light-induced Crz1p nuclear localization, while mobilization of intracellular Ca(2+) stores appears necessary for a sustained response. Importantly, we found that Crz1p nuclear localization is dependent on calcineurin and the carrier protein Nmd5p, while not being affected by increased protein kinase A activity (PKA), which strongly inhibits light-induced nuclear localization of Msn2/4p. We conclude that the two central signalling pathways, cAMP-PKA-Msn2/4 and Ca(2+)-calcineurin-Crz1, are both activated by blue light illumination.

The zinc cluster protein Sut1 contributes to filamentation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sut1 is a transcriptional regulator of the Zn(II)(2)Cys(6) family in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The only function that has been attributed to Sut1 is sterol uptake under anaerobic conditions. Here, we show that Sut1 is also expressed in the presence of oxygen, and we identify a novel function for Sut1. SUT1 overexpression blocks filamentous growth, a response to nutrient limitation, in both haploid and diploid cells. This inhibition by Sut1 is independent of its function in sterol uptake. Sut1 downregulates the expression of GAT2, HAP4, MGA1, MSN4, NCE102, PRR2, RHO3, and RHO5. Several of these Sut1 targets (GAT2, HAP4, MGA1, RHO3, and RHO5) are essential for filamentation in haploids and/or diploids. Furthermore, the expression of the Sut1 target genes, with the exception of MGA1, is induced during filamentous growth. We also show that SUT1 expression is autoregulated and inhibited by Ste12, a key transcriptional regulator of filamentation. We propose that Sut1 partially represses the expression of GAT2, HAP4, MGA1, MSN4, NCE102, PRR2, RHO3, and RHO5 when nutrients are plentiful. Filamentation-inducing conditions relieve this repression by Sut1, and the increased expression of Sut1 targets triggers filamentous growth.

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.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hot1p regulated gene YHR087W (HGI1) has a role in translation upon high glucose concentration stress

Background

While growing in natural environments yeasts can be affected by osmotic stress provoked by high glucose concentrations. The response to this adverse condition requires the HOG pathway and involves transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms initiated by the phosphorylation of this protein, its translocation to the nucleus and activation of transcription factors. One of the genes induced to respond to this injury is YHR087W. It encodes for a protein structurally similar to the N-terminal region of human SBDS whose expression is also induced under other forms of stress and whose deletion determines growth defects at high glucose concentrations.

Results

In this work we show that YHR087W expression is regulated by several transcription factors depending on the particular stress condition, and Hot1p is particularly relevant for the induction at high glucose concentrations. In this situation, Hot1p, together to Sko1p, binds to YHR087W promoter in a Hog1p-dependent manner. Several evidences obtained indicate Yhr087wp’s role in translation. Firstly, and according to TAP purification experiments, it interacts with proteins involved in translation initiation. Besides, its deletion mutant shows growth defects in the presence of translation inhibitors and displays a slightly slower translation recovery after applying high glucose stress than the wild type strain. Analyses of the association of mRNAs to polysome fractions reveals a lower translation in the mutant strain of the mRNAs corresponding to genes GPD1, HSP78 and HSP104.

Conclusions

The data demonstrates that expression of Yhr087wp under high glucose concentration is controlled by Hot1p and Sko1p transcription factors, which bind to its promoter. Yhr087wp has a role in translation, maybe in the control of the synthesis of several stress response proteins, which could explain the lower levels of some of these proteins found in previous proteomic analyses and the growth defects of the deletion strain.

Gis1 and Rph1 regulate glycerol and acetate metabolism in glucose depleted yeast cells

Aging in organisms as diverse as yeast, nematodes, and mammals is delayed by caloric restriction, an effect mediated by the nutrient sensing TOR, RAS/cAMP, and AKT/Sch9 pathways. The transcription factor Gis1 functions downstream of these pathways in extending the lifespan of nutrient restricted yeast cells, but the mechanisms involved are still poorly understood. We have used gene expression microarrays to study the targets of Gis1 and the related protein Rph1 in different growth phases. Our results show that Gis1 and Rph1 act both as repressors and activators, on overlapping sets of genes as well as on distinct targets. Interestingly, both the activities and the target specificities of Gis1 and Rph1 depend on the growth phase. Thus, both proteins are associated with repression during exponential growth, targeting genes with STRE or PDS motifs in their promoters. After the diauxic shift, both become involved in activation, with Gis1 acting primarily on genes with PDS motifs, and Rph1 on genes with STRE motifs. Significantly, Gis1 and Rph1 control a number of genes involved in acetate and glycerol formation, metabolites that have been implicated in aging. Furthermore, several genes involved in acetyl-CoA metabolism are downregulated by Gis1.

Molecular characterization of the putative transcription factor SebA involved in virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus is a major opportunistic pathogen and allergen of mammals. Nutrient sensing and acquisition mechanisms, as well as the capability to cope with different stressing conditions, are essential for A. fumigatus virulence and survival in the mammalian host. This study characterized the A. fumigatus SebA transcription factor, which is the putative homologue of the factor encoded by Trichoderma atroviride seb1. The ΔsebA mutant demonstrated reduced growth in the presence of paraquat, hydrogen peroxide, CaCl2, and poor nutritional conditions, while viability associated with sebA was also affected by heat shock exposure. Accordingly, SebA::GFP (SebA::green fluorescent protein) was shown to accumulate in the nucleus upon exposure to oxidative stress and heat shock conditions. In addition, genes involved in either the oxidative stress or heat shock response had reduced transcription in the ΔsebA mutant. The A. fumigatus ΔsebA strain was attenuated in virulence in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Furthermore, killing of the ΔsebA mutant by murine alveolar macrophages was increased compared to killing of the wild-type strain. A. fumigatus SebA plays a complex role, contributing to several stress tolerance pathways and growth under poor nutritional conditions, and seems to be integrated into different stress responses.

Multiple means to the same end: the genetic basis of acquired stress resistance in yeast

In nature, stressful environments often occur in combination or close succession, and thus the ability to prepare for impending stress likely provides a significant fitness advantage. Organisms exposed to a mild dose of stress can become tolerant to what would otherwise be a lethal dose of subsequent stress; however, the mechanism of this acquired stress tolerance is poorly understood. To explore this, we exposed the yeast gene-deletion libraries, which interrogate all essential and non-essential genes, to successive stress treatments and identified genes necessary for acquiring subsequent stress resistance. Cells were exposed to one of three different mild stress pretreatments (salt, DTT, or heat shock) and then challenged with a severe dose of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Surprisingly, there was little overlap in the genes required for acquisition of H₂O₂ tolerance after different mild-stress pretreatments, revealing distinct mechanisms of surviving H₂O₂ in each case. Integrative network analysis of these results with respect to protein–protein interactions, synthetic–genetic interactions, and functional annotations identified many processes not previously linked to H₂O₂ tolerance. We tested and present several models that explain the lack of overlap in genes required for H₂O₂ tolerance after each of the three pretreatments. Together, this work shows that acquired tolerance to the same severe stress occurs by different mechanisms depending on prior cellular experiences, underscoring the context-dependent nature of stress tolerance.

Cells experience stressful conditions in the real world that can threaten physiology. Therefore, organisms have evolved intricate defense systems to protect themselves against environmental stress. Many organisms can increase their stress tolerance at the first sign of a problem through a phenomenon called acquired stress resistance: when pre-exposed to a mild dose of one stress, cells can become super-tolerant to subsequent stresses that would kill unprepared cells. This response is observed in many organisms, from bacteria to plants to humans, and has application in human health and disease treatment; however, its mechanism remains poorly understood. We used yeast as a model to identify genes important for acquired resistance to severe oxidative stress after pretreatment with three different mild stresses (osmotic, heat, or reductive shock). Surprisingly, there was little overlap in the genes required to survive the same severe stress after each pretreatment. This reveals that the mechanism of acquiring tolerance to the same severe stress occurs through different routes depending on the mild stressor. We leveraged available datasets of physical and genetic interaction networks to address the mechanism and regulation of stress tolerance. We find that acquired stress resistance is a unique phenotype that can uncover new insights into stress biology.

Genome-wide analysis of yeast stress survival and tolerance acquisition to analyze the central trade-off between growth rate and cellular robustness

A genome-wide analysis of the acquisition of stress cross-tolerance shows that reduction of growth rate is an important determinant of severe stress survival. Cellular functions important for the coupling of growth rate to stress resistance are identified, as are those required for cross-tolerance acquisition independent of growth rate reduction.

All organisms have evolved to cope with changes in environmental conditions, ensuring the optimal combination of proliferation and survival. In yeast, exposure to a mild stress leads to an increased tolerance for other stresses. This suggests that yeast uses information from the environment to prepare for future threats. We used the yeast knockout collection to systematically investigate the genes and functions involved in severe stress survival and in the acquisition of stress (cross-) tolerance. Besides genes and functions relevant for survival of heat, acid, and oxidative stress, we found an inverse correlation between mutant growth rate and stress survival. Using chemostat cultures, we confirmed that growth rate governs stress tolerance, with higher growth efficiency at low growth rates liberating the energy for these investments. Cellular functions required for stress tolerance acquisition, independent of the reduction in growth rate, were involved in vesicular transport, the Rpd3 histone deacetylase complex, and the mitotic cell cycle. Stress resistance and acquired stress tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are governed by a combination of stress-specific and general processes. The reduction of growth rate, irrespective of the cause of this reduction, leads to redistribution of resources toward stress tolerance functions, thus preparing the cells for impending change.

The role of the protein kinase A pathway in the response to alkaline pH stress in yeast

Exposure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to alkaline pH provokes a stress condition that generates a compensatory reaction. In the present study we examined a possible role for the PKA (protein kinase A) pathway in this response. Phenotypic analysis revealed that mutations that activate the PKA pathway (ira1 ira2, bcy1) tend to cause sensitivity to alkaline pH, whereas its deactivation enhances tolerance to this stress. We observed that alkalinization causes a transient decrease in cAMP, the main regulator of the pathway. Alkaline pH causes rapid nuclear localization of the PKA-regulated Msn2 transcription factor which, together with Msn4, mediates a general stress response by binding with STRE (stress response element) sequences in many promoters. Consequently, a synthetic STRE-LacZ reporter shows a rapid induction in response to alkaline stress. A msn2 msn4 mutant is sensitive to alkaline pH, and transcriptomic analysis reveals that after 10 min of alkaline stress, the expression of many induced genes (47%) depends, at least in part, on the presence of Msn2 and Msn4. Taken together, these results demonstrate that inhibition of the PKA pathway by alkaline pH represents a substantial part of the adaptive response to this kind of stress and that this response involves Msn2/Msn4-mediated genome expression remodelling. However, the relevance of attenuation of PKA in high pH tolerance is probably not restricted to regulation of Msn2 function.

Regulation of glycogen metabolism in yeast and bacteria

Microorganisms have the capacity to utilize a variety of nutrients and adapt to continuously changing environmental conditions. Many microorganisms, including yeast and bacteria, accumulate carbon and energy reserves to cope with the starvation conditions temporarily present in the environment. Glycogen biosynthesis is a main strategy for such metabolic storage, and a variety of sensing and signaling mechanisms have evolved in evolutionarily distant species to ensure the production of this homopolysaccharide. At the most fundamental level, the processes of glycogen synthesis and degradation in yeast and bacteria share certain broad similarities. However, the regulation of these processes is sometimes quite distinct, indicating that they have evolved separately to respond optimally to the habitat conditions of each species. This review aims to highlight the mechanisms, both at the transcriptional and at the post-transcriptional level, that regulate glycogen metabolism in yeast and bacteria, focusing on selected areas where the greatest increase in knowledge has occurred during the last few years. In the yeast system, we focus particularly on the various signaling pathways that control the activity of the enzymes of glycogen storage. We also discuss our recent understanding of the important role played by the vacuole in glycogen metabolism. In the case of bacterial glycogen, special emphasis is placed on aspects related to the genetic regulation of glycogen metabolism and its connection with other biological processes.

Enhancement of the initial rate of ethanol fermentation due to dysfunction of yeast stress response components Msn2p and/or Msn4p

Sake yeasts (strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae) produce high concentrations of ethanol in sake fermentation. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this brewing property, we compared gene expression of sake and laboratory yeasts in sake mash. DNA microarray and reporter gene analyses revealed defects of sake yeasts in environmental stress responses mediated by transcription factors Msn2p and/or Msn4p (Msn2/4p) and stress response elements (STRE). Furthermore, we found that dysfunction of MSN2 and/or MSN4 contributes to the higher initial rate of ethanol fermentation in both sake and laboratory yeasts. These results provide novel insights into yeast stress responses as major impediments of effective ethanol fermentation.

Transcriptional regulation in yeast during diauxic shift and stationary phase

The preferred source of carbon and energy for yeast cells is glucose. When yeast cells are grown in liquid cultures, they metabolize glucose predominantly by glycolysis, releasing ethanol in the medium. When glucose becomes limiting, the cells enter diauxic shift characterized by decreased growth rate and by switching metabolism from glycolysis to aerobic utilization of ethanol. When ethanol is depleted from the medium, cells enter quiescent or stationary phase G(0). Cells in diauxic shift and stationary phase are stressed by the lack of nutrients and by accumulation of toxic metabolites, primarily from the oxidative metabolism, and are differentiated in ways that allow them to maintain viability for extended periods of time. The transition of yeast cells from exponential phase to quiescence is regulated by protein kinase A, TOR, Snf1p, and Rim15p pathways that signal changes in availability of nutrients, converge on transcriptional factors Msn2p, Msn4p, and Gis1p, and elicit extensive reprogramming of the transcription machinery. However, the events in transcriptional regulation during diauxic shift and quiescence are incompletely understood. Because cells from multicellular eukaryotic organisms spend most of their life in G(0) phase, understanding transcriptional regulation in quiescence will inform other fields, such as cancer, development, and aging.

Life in the midst of scarcity: adaptations to nutrient availability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cells of all living organisms contain complex signal transduction networks to ensure that a wide range of physiological properties are properly adapted to the environmental conditions. The fundamental concepts and individual building blocks of these signalling networks are generally well-conserved from yeast to man; yet, the central role that growth factors and hormones play in the regulation of signalling cascades in higher eukaryotes is executed by nutrients in yeast. Several nutrient-controlled pathways, which regulate cell growth and proliferation, metabolism and stress resistance, have been defined in yeast. These pathways are integrated into a signalling network, which ensures that yeast cells enter a quiescent, resting phase (G0) to survive periods of nutrient scarceness and that they rapidly resume growth and cell proliferation when nutrient conditions become favourable again. A series of well-conserved nutrient-sensory protein kinases perform key roles in this signalling network: i.e. Snf1, PKA, Tor1 and Tor2, Sch9 and Pho85-Pho80. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the current understanding of the signalling processes mediated via these kinases with a particular focus on how these individual pathways converge to signalling networks that ultimately ensure the dynamic translation of extracellular nutrient signals into appropriate physiological responses.

Mtl1 is required to activate general stress response through Tor1 and Ras2 inhibition under conditions of glucose starvation and oxidative stress

Mtl1 is a member of the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which functions as a cell wall sensor for oxidative stress. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis revealed a cluster of genes that were down-regulated in the absence of Mtl1. Many of these genes were potentially regulated by the general stress response factor Msn2/Msn4. In response to rapamycin, caffeine, glucose starvation and oxidative stress provoked by H(2)O(2), mtl1 presents a significant loss of viability as well as a deficiency in the transcriptional response mediated by Msn2/Msn4. The Mtl1 function was required (i) to induce ribosomal gene repression, (ii) to induce the general stress response driven by the transcription factor Msn2/Msn4, and (iii) to activate the CWI pathway in response to both glucose starvation and oxidative stress. We also detected higher cAMP levels in the mtl1 mutant than in wild type cells indicative of up-regulated RAS2-PKA activity. Disruption of TOR1, disruption of RAS2, or hyperactivation of Rho1 restored both the viability and the transcriptional function (both ribosomal and Msn2/Msn4-dependent gene expression) in the mtl1 mutant to almost wild type levels when cells were starved of glucose or stressed with H(2)O(2). Taking our results together, we propose an essential role for Mtl1 in signaling oxidative stress and quiescence to the CWI pathway and to the general stress response through Rho1 and the inhibition of either the TOR1 or RAS2 functions. These mechanisms would be required to allow cells to adapt to both oxidative and nutritional stresses.

Predicting functionality of protein-DNA interactions by integrating diverse evidence

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-chip) experiments enable capturing physical interactions between regulatory proteins and DNA in vivo. However, measurement of chromatin binding alone is not sufficient to detect regulatory interactions. A detected binding event may not be biologically relevant, or a known regulatory interaction might not be observed under the growth conditions tested so far. To correctly identify physical interactions between transcription factors (TFs) and genes and to determine their regulatory implications under various experimental conditions, we integrated ChIP-chip data with motif binding sites, nucleosome occupancy and mRNA expression datasets within a probabilistic framework. This framework was specifically tailored for the identification of functional and non-functional DNA binding events. Using this, we estimate that only 50% of condition-specific protein–DNA binding in budding yeast is functional. We further investigated the molecular factors determining the functionality of protein–DNA interactions under diverse growth conditions. Our analysis suggests that the functionality of binding is highly condition-specific and highly dependent on the presence of specific cofactors. Hence, the joint analysis of both, functional and non-functional DNA binding, may lend important new insights into transcriptional regulation.

Contact:workman@cbs.dtu.dk

The histone deacetylase Rpd3p is required for transient changes in genomic expression in response to stress

Chromatin-immunoprecipitation and computational analysis implicate Rpd3p as an important co-factor in the network of genes regulating the yeast environmental stress response.

Background

Yeast responding to stress activate a large gene expression program called the Environmental Stress Response that consists of approximately 600 repressed genes and approximately 300 induced genes. Numerous factors are implicated in regulating subsets of Environmental Stress Response genes; however, a complete picture of Environmental Stress Response regulation remains unclear. We investigated the role of the histone deacetylase Rpd3p, previously linked to the upstream regions of many Environmental Stress Response genes, in producing Environmental Stress Response gene expression changes in response to stress.

Results

We found that the Rpd3-Large complex is required for proper expression of both induced and repressed Environmental Stress Response genes under multiple stress conditions. Cells lacking RPD3 or the Rpd3-Large subunit PHO23 had a major defect in Environmental Stress Response initiation, particularly during the transient phase of expression immediately after stress exposure. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation showed a direct role for Rpd3-Large at representative genes; however, there were different effects on nucleosome occupancy and histone deacetylation at different promoters. Computational analysis implicated regulators that may act with Rpd3p at Environmental Stress Response genes. We provide genetic and biochemical evidence that Rpd3p is required for binding and action of the stress-activated transcription factor Msn2p, although the contribution of these factors differs for different genes.

Conclusions

Our results implicate Rpd3p as an important co-factor in the Environmental Stress Response regulatory network, and suggest the importance of histone modification in producing transient changes in gene expression triggered by stress.

Stress-activated genomic expression changes serve a preparative role for impending stress in yeast

Yeast cells respond to stress by mediating condition-specific gene expression changes and by mounting a common response to many stresses, called the environmental stress response (ESR). Giaever et al. previously revealed poor correlation between genes whose expression changes in response to acute stress and genes required to survive that stress, raising question about the role of stress-activated gene expression. Here we show that gene expression changes triggered by a single dose of stress are not required to survive that stimulus but rather serve a protective role against future stress. We characterized the increased resistance to severe stress in yeast preexposed to mild stress. This acquired stress resistance is dependent on protein synthesis during mild-stress treatment and requires the "general-stress" transcription factors Msn2p and/or Msn4p that regulate induction of many ESR genes. However, neither protein synthesis nor Msn2/4p is required for basal tolerance of a single dose of stress, despite the substantial expression changes triggered by each condition. Using microarrays, we show that Msn2p and Msn4p play nonredundant and condition-specific roles in gene-expression regulation, arguing against a generic general-stress function. This work highlights the importance of condition-specific responses in acquired stress resistance and provides new insights into the role of the ESR.

MNL1 regulates weak acid-induced stress responses of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans

MNL1, the Candida albicans homologue of an orphan Msn2-like gene (YER130c in Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has no known function. Here we report that MNL1 regulates weak acid stress responses. Deletion of MNL1 prevents the long-term adaptation of C. albicans cells to weak acid stresses and compromises their global transcriptional response under these conditions. The promoters of Mnl1-dependent genes contain a novel STRE-like element (SLE) that imposes Mnl1-dependent, weak acid stress-induced transcription upon a lacZ reporter in C. albicans. The SLE (HHYYCCCCTTYTY) is related to the Nrg1 response element (NRE) element recognized by the transcriptional repressor Nrg1. Deletion of NRG1 partially restores the ability of C. albicans mnl1 cells to adapt to weak acid stress, indicating that Mnl1 and Nrg1 act antagonistically to regulate this response. Molecular, microarray, and proteomic analyses revealed that Mnl1-dependent adaptation does not occur in cells exposed to proapoptotic or pronecrotic doses of weak acid, suggesting that Ras-pathway activation might suppress the Mnl1-dependent weak acid response in dying cells. Our work defines a role for this YER130c orthologue in stress adaptation and cell death.

The extensive and condition-dependent nature of epistasis among whole-genome duplicates in yeast

Since complete redundancy between extant duplicates (paralogs) is evolutionarily unfavorable, some degree of functional congruency is eventually lost. However, in budding yeast, experimental evidence collected for duplicated metabolic enzymes and in global physical interaction surveys had suggested widespread functional overlap between paralogs. While maintained functional overlap is thought to confer robustness against genetic mutation and facilitate environmental adaptability, it has yet to be determined what properties define paralogs that can compensate for the phenotypic consequence of deleting a sister gene, how extensive this epistasis is, and how adaptable it is toward alternate environmental states. To this end, we have performed a comprehensive experimental analysis of epistasis as indicated by aggravating genetic interactions between paralogs resulting from an ancient whole-genome duplication (WGD) event occurring in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and thus were able to compare properties of large numbers of epistatic and non-epistatic paralogs with identical evolutionary times since divergence. We found that more than one-third (140) of the 399 examinable WGD paralog pairs were epistatic under standard laboratory conditions and that additional cases of epistasis became obvious only under media conditions designed to induce cellular stress. Despite a significant increase in within-species sequence co-conservation, analysis of protein interactions revealed that paralogs epistatic under standard laboratory conditions were not more functionally overlapping than those non-epistatic. As experimental conditions had an impact on the functional categorization of paralogs deemed epistatic and only a fraction of potential stress conditions have been interrogated here, we hypothesize that many epistatic relationships remain unresolved.

High resistance to oxidative stress in the fungal pathogen Candida glabrata is mediated by a single catalase, Cta1p, and is controlled by the transcription factors Yap1p, Skn7p, Msn2p, and Msn4p

We characterized the oxidative stress response of Candida glabrata to better understand the virulence of this fungal pathogen. C. glabrata could withstand higher concentrations of H(2)O(2) than Saccharomyces cerevisiae and even Candida albicans. Stationary-phase cells were extremely resistant to oxidative stress, and this resistance was dependent on the concerted roles of stress-related transcription factors Yap1p, Skn7p, and Msn4p. We showed that growing cells of C. glabrata were able to adapt to high levels of H(2)O(2) and that this adaptive response was dependent on Yap1p and Skn7p and partially on the general stress transcription factors Msn2p and Msn4p. C. glabrata has a single catalase gene, CTA1, which was absolutely required for resistance to H(2)O(2) in vitro. However, in a mouse model of systemic infection, a strain lacking CTA1 showed no effect on virulence.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae phospholipase C regulates transcription of Msn2p-dependent stress-responsive genes

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates are involved in signal transduction, cytoskeletal organization, and membrane trafficking. Inositol polyphosphates, produced from phosphatidylinositol phosphates by the phospholipase C-dependent pathway, regulate chromatin remodeling. We used genome-wide expression analysis to further investigate the roles of Plc1p (phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and inositol polyphosphates in transcriptional regulation. Plc1p contributes to the regulation of approximately 2% of yeast genes in cells grown in rich medium. Most of these genes are induced by nutrient limitation and other environmental stresses and are derepressed in plc1 Delta cells. Surprisingly, genes regulated by Plc1p do not correlate with gene sets regulated by Swi/Snf or RSC chromatin remodeling complexes but show correlation with genes controlled by Msn2p. Our results suggest that the increased expression of stress-responsive genes in plc1 Delta cells is mediated by decreased cyclic AMP synthesis and protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation of Msn2p and increased binding of Msn2p to stress-responsive promoters. Accordingly, plc1 Delta cells display other phenotypes characteristic of cells with decreased PKA activity. Our results are consistent with a model in which Plc1p acts together with the membrane receptor Gpr1p and associated G(alpha) protein Gpa2p in a pathway separate from Ras1p/Ras2p and converging on PKA.