Morphogenesis and the cell cycle

Tools for live-cell imaging of cytoskeletal and nuclear behavior in the unconventional yeast, Aureobasidium pullulans

Aureobasidium pullulans is a ubiquitous fungus with a wide variety of morphologies and growth modes including "typical" single-budding yeast, and interestingly, larger multinucleate yeast than can make multiple buds in a single cell cycle. The study of A. pullulans promises to uncover novel cell biology, but currently tools are lacking to achieve this goal. Here, we describe initial components of a cell biology toolkit for A. pullulans, which is used to express and image fluorescent probes for nuclei as well as components of the cytoskeleton. These tools allowed live-cell imaging of the multinucleate and multibudding cycles, revealing highly synchronous mitoses in multinucleate yeast that occur in a semiopen manner with an intact but permeable nuclear envelope. These findings open the door to using this ubiquitous polyextremotolerant fungus as a model for evolutionary cell biology.

Proteostatic tuning underpins the evolution of novel multicellular traits

The evolution of multicellularity paved the way for the origin of complex life on Earth, but little is known about the mechanistic basis of early multicellular evolution. Here, we examine the molecular basis of multicellular adaptation in the multicellularity long-term evolution experiment (MuLTEE). We demonstrate that cellular elongation, a key adaptation underpinning increased biophysical toughness and organismal size, is convergently driven by down-regulation of the chaperone Hsp90. Mechanistically, Hsp90-mediated morphogenesis operates by destabilizing the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28, resulting in delayed mitosis and prolonged polarized growth. Reinstatement of Hsp90 or Cdc28 expression resulted in shortened cells that formed smaller groups with reduced multicellular fitness. Together, our results show how ancient protein folding systems can be tuned to drive rapid evolution at a new level of biological individuality by revealing novel developmental phenotypes.

Proteostatic tuning underpins the evolution of novel multicellular traits

The evolution of multicellularity paved the way for the origin of complex life on Earth, but little is known about the mechanistic basis of early multicellular evolution. Here, we examine the molecular basis of multicellular adaptation in the Multicellularity Long Term Evolution Experiment (MuLTEE). We demonstrate that cellular elongation, a key adaptation underpinning increased biophysical toughness and organismal size, is convergently driven by downregulation of the chaperone Hsp90. Mechanistically, Hsp90-mediated morphogenesis operates by destabilizing the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28, resulting in delayed mitosis and prolonged polarized growth. Reinstatement of Hsp90 or Cdc28 expression resulted in shortened cells that formed smaller groups with reduced multicellular fitness. Together, our results show how ancient protein folding systems can be tuned to drive rapid evolution at a new level of biological individuality by revealing novel developmental phenotypes.

Contractile ring mechanosensation and its anillin-dependent tuning during early embryogenesis

Cytokinesis plays crucial roles in morphogenesis. Previous studies have examined how tissue mechanics influences the position and closure direction of the contractile ring. However, the mechanisms by which the ring senses tissue mechanics remain largely elusive. Here, we show the mechanism of contractile ring mechanosensation and its tuning during asymmetric ring closure of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Integrative analysis of ring closure and cell cortex dynamics revealed that mechanical suppression of the ring-directed cortical flow is associated with asymmetric ring closure. Consistently, artificial obstruction of ring-directed cortical flow induces asymmetric ring closure in otherwise symmetrically dividing cells. Anillin is vital for mechanosensation. Our genetic analysis suggests that the positive feedback loop among ring-directed cortical flow, myosin enrichment, and ring constriction constitutes a mechanosensitive pathway driving asymmetric ring closure. These findings and developed tools should advance the 4D mechanobiology of cytokinesis in more complex tissues.

Effects of environmental stress factors on the actin cytoskeleton of fungi and plants: Ionizing radiation and ROS

Actin is an abundant and multifaceted protein in eukaryotic cells that has been detected in the cytoplasm as well as in the nucleus. In cooperation with numerous interacting accessory-proteins, monomeric actin (G-actin) polymerizes into microfilaments (F-actin) which constitute ubiquitous subcellular higher order structures. Considering the extensive spatial dimensions and multifunctionality of actin superarrays, the present study analyses the issue if and to what extent environmental stress factors, specifically ionizing radiation (IR) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), affect the cellular actin-entity. In that context, this review particularly surveys IR-response of fungi and plants. It examines in detail which actin-related cellular constituents and molecular pathways are influenced by IR and related ROS. This comprehensive survey concludes that the general integrity of the total cellular actin cytoskeleton is a requirement for IR-tolerance. Actin's functions in genome organization and nuclear events like chromatin remodeling, DNA-repair, and transcription play a key role. Beyond that, it is highly significant that the macromolecular cytoplasmic and cortical actin-frameworks are affected by IR as well. In response to IR, actin-filament bundling proteins (fimbrins) are required to stabilize cables or patches. In addition, the actin-associated factors mediating cellular polarity are essential for IR-survivability. Moreover, it is concluded that a cellular homeostasis system comprising ROS, ROS-scavengers, NADPH-oxidases, and the actin cytoskeleton plays an essential role here. Consequently, besides the actin-fraction which controls crucial genome-integrity, also the portion which facilitates orderly cellular transport and polarized growth has to be maintained in order to survive IR.

P4-ATPase subunit Cdc50 plays a role in yeast budding and cell wall integrity in Candida glabrata

BACKGROUND

As highly-conserved types of lipid flippases among fungi, P4-ATPases play a significant role in various cellular processes. Cdc50 acts as the regulatory subunit of flippases, forming heterodimers with Drs2 to translocate aminophospholipids. Cdc50 homologs have been reported to be implicated in protein trafficking, drug susceptibility, and virulence in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. It is likely that Cdc50 has an extensive influence on fungal cellular processes. The present study aimed to determine the function of Cdc50 in Candida glabrata by constructing a Δcdc50 null mutant and its complemented strain.

RESULTS

In Candida glabrata, the loss of Cdc50 led to difficulty in yeast budding, probably caused by actin depolarization. The Δcdc50 mutant also showed hypersensitivity to azoles, caspofungin, and cell wall stressors. Further experiments indicated hyperactivation of the cell wall integrity pathway in the Δcdc50 mutant, which elevated the major cell wall contents. An increase in exposure of β-(1,3)-glucan and chitin on the cell surface was also observed through flow cytometry. Interestingly, we observed a decrease in the phagocytosis rate when the Δcdc50 mutant was co-incubated with THP-1 macrophages. The Δcdc50 mutant also exhibited weakened virulence in nematode survival tests.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that the lipid flippase subunit Cdc50 is implicated in yeast budding and cell wall integrity in C. glabrata, and thus have a broad influence on drug susceptibility and virulence. This work highlights the importance of lipid flippase, and offers potential targets for new drug research.

Regulation of Cdc42 protein turnover modulates the filamentous growth MAPK pathway

Rho GTPases are central regulators of cell polarity and signaling. How Rho GTPases are directed to function in certain settings remains unclear. Here, we show the protein levels of the yeast Rho GTPase Cdc42p are regulated, which impacts a subset of its biological functions. Specifically, the active conformation of Cdc42p was ubiquitinated by the NEDD4 ubiquitin ligase Rsp5p and HSP40/HSP70 chaperones and turned over in the proteasome. A GTP-locked (Q61L) turnover-defective (TD) version, Cdc42pQ61L+TD, hyperactivated the MAPK pathway that regulates filamentous growth (fMAPK). Cdc42pQ61L+TD did not influence the activity of the mating pathway, which shares components with the fMAPK pathway. The fMAPK pathway adaptor, Bem4p, stabilized Cdc42p levels, which resulted in elevated fMAPK pathway signaling. Our results identify Cdc42p turnover regulation as being critical for the regulation of a MAPK pathway. The control of Rho GTPase levels by stabilization and turnover may be a general feature of signaling pathway regulation, which can result in the execution of a specific developmental program.

A yeast cell cycle model integrating stress, signaling, and physiology

The cell division cycle in eukaryotic cells is a series of highly coordinated molecular interactions that ensure that cell growth, duplication of genetic material, and actual cell division are precisely orchestrated to give rise to two viable progeny cells. Moreover, the cell cycle machinery is responsible for incorporating information about external cues or internal processes that the cell must keep track of to ensure a coordinated, timely progression of all related processes. This is most pronounced in multicellular organisms, but also a cardinal feature in model organisms such as baker's yeast. The complex and integrative behavior is difficult to grasp and requires mathematical modeling to fully understand the quantitative interplay of the single components within the entire system. Here, we present a self-oscillating mathematical model of the yeast cell cycle that comprises all major cyclins and their main regulators. Furthermore, it accounts for the regulation of the cell cycle machinery by a series of external stimuli such as mating pheromones and changes in osmotic pressure or nutrient quality. We demonstrate how the external perturbations modify the dynamics of cell cycle components and how the cell cycle resumes after adaptation to or relief from stress.

The Dynamics of Single-Cell Nanomotion Behaviour of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a Microfluidic Chip for Rapid Antifungal Susceptibility Testing

The fast emergence of multi-resistant pathogenic yeasts is caused by the extensive—and sometimes unnecessary—use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs. To rationalise the use of broad-spectrum antifungals, it is essential to have a rapid and sensitive system to identify the most appropriate drug. Here, we developed a microfluidic chip to apply the recently developed optical nanomotion detection (ONMD) method as a rapid antifungal susceptibility test. The microfluidic chip contains no-flow yeast imaging chambers in which the growth medium can be replaced by an antifungal solution without disturbing the nanomotion of the cells in the imaging chamber. This allows for recording the cellular nanomotion of the same cells at regular time intervals of a few minutes before and throughout the treatment with an antifungal. Hence, the real-time response of individual cells to a killing compound can be quantified. In this way, this killing rate provides a new measure to rapidly assess the susceptibility of a specific antifungal. It also permits the determination of the ratio of antifungal resistant versus sensitive cells in a population.

Synchronization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells for Analysis of Progression Through the Cell Cycle

The cell division cycle is a fundamental process required for proliferation of all living organisms. The eukaryotic cell cycle follows a basic template with an ordered series of events beginning with G1 (Gap1) phase, followed successively by S (Synthesis) phase, G2 (Gap 2) phase, and M-phase (Mitosis). The process is tightly regulated in response to signals from both the internal and external milieu. The budding yeast S. cerevisiae is an outstanding model for the study of the cell cycle and its regulatory process. The basic events and regulatory processes of the S. cerevisiae cell cycle are highly conserved with other eukaryotes. The organism grows rapidly in simple medium, has a sequenced annotated genome, well-established genetics, and is amenable to analysis by proteomics and microscopy. Additionally, a range of tools and techniques are available to generate cultures of S. cerevisiae that are homogenously arrested or captured at specific phases of the cell cycle and upon release from that arrest these can be used to monitor cell cycle events as the cells synchronously proceed through a division cycle. In this chapter, we describe a series of commonly used techniques that are used to generate synchronized populations of S. cerevisiae and provide an overview of methods that can be used to monitor the progression of the cells through the cell division cycle.

The Cyclin Cln1 Controls Polyploid Titan Cell Formation following a Stress-Induced G2 Arrest in Cryptococcus

The pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans produces polyploid titan cells in response to the host lung environment that are critical for host adaptation and subsequent disease. We analyzed the in vivo and in vitro cell cycles to identify key aspects of the C. neoformans cell cycle that are important for the formation of titan cells. We identified unbudded 2C cells, referred to as a G₂ arrest, produced both in vivo and in vitro in response to various stresses. Deletion of the nonessential cyclin Cln1 resulted in overproduction of titan cells in vivo and transient morphology defects upon release from stationary phase in vitro. Using a copper-repressible promoter P_CTR4-CLN1 strain and a two-step in vitro titan cell formation assay, our in vitro studies revealed Cln1 functions after the G₂ arrest. These studies highlight unique cell cycle alterations in C. neoformans that ultimately promote genomic diversity and virulence in this important fungal pathogen.

Are droplets really suitable for single-cell analysis? A case study on yeast in droplets

Single-cell analysis has become one of the main cornerstones of biotechnology, inspiring the advent of various microfluidic compartments for cell cultivation such as microwells, microtrappers, microcapillaries, and droplets. A fundamental assumption for using such microfluidic compartments is that unintended stress or harm to cells derived from the microenvironments is insignificant, which is a crucial condition for carrying out unbiased single-cell studies. Despite the significance of this assumption, simple viability or growth tests have overwhelmingly been the assay of choice for evaluating culture conditions while empirical studies on the sub-lethal effect on cellular functions have been insufficient in many cases. In this work, we assessed the effect of culturing cells in droplets on the cellular function using yeast morphology as an indicator. Quantitative morphological analysis using CalMorph, an image-analysis program, demonstrated that cells cultured in flasks, large droplets, and small droplets significantly differed morphologically. From these differences, we identified that the cell cycle was delayed in droplets during the G1 phase and during the process of bud growth likely due to the checkpoint mechanism and impaired mitochondrial function, respectively. Furthermore, comparing small and large droplets, cells cultured in large droplets were morphologically more similar to those cultured in a flask, highlighting the advantage of increasing the droplet size. These results highlight a potential source of bias in cell analysis using droplets and reinforce the significance of assessing culture conditions of microfluidic cultivation methods for specific study cases.

The Role of the Cell Integrity Pathway in Septum Assembly in Yeast

Cytokinesis divides a mother cell into two daughter cells at the end of each cell cycle and proceeds via the assembly and constriction of a contractile actomyosin ring (CAR). Ring constriction promotes division furrow ingression, after sister chromatids are segregated to opposing sides of the cleavage plane. Cytokinesis contributes to genome integrity because the cells that fail to complete cytokinesis often reduplicate their chromosomes. While in animal cells, the last steps of cytokinesis involve extracellular matrix remodelling and mid-body abscission, in yeast, CAR constriction is coupled to the synthesis of a polysaccharide septum. To preserve cell integrity during cytokinesis, fungal cells remodel their cell wall through signalling pathways that connect receptors to downstream effectors, initiating a cascade of biological signals. One of the best-studied signalling pathways is the cell wall integrity pathway (CWI) of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its counterpart in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the cell integrity pathway (CIP). Both are signal transduction pathways relying upon a cascade of MAP kinases. However, despite strong similarities in the assembly of the septa in both yeasts, there are significant mechanistic differences, including the relationship of this process with the cell integrity signalling pathways.

The mitotic exit network regulates the spatiotemporal activity of Cdc42 to maintain cell size

During G1 in budding yeast, the Cdc42 GTPase establishes a polar front, along which actin is recruited to direct secretion for bud formation. Cdc42 localizes at the bud cortex and then redistributes between mother and daughter in anaphase. The molecular mechanisms that terminate Cdc42 bud-localized activity during mitosis are poorly understood. We demonstrate that the activity of the Cdc14 phosphatase, released through the mitotic exit network, is required for Cdc42 redistribution between mother and bud. Induced Cdc14 nucleolar release results in premature Cdc42 redistribution between mother and bud. Inhibition of Cdc14 causes persistence of Cdc42 bud localization, which perturbs normal cell size and spindle positioning. Bem3, a Cdc42 GAP, binds Cdc14 and is dephosphorylated at late anaphase in a Cdc14-dependent manner. We propose that Cdc14 dephosphorylates and activates Bem3 to allow Cdc42 inactivation and redistribution. Our results uncover a mechanism through which Cdc14 regulates the spatiotemporal activity of Cdc42 to maintain normal cell size at cytokinesis.

Polarisome assembly mediates actin remodeling during polarized yeast and fungal growth

Dynamic assembly and remodeling of actin is critical for many cellular processes during development and stress adaptation. In filamentous fungi and budding yeast, actin cables align in a polarized manner along the mother-to-daughter cell axis, and are essential for the establishment and maintenance of polarity; moreover, they rapidly remodel in response to environmental cues to achieve an optimal system response. A formin at the tip region within a macromolecular complex, called the polarisome, is responsible for driving actin cable polymerization during polarity establishment. This polarisome undergoes dynamic assembly through spatial and temporally regulated interactions between its components. Understanding this process is important to comprehend the tuneable activities of the formin-centered nucleation core, which are regulated through divergent molecular interactions and assembly modes within the polarisome. In this Review, we focus on how intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) orchestrate the condensation of the polarisome components and the dynamic assembly of the complex. In addition, we address how these components are dynamically distributed in and out of the assembly zone, thereby regulating polarized growth. We also discuss the potential mechanical feedback mechanisms by which the force-induced actin polymerization at the tip of the budding yeast regulates the assembly and function of the polarisome.

In Vitro Apoptotic Cell Death Assessment

Chemical compounds induce cytotoxicity by various mechanisms, including interference in membrane integrity, metabolism, cellular component degradation or release, and cell division. Between the classic death pathways, namely, autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis, apoptosis have been in the focus for the last several years as an important pathway for the toxicity of different types of xenobiotics. Because of that, having the tools to evaluate it is key for understanding and explaining the toxicodynamics of different classes of substances. Here, we describe a wide array of classic assays that can be easily implemented to evaluate apoptosis induction.

Role of combined cell membrane and wall mechanical properties regulated by polarity signals in cell budding

Budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, serves as a prime biological model to study mechanisms underlying asymmetric growth. Previous studies have shown that prior to bud emergence, polarization of a conserved small GTPase Cdc42 must be established on the cell membrane of a budding yeast. Additionally, such polarization contributes to the delivery of cell wall remodeling enzymes and hydrolase from cytosol through the membrane, to change the mechanical properties of the cell wall. This leads to the hypothesis that Cdc42 and its associated proteins at least indirectly regulate cell surface mechanical properties. However, how the surface mechanical properties in the emerging bud are changed and whether such change is important are not well understood. To test several hypothesised mechanisms, a novel three-dimensional coarse-grained particle-based model has been developed which describes inhomogeneous mechanical properties of the cell surface. Model simulations predict alternation of the levels of stretching and bending stiffness of the cell surface in the bud region by the polarized Cdc42 signals is essential for initiating bud formation. Model simulations also suggest that bud shape depends strongly on the distribution of the polarized signaling molecules while the neck width of the emerging bud is strongly impacted by the mechanical properties of the chitin and septin rings. Moreover, the temporal change of the bud mechanical properties is shown to affect the symmetry of the bud shape. The 3D model of asymmetric cell growth can also be used for studying viral budding and other vegetative reproduction processes performed via budding, as well as detailed studies of cell growth.

A time-resolved interaction analysis of Bem1 reconstructs the flow of Cdc42 during polar growth

Cdc42 organizes cellular polarity and directs the formation of cellular structures in many organisms. By locating Cdc24, the source of active Cdc42, to the growing front of the yeast cell, the scaffold protein Bem1, is instrumental in shaping the cellular gradient of Cdc42. This gradient instructs bud formation, bud growth, or cytokinesis through the actions of a diverse set of effector proteins. To address how Bem1 participates in these transformations, we systematically tracked its protein interactions during one cell cycle to define the ensemble of Bem1 interaction states for each cell cycle stage. Mutants of Bem1 that interact with only a discrete subset of the interaction partners allowed to assign specific functions to different interaction states and identified the determinants for their cellular distributions. The analysis characterizes Bem1 as a cell cycle-specific shuttle that distributes active Cdc42 from its source to its effectors. It further suggests that Bem1 might convert the PAKs Cla4 and Ste20 into their active conformations.

Septin architecture and function in budding yeast

The septins constitute a conserved family of guanosine phosphate-binding and filament-forming proteins widespread across eukaryotic species. Septins appear to have two principal functions. One is to form a cortical diffusion barrier, like the septin collar at the bud neck of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which prevents movement of membrane-associated proteins between the mother and daughter cells. The second is to serve as a polymeric scaffold for recruiting the proteins required for critical cellular processes to particular subcellular areas. In the last decade, structural information about the different levels of septin organization has appeared, but crucial structural determinants and factors responsible for septin assembly remain largely unknown. This review highlights recent findings on the architecture and function of septins and their remodeling with an emphasis on mitotically dividing budding yeasts.

Cdc24 interacts with septins to create a positive feedback loop during bud site assembly in yeast

Yeast cells select the position of their new bud at the beginning of each cell cycle. The recruitment of septins to this prospective bud site is one of the critical events in a complex assembly pathway that culminates in the outgrowth of a new daughter cell. During recruitment, septin rods follow the high concentration of Cdc42GTP that is generated by the focused localization of the Cdc42 guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor Cdc24. We show that, shortly before budding, Cdc24 not only activates Cdc42 but also transiently interacts with Cdc11, the septin subunit that caps both ends of the septin rods. Mutations in Cdc24 that reduce affinity to Cdc11 impair septin recruitment and decrease the stability of the polarity patch. The interaction between septins and Cdc24 thus reinforces bud assembly at sites where septin structures are formed. Once the septins polymerize to form the septin ring, Cdc24 is found at the cortex of the bud and directs further outgrowth from this position.

Regulation of intrinsic polarity establishment by a differentiation-type MAPK pathway in S. cerevisiae

All cells establish and maintain an axis of polarity that is critical for cell shape and progression through the cell cycle. A well-studied example of polarity establishment is bud emergence in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is controlled by the Rho GTPase Cdc42p. The prevailing view of bud emergence does not account for regulation by extrinsic cues. Here, we show that the filamentous growth mitogen activated protein kinase (fMAPK) pathway regulates bud emergence under nutrient-limiting conditions. The fMAPK pathway regulated the expression of polarity targets including the gene encoding a direct effector of Cdc42p, Gic2p. The fMAPK pathway also stimulated GTP-Cdc42p levels, which is a critical determinant of polarity establishment. The fMAPK pathway activity was spatially restricted to bud sites and active during the period of the cell cycle leading up to bud emergence. Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy showed that the fMAPK pathway stimulated the rate of bud emergence during filamentous growth. Unregulated activation of the fMAPK pathway induced multiple rounds of symmetry breaking inside the growing bud. Collectively, our findings identify a new regulatory aspect of bud emergence that sensitizes this essential cellular process to external cues.

Chemogenomic profiling to understand the antifungal action of a bioactive aurone compound

Every year, more than 250,000 invasive candidiasis infections are reported with 50,000 deaths worldwide. The limited number of antifungal agents necessitates the need for alternative antifungals with potential novel targets. The 2-benzylidenebenzofuran-3-(2H)-ones have become an attractive scaffold for antifungal drug design. This study aimed to determine the antifungal activity of a synthetic aurone compound and characterize its mode of action. Using the broth microdilution method, aurone SH1009 exhibited inhibition against C. albicans, including resistant isolates, as well as C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis with IC50 values of 4-29 μM. Cytotoxicity assays using human THP-1, HepG2, and A549 human cell lines showed selective toxicity toward fungal cells. The mode of action for SH1009 was characterized using chemical-genetic interaction via haploinsufficiency (HIP) and homozygous (HOP) profiling of a uniquely barcoded Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant collection. Approximately 5300 mutants were competitively treated with SH1009 followed by DNA extraction, amplification of unique barcodes, and quantification of each mutant using multiplexed next-generation sequencing. Barcode post-sequencing analysis revealed 238 sensitive and resistant mutants that significantly (FDR P values ≤ 0.05) responded to aurone SH1009. The enrichment analysis of KEGG pathways and gene ontology demonstrated the cell cycle pathway as the most significantly enriched pathway along with DNA replication, cell division, actin cytoskeleton organization, and endocytosis. Phenotypic studies of these significantly enriched responses were validated in C. albicans. Flow cytometric analysis of SH1009-treated C. albicans revealed a significant accumulation of cells in G1 phase, indicating cell cycle arrest. Fluorescence microscopy detected abnormally interrupted actin dynamics, resulting in enlarged, unbudded cells. RT-qPCR confirmed the effects of SH1009 in differentially expressed cell cycle, actin polymerization, and signal transduction genes. These findings indicate the target of SH1009 as a cell cycle-dependent organization of the actin cytoskeleton, suggesting a novel mode of action of the aurone compound as an antifungal inhibitor.

Cyclin-dependent kinase-mediated phosphorylation of the exocyst subunit Exo84 in late G1 phase suppresses exocytic secretion and cell growth in yeast

In eukaryotic cells, the growth rate is strictly regulated for proper progression of the cell cycle. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it was previously shown that cell growth dramatically slows down when the cells start budding at the G₁/S transition. However, the molecular mechanism for this G₁/S-associated growth arrest is unclear. In this study, using exocytic secretion, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) assay, immunoprecipitation, and microscopy, we demonstrate that the exocyst subunit Exo84, which is known to be phosphorylated in mitosis, can also be phosphorylated directly by Cdk1 in the late G₁ phase. Of note, we found that the Cdk1-mediated Exo84 phosphorylation impairs exocytic secretion in the late G₁ phase. Using conditional cdc mutants and phosphodeficient and phosphomimetic exo84 mutants, we further observed that Cdk1-phosphoryated Exo84 inhibits the exocyst complex assembly, exocytic secretion, and cell growth, which may be important for proper execution of the G₁/S-phase transition before commitment to a complete cell cycle. Our results suggest that the direct Cdk1-mediated regulation of the exocyst complex critically contributes to the coordination of cell growth and cell cycle progression.

A comprehensive, mechanistically detailed, and executable model of the cell division cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Understanding how cellular functions emerge from the underlying molecular mechanisms is a key challenge in biology. This will require computational models, whose predictive power is expected to increase with coverage and precision of formulation. Genome-scale models revolutionised the metabolic field and made the first whole-cell model possible. However, the lack of genome-scale models of signalling networks blocks the development of eukaryotic whole-cell models. Here, we present a comprehensive mechanistic model of the molecular network that controls the cell division cycle in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We use rxncon, the reaction-contingency language, to neutralise the scalability issues preventing formulation, visualisation and simulation of signalling networks at the genome-scale. We use parameter-free modelling to validate the network and to predict genotype-to-phenotype relationships down to residue resolution. This mechanistic genome-scale model offers a new perspective on eukaryotic cell cycle control, and opens up for similar models-and eventually whole-cell models-of human cells.

Implications of maintenance of mother-bud neck size in diverse vital processes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The mother-bud neck is defined as the boundary between the mother cell and bud in budding microorganisms, wherein sequential morphological events occur throughout the cell cycle. This study was designed to quantitatively investigate the morphology of the mother-bud neck in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Observation of yeast cells with time-lapse microscopy revealed an increase of mother-bud neck size through the cell cycle. After screening of yeast non-essential gene-deletion mutants with the image processing software CalMorph, we comprehensively identified 274 mutants with broader necks during S/G2 phase. Among these yeasts, we extensively analyzed 19 representative deletion mutants with defects in genes annotated to six gene ontology terms (polarisome, actin reorganization, endosomal tethering complex, carboxy-terminal domain protein kinase complex, DNA replication, and maintenance of DNA trinucleotide repeats). The representative broad-necked mutants exhibited calcofluor white sensitivity, suggesting defects in their cell walls. Correlation analysis indicated that maintenance of mother-bud neck size is important for cellular processes such as cell growth, system robustness, and replicative lifespan. We conclude that neck-size maintenance in budding yeast is regulated by numerous genes and has several aspects that are physiologically significant.

A role for Gic1 and Gic2 in Cdc42 polarization at elevated temperature

The conserved Rho-family GTPase Cdc42 is a master regulator of polarity establishment in many cell types. Cdc42 becomes activated and concentrated in a region of the cell cortex, and recruits a variety of effector proteins to that site. In turn, many effectors participate in regulation of cytoskeletal elements in order to remodel the cytoskeleton in a polarized manner. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has served as a tractable model system for studies of cell polarity. In yeast cells, Cdc42 polarization involves a positive feedback loop in which effectors called p21-activated kinases (PAKs) act to recruit a Cdc42-directed guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), generating more GTP-Cdc42 in areas that already have GTP-Cdc42. The GTPase-interacting components (GICs) Gic1 and Gic2 are also Cdc42 effectors, and have been implicated in regulation of the actin and septin cytoskeleton. However, we report that cells lacking GICs are primarily defective in polarizing Cdc42 itself, suggesting that they act upstream as well as downstream of Cdc42 in yeast. Our findings suggest that feedback pathways involving GTPase effectors may be more prevalent than had been appreciated.

Cell-cycle control of cell polarity in yeast

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, polarization of Cdc42 is regulated by the cell cycle, but the regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. Moran et al. show that G1 cyclin–dependent kinase activity enables localization of a subset of Cdc42 effectors to sites enriched for Cdc42.

In many cells, morphogenetic events are coordinated with the cell cycle by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). For example, many mammalian cells display extended morphologies during interphase but round up into more spherical shapes during mitosis (high CDK activity) and constrict a furrow during cytokinesis (low CDK activity). In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bud formation reproducibly initiates near the G1/S transition and requires activation of CDKs at a point called “start” in G1. Previous work suggested that CDKs acted by controlling the ability of cells to polarize Cdc42, a conserved Rho-family GTPase that regulates cell polarity and the actin cytoskeleton in many systems. However, we report that yeast daughter cells can polarize Cdc42 before CDK activation at start. This polarization operates via a positive feedback loop mediated by the Cdc42 effector Ste20. We further identify a major and novel locus of CDK action downstream of Cdc42 polarization, affecting the ability of several other Cdc42 effectors to localize to the polarity site.

UmTea1, a Kelch and BAR domain-containing protein, acts at the cell cortex to regulate cell morphogenesis in the dimorphic fungus Ustilago maydis

The spatial organization of a cell is crucial for distribution of cell components and for cell morphogenesis in all organisms. Ustilago maydis, a basidiomycete fungus, has a yeast-like and a filamentous form. The former buds once per cell cycle at one of the cell poles, and can use the same site repeatedly or choose a new site at the same pole or opposite pole. The filamentous form consists of a long apical cell with short septate basal compartments lacking cytoplasm. It grows at the apex and can reverse growth forming a new growth zone at the basal end. We are interested in understanding how these different morphologies are generated. Here we present identification and characterization of U. maydis Tea1, a homologue of the fission yeast cell end marker Tea1. We demonstrate that UmTea1, a Kelch domain protein, interacts with itself and is an important determinant of the site of polarized growth: tea1 mutants bud simultaneously from both cell poles and form bifurcate buds. UmTea1 also regulates septum positioning, cell wall deposition, cell and neck width, coordination of nuclear division and cell separation, and localization of sterol-rich membrane domains. Some of these functions are shared with UmTea4, another cell end marker. We show that Tea1::GFP localizes to sites of polarized or potential polarized growth and to the septation site in the yeast-like form. Additionally, localization of Tea1::GFP as rings along the filament suggests that the filament undergoes septation. We hypothesize that Tea1 may act as a scaffold for the assembly of proteins that determine the site of polarized growth.

Swe1 and Mih1 regulate mitotic spindle dynamics in budding yeast via Bik1

The mitotic spindle is a very dynamic structure that is built de novo and destroyed at each round of cell division. In order to perform its fundamental function during chromosome segregation, mitotic spindle dynamics must be tightly coordinated with other cell cycle events. These changes are driven by several protein kinases, phosphatases and microtubule-associated proteins. In budding yeast, the kinase Swe1 and the phosphatase Mih1 act in concert in controlling the phosphorylation state of Cdc28, the catalytic subunit of Cdk1, the major regulator of the cell cycle. In this study we show that Swe1 and Mih1 are also involved in the control of mitotic spindle dynamics. Our data indicate that Swe1 and the Polo-like kinase Cdc5 control the balance between phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of Mih1, which is, in turn, important for mitotic spindle elongation. Moreover, we show that the microtubule-associated protein Bik1 is a phosphoprotein, and that Swe1 and Mih1 are both involved in controlling phosphorylation of Bik1. These results uncover new players and provide insights into the complex regulation of mitotic spindle dynamics.

Architecture, remodeling, and functions of the septin cytoskeleton

The septin family of proteins has fascinated cell biologists for decades due to the elaborate architecture they adopt in different eukaryotic cells. Whether they exist as rings, collars, or gauzes in different cell types and at different times in the cell cycle illustrates a complex series of regulation in structure. While the organization of different septin structures at the cortex of different cell types during the cell cycle has been described to various degrees, the exact structure and regulation at the filament level are still largely unknown. Recent advances in fluorescent and electron microscopy, as well as work in septin biochemistry, have allowed new insights into the aspects of septin architecture, remodeling, and function in many cell types. This mini-review highlights many of the recent findings with an emphasis on the budding yeast model.

Prolonged cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition results in septin perturbations during return to growth and mitosis

By investigating how yeast cells coordinate polarity and division in a special type of cell division called return to growth, Gihana et al. discover that although checkpoints are normally beneficial, prolonged activation of the morphogenesis checkpoint is instead detrimental to the cell.

We investigated how Saccharomyces cerevisiae coordinate polarization, budding, and anaphase during a unique developmental program called return to growth (RTG) in which cells in meiosis return to mitosis upon nutrient shift. Cells reentering mitosis from prophase I deviate from the normal cell cycle by budding in G2 instead of G1. We found that cells do not maintain the bipolar budding pattern, a characteristic of diploid cells. Furthermore, strict temporal regulation of M-phase cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK; M-CDK) is important for polarity establishment and morphogenesis. Cells with premature M-CDK activity caused by loss of checkpoint kinase Swe1 failed to polarize and underwent anaphase without budding. Mutants with increased Swe1-dependent M-CDK inhibition showed additional or more penetrant phenotypes in RTG than mitosis, including elongated buds, multiple buds, spindle mispositioning, and septin perturbation. Surprisingly, the enhanced and additional phenotypes were not exclusive to RTG but also occurred with prolonged Swe1-dependent CDK inhibition in mitosis. Our analysis reveals that prolonged activation of the Swe1-dependent checkpoint can be detrimental instead of beneficial.

Temporal regulation of morphogenetic events in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Tip growth in fungi involves highly polarized secretion and modification of the cell wall at the growing tip. The genetic requirements for initiating polarized growth are perhaps best understood for the model budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Once the cell is committed to enter the cell cycle by activation of G1 cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complexes, the polarity regulator Cdc42 becomes concentrated at the presumptive bud site, actin cables are oriented toward that site, and septin filaments assemble into a ring around the polarity site. Several minutes later, the bud emerges. Here, we investigated the mechanisms that regulate the timing of these events at the single-cell level. Septin recruitment was delayed relative to polarity establishment, and our findings suggest that a CDK-dependent septin “priming” facilitates septin recruitment by Cdc42. Bud emergence was delayed relative to the initiation of polarized secretion, and our findings suggest that the delay reflects the time needed to weaken the cell wall sufficiently for the cell to bud. Rho1 activation by Rom2 occurred at around the time of bud emergence, perhaps in response to local cell-wall weakening. This report reveals regulatory mechanisms underlying the morphogenetic events in the budding yeast.

High levels of histones promote whole-genome-duplications and trigger a Swe1WEE1-dependent phosphorylation of Cdc28CDK1

Whole-genome duplications (WGDs) have played a central role in the evolution of genomes and constitute an important source of genome instability in cancer. Here, we show in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that abnormal accumulations of histones are sufficient to induce WGDs. Our results link these WGDs to a reduced incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z to chromatin. Moreover, we show that high levels of histones promote Swe1^WEE1 stabilisation thereby triggering the phosphorylation and inhibition of Cdc28^CDK1 through a mechanism different of the canonical DNA damage response. Our results link high levels of histones to a specific type of genome instability that is quite frequently observed in cancer and uncovers a new mechanism that might be able to respond to high levels of histones.

Global study of holistic morphological effectors in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Background

The size of the phenotypic effect of a gene has been thoroughly investigated in terms of fitness and specific morphological traits in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but little is known about gross morphological abnormalities.

Results

We identified 1126 holistic morphological effectors that cause severe gross morphological abnormality when deleted, and 2241 specific morphological effectors with weak holistic effects but distinctive effects on yeast morphology. Holistic effectors fell into many gene function categories and acted as network hubs, affecting a large number of morphological traits, interacting with a large number of genes, and facilitating high protein expression. Holistic morphological abnormality was useful for estimating the importance of a gene to morphology. The contribution of gene importance to fitness and morphology could be used to efficiently classify genes into functional groups.

Conclusion

Holistic morphological abnormality can be used as a reproducible and reliable gene feature for high-dimensional morphological phenotyping. It can be used in many functional genomic applications.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4526-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The anillin-related Int1 protein and the Sep7 septin collaborate to maintain cellular ploidy in Candida albicans

Variation in cell ploidy is a common feature of Candida albicans clinical isolates that are resistant to the antifungal drug fluconazole. Here, we report that the anillin-related protein Int1 interacts with septins for coupling cytokinesis with nuclear segregation. Loss of Int1 results in a rapid disassembly of duplicated septin rings from the bud neck at the onset of actomyosin ring contraction. Strikingly, this has no major impact on cytokinesis and septum formation. However, Int1 genetically interacts with the Sep7 septin, maintaining the diffusion barrier at the bud neck and guarantying a faithful nuclear segregation. Indeed, int1ΔΔ sep7ΔΔ mutant cells, in contrast to int1ΔΔ cdc10ΔΔ, undergo a premature activation of mitotic exit prior to the alignment of the mitotic spindle with the division axis, producing large multinucleated cells. Some of these multinucleated cells arise from trimeras similar to those observed upon fluconazole exposure. Finally, the defects in nuclear segregation could be in part due to the inability to maintain the Lte1 mitotic exit activator at the cortex of the daughter cell. These results suggest that Int1 and Sep7 play a role in maintaining genome stability by acting as a diffusion barrier for Lte1.

Genetic Evidence for Roles of Yeast Mitotic Cyclins at Single-Stranded Gaps Created by DNA Replication

Paused or stalled replication forks are major threats to genome integrity; unraveling the complex pathways that contribute to fork stability and restart is crucial. Experimentally, fork stalling is induced by growing the cells in presence of hydroxyurea (HU), which depletes the pool of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) and slows down replication progression in yeast. Here, I report an epistasis analysis, based on sensitivity to HU, between CLB2, the principal mitotic cyclin gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and genes involved in fork stability and recombination. clb2Δ cells are not sensitive to HU, but the strong synergistic effect of clb2Δ with most genes tested indicates, unexpectedly, that CLB2 has an important role in DNA replication, in the stability and restart of stalled forks, and in pathways dependent on and independent of homologous recombination. Results indicate that CLB2 functions in parallel with the SGS1 helicase and EXO1 exonuclease to allow proper Rad51 recombination, but also regulates a combined Sgs1–Exo1 activity in a pathway dependent on Mec1 and Rad53 checkpoint protein kinases. The data argue that Mec1 regulates Clb2 to prevent a deleterious Sgs1–Exo1 activity at paused or stalled forks, whereas Rad53 checkpoint activation regulates Clb2 to allow a necessary Sgs1–Exo1 activity at stalled or collapsed forks. Altogether, this study indicates that Clb2 regulates the activity of numerous nucleases at single-stranded gaps created by DNA replication. A model is proposed for the function and regulation of Clb2 at stalled forks. These data provide new perspectives on the role of mitotic cyclins at the end of S phase.

Analysis of cell cycle parameters during the transition from unhindered growth to ribosomal and translational stress conditions

Abrogation of ribosome synthesis (ribosomal stress) leads to cell cycle arrest. However, the immediate cell response to cessation of ribosome formation and the transition from normal cell proliferation to cell cycle arrest have not been characterized. Furthermore, there are conflicting conclusions about whether cells are arrested in G2/M or G1, and whether the cause is dismantling ribosomal assembly per se, or the ensuing decreased number of translating ribosomes. To address these questions, we have compared the time kinetics of key cell cycle parameters after inhibiting ribosome formation or function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Within one-to-two hours of repressing genes for individual ribosomal proteins or Translation Elongation factor 3, configurations of spindles, spindle pole bodies began changing. Actin began depolarizing within 4 hours. Thus the loss of ribosome formation and function is sensed immediately. After several hours no spindles or mitotic actin rings were visible, but membrane ingression was completed in most cells and Ace2 was localized to daughter cell nuclei demonstrating that the G1 stage was reached. Thus cell division was completed without the help of a contractile actin ring. Moreover, cell wall material held mother and daughter cells together resulting in delayed cell separation, suggesting that expression or function of daughter gluconases and chitinases is inhibited. Moreover, cell development changes in very similar ways in response to inhibition of ribosome formation and function, compatible with the notion that decreased translation capacity contributes to arresting the cell cycle after abrogation of ribosome biogenesis. Potential implications for the mechanisms of diseases caused by mutations in ribosomal genes (ribosomopathies) are discussed.

Cell Polarity in Yeast

A conserved molecular machinery centered on the Cdc42 GTPase regulates cell polarity in diverse organisms. Here we review findings from budding and fission yeasts that reveal both a conserved core polarity circuit and several adaptations that each organism exploits to fulfill the needs of its lifestyle. The core circuit involves positive feedback by local activation of Cdc42 to generate a cluster of concentrated GTP-Cdc42 at the membrane. Species-specific pathways regulate the timing of polarization during the cell cycle, as well as the location and number of polarity sites.

Influence of the bud neck on nuclear envelope fission in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Studies have shown that nuclear envelope fission (karyokinesis) in budding yeast depends on cytokinesis, but not distinguished whether this was a direct requirement, indirect, because of cell cycle arrest, or due to bud neck-localized proteins impacting both processes. To determine the requirements for karyokinesis, we examined mutants conditionally defective for bud emergence and/or nuclear migration. The common mutant phenotype was completion of the nuclear division cycle within the mother cell, but karyokinesis did not occur. In the cdc24 swe1 mutant, at the non-permissive temperature, multiple nuclei accumulated within the unbudded cell, with connected nuclear envelopes. Upon return to the permissive temperature, the cdc24 swe1 mutant initiated bud emergence, but only the nucleus spanning the neck underwent fission suggesting that the bud neck region is important for fission initiation. The neck may be critical for either mechanical reasons, as the contractile ring might facilitate fission, or for regulatory reasons, as the site of a protein network regulating nuclear envelope fission, mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. We also found that 77-85% of pairs of septin mutant nuclei completed nuclear envelope fission. In addition, 27% of myo1Δ mutant nuclei completed karyokinesis. These data suggested that fission is not dependent on mechanical contraction at the bud neck, but was instead controlled by regulatory proteins there.

Regulation of Cellular Processes by SUMO: Understudied Topics

SUMO plays a multiple role in maintenance of cellular homeostasis, both under normal conditions and under cell stress . Considerable effort has been devoted to unraveling the functions of SUMO in regulation of transcription and preservation of genome stability. However, it is clear from high-throughput SUMO proteome studies that SUMO likely regulates many more cellular processes. The function of SUMO in these processes has hardly been explored. This review will focus on the emerging function of SUMO in regulation of several of these processes.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Determinants Linking Spindle Pole Fate, Spindle Polarity, and Asymmetric Cell Division in the Budding Yeast S. cerevisiae

The budding yeast S. cerevisiae is a powerful model to understand the multiple layers of control driving an asymmetric cell division. In budding yeast, asymmetric targeting of the spindle poles to the mother and bud cell compartments respectively orients the mitotic spindle along the mother-bud axis. This program exploits an intrinsic functional asymmetry arising from the age distinction between the spindle poles-one inherited from the preceding division and the other newly assembled. Extrinsic mechanisms convert this age distinction into differential fate. Execution of this program couples spindle orientation with the segregation of the older spindle pole to the bud. Remarkably, similar stereotyped patterns of inheritance occur in self-renewing stem cell divisions underscoring the general importance of studying spindle polarity and differential fate in yeast. Here, we review the mechanisms accounting for this pivotal interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic asymmetries that translate spindle pole age into differential fate.

Cell cycle entry triggers a switch between two modes of Cdc42 activation during yeast polarization

Cell polarization underlies many cellular and organismal functions. The GTPase Cdc42 orchestrates polarization in many contexts. In budding yeast, polarization is associated with a focus of Cdc42•GTP which is thought to self sustain by recruiting a complex containing Cla4, a Cdc42-binding effector, Bem1, a scaffold, and Cdc24, a Cdc42 GEF. Using optogenetics, we probe yeast polarization and find that local recruitment of Cdc24 or Bem1 is sufficient to induce polarization by triggering self-sustaining Cdc42 activity. However, the response to these perturbations depends on the recruited molecule, the cell cycle stage, and existing polarization sites. Before cell cycle entry, recruitment of Cdc24, but not Bem1, induces a metastable pool of Cdc42 that is sustained by positive feedback. Upon Cdk1 activation, recruitment of either Cdc24 or Bem1 creates a stable site of polarization that induces budding and inhibits formation of competing sites. Local perturbations have therefore revealed unexpected features of polarity establishment.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26722.001

Living cells are not always symmetrical. Instead they are often polarized, with a distinct front and back or top and bottom. Cell polarization influences many processes, including how a cell moves and grows, and where it will divide. Breaking symmetry – in other words, making one part of a cell different from the rest – regularly involves a small protein called Cdc42, which can switch between an active and inactive form. This protein is found in a range of organisms from fungi to animals.

Budding yeast is a valuable model to study cell polarization. This single-celled fungus polarizes in order to produce a daughter cell or ‘bud’ that emerges out of one end of the mother cell. To become polarized, the mother cell accumulates active Cdc42 in a small area of the cell membrane. This region then becomes the front of the cell, from where the future bud will emerge. However, it is not fully understood how active Cdc42 accumulates at only one place. One model proposed that some molecules of active Cdc42 that are already present on the membrane, recruit polarity proteins that in turn activate other, inactive Cdc42 molecules. This self-amplifying loop could eventually build up a local pool of active Cdc42. However, it has proved challenging to directly test this model.

Optogenetics is a technique in which a beam of light is used to manipulate proteins inside cells in a precise manner. The method was first developed in the field of neuroscience over a decade ago, and has more recently been applied to cell biology. Now, Witte et al. have used optogenetics to move polarity proteins to defined places on the membrane of yeast cells and analyse how this change affected the pattern of Cdc42 activation. The experiments showed that polarity proteins not only activate Cdc42 but they also recruit more polarity proteins to the same place. The resulting positive feedback loop leads to active Cdc42 accumulating at one site on the membrane. Further work showed that this mechanism only operates in this manner just before the mother cell replicates its DNA, which is when a yeast cell will normally polarize.

These results provide a new perspective on how cells can make one part of the cell different from the rest. Beyond yeast, cell polarization plays a major role when animals, including humans, are developing as embryos or healing wounds. These processes are often controlled by a protein that is equivalent to Cdc42 or by other highly related switch-like proteins. This means that yeast will continue to provide a useful model to study these processes in the laboratory. Lastly, the optogenetics approach developed Witte et al. will be useful to dissect other processes that involve molecules being located at specific place in a cell at specific time.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26722.002

Shrinking Daughters: Rlm1-Dependent G1/S Checkpoint Maintains Saccharomyces cerevisiae Daughter Cell Size and Viability

The Rlm1 transcription factor is a target of the cell wall integrity pathway. We report that an rlm1Δ mutant grown on a nonfermentable carbon source at low osmolarity forms cell groups in which a mother cell is surrounded by smaller "satellite-daughter" cells. Mother cells in these groups progressed through repeated rounds of cell division with normal rates of bud growth and genetic stability; however, these cells underwent precocious START relative to wild-type mothers. Thus, once activated, Rlm1 delays the transition from G₁ to S, a mechanism we term the cell wall/START (CW/START) checkpoint. The rlm1Δ satellite-cell phenotype is suppressed by deletion of either SLT2, which encodes the kinase that activates Rlm1, or SWI4, which is also activated by Slt2; suggesting that Slt2 can have opposing roles in regulating the START transition. Consistent with an Rlm1-dependent CW/START checkpoint, rlm1Δ satellite daughters were unable to grow or divide further even after transfer to rich medium, but UV irradiation in G₁ could partially rescue rlm1Δ satellite daughters in the next division. Indeed, after cytokinesis, these satellite daughters shrank rapidly, displayed amorphous actin staining, and became more permeable. As a working hypothesis, we propose that duplication of an "actin-organizing center" in late G₁ may be required both to progress through START and to reestablish the actin cytoskeleton in daughter cells.

Mapping the Synthetic Dosage Lethality Network of CDK1/CDC28

Cdk1 (Cdc28 in yeast) is a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) essential for cell cycle progression and cell division in normal cells. However, CDK activity also underpins proliferation of tumor cells, making it a relevant study subject. While numerous targets and processes regulated by Cdc28 have been identified, the exact functions of Cdc28 are only partially understood. To further explore the functions of Cdc28, we systematically overexpressed ∼4800 genes in wild-type (WT) cells and in cells with artificially reduced Cdc28 activity. This screen identified 366 genes that, when overexpressed, specifically compromised cell viability under conditions of reduced Cdc28 activity. Consistent with the crucial functions of Cdc28 in cell cycle regulation and chromosome metabolism, most of these genes have functions in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and transcription. However, a substantial number of genes control processes not directly associated with the cell cycle, indicating that Cdc28 may also regulate these processes. Finally, because the dataset was enriched for direct Cdc28 targets, the results from this screen will aid in identifying novel targets and process regulated by Cdc28.

In vitro secretomic analysis identifies putative pathogenicity-related proteins of Sporisorium scitamineum - The sugarcane smut fungus

Sporisorium scitamineum, the sugarcane smut pathogen, relies predominantly on its secretome to successfully colonise its host, in accordance with other related smut fungi. Considering the significance of deciphering its secretome, we have examined alterations in the in vitro secretome of S. scitamineum in response to synthetic and sugarcane meristem tissue-amended growth media, so as to identify host signal responsive secretory proteins. Secretory proteins that were differentially abundant and exclusively secreted in response to host extract media were identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Of the 16 differentially abundant and exclusively secreted proteins, nine proteins were identified. Among which, six were related to cell wall modification, morphogenesis, polysaccharide degradation, and carbohydrate metabolism. In planta gene expression profiling indicated that five in vitro secreted proteins were expressed in distinct patterns by S. scitamineum during different stages of infection with relatively higher expression at 1 day after inoculation, suggesting that these proteins could be aiding S. scitamineum at early time points in penetration and colonisation of sugarcane cells. The present study has provided insights into the alterations occurring in the secretome of S. scitamineum at in vitro conditions and has resulted in the identification of secretory proteins that are possibly associated with pathogenicity of the sugarcane smut fungus.