Functional analysis of 150 deletion mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a systematic approach

In a systematic approach to the study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes of unknown function, 150 deletion mutants were constructed (1 double, 149 single mutants) and phenotypically analysed. Twenty percent of all genes examined were essential. The viable deletion mutants were subjected to 20 different test systems, ranging from high throughput to highly specific test systems. Phenotypes were obtained for two-thirds of the mutants tested. During the course of this investigation, mutants for 26 of the genes were described by others. For 18 of these the reported data were in accordance with our results. Surprisingly, for seven genes, additional, unexpected phenotypes were found in our tests. This suggests that the type of analysis presented here provides a more complete description of gene function.

Yeast cells as tools for target-oriented screening

Information about biomolecular interaction networks is crucial for understanding cellular functions and the development of disease processes. Many diseases are known to be based on aberrations of DNA sequences encoding proteins with key functions in the cellular metabolism. Alterations in the respective proteins often lead to disturbances in biomolecular interactions caused by unbalanced stoichiometries, and thus result in alterations of molecule fluxes, cell architecture and signalling pathways. Drug discovery programmes have been designed to find promising chemical lead structures with the help of target-oriented bioassay systems. These are, in most cases, based upon the interaction of small molecules to specific macromolecular targets in vivo or in vitro, as exemplified by enzyme assays or small-ligand-based receptor systems. In addition, interactions between large biomolecules, such as proteins or nucleic acids, offer a huge arsenal of potential drug targets that can be addressed by small chemical compounds. This latter approach is gaining considerable attention because many potential target structures are becoming available through genomic research. Funnelling these new targets into high-throughput screening programs represents a major challenge for today's pharmaceutical research. An important outcome of the ongoing genome projects is the fact that the basic cellular structures, pathways and signalling principles show a high degree of conservation. Model organisms that are easily approachable by genetic, biochemical and physiological means can thus play an important role in the design of target-oriented screening systems. They offer the possibility to express individual proteins, nucleic acids or even more complex aggregates of biomolecules such as protein-interaction networks or transcription-initiation complexes, which can be addressed by small effector molecules in vivo. Combining these targets with biological signalling systems is an attractive way of creating robust cellular assay systems.

Single-read sequence tags of a limited number of genomic DNA fragments provide an inexpensive tool for comparative genome analysis

Single-read sequences from both ends of 415 3-kb average size genomic DNA fragments of Candida albicans were compared with the complete sequence data of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Comparison at the protein level, translated DNA against protein sequences, revealed 138 sequence tags with clear similarity to S. cerevisiae proteins or open reading frames. One case of synteny was found for the open reading frames of RAD16 and LYS2, which are adjacent to each other in S. cerevisiae and C. albicans.

Drug-induced phenotypes provide a tool for the functional analysis of yeast genes

The post-genome sequencing era of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is defined by the analysis of newly discovered open reading frames of unknown function. In this report, we describe a genetic method for the rapid identification and characterisation of genes involved in a given phenotype. This approach is based on the ability of overexpressed genomic DNA fragments to cure an induced phenotype in yeast. To validate this concept, yeast cells carrying a yeast DNA library present on multicopy plasmid vectors were screened for resistance to the antifungal drug ketoconazole. Among 1.2 million colonies 13 clones tested positive, including those expressing the lanosterol C-14 demethylase, known to be a cellular target for azole drugs, and the cytochrome-c oxidase of mitochondria, regulating the respiratory chain electron transport. Several other resistant clones were identified, which code for yeast proteins of so far unknown function. These genes may represent potential candidates for antifungal drug effects. Together with the availability of the entire yeast genome sequence, the described genetic screening method is a powerful tool for the effective functional analysis of yeast genes.

Homologous recombination partly restores the secretion defect of underglycosylated acid phosphatase in yeast

The majority of secreted acid phosphatase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is encoded by the PH05 gene. The secretion level of this acid phosphatase is directly determined by its level of glycosylation. Consequently, PHO5-11-encoded acid phosphatase which lacks 11 of 12 glycosylation sites is only poorly secreted. We have isolated and characterized both UV- and EMS-induced variants, which are partly able to restore the secretion of acid phosphatase. Our data indicate that the improved secretion is caused by mitotic intrachromosomal recombination between the PHO5-11 allele and the homologous tandemly repeated PHO3 sequences, resulting in the restoration of glycosylation sites in PHO5-11. Two different recombination mechanisms, unequal sister-chromatid exchange and sister-chromatid gene conversion, are responsible for these alterations of the PHO5-11 locus. Thus, recombination between mutant and wild-type sequences are able to restore the ability of mutant yeast cells to secrete acid phosphatase.

Biochemical properties and excretion behavior of repressible acid phosphatases with altered subunit composition

Yeast repressible acid phosphatase (rAP) is the oligomeric extracellular enzyme encoded by the three structural genes PH05 (p60), PHO10 (p58) and PHO11 (p56). We examined the ability of acid phosphatases formed by various subunit combinations to be excreted into the medium. Plasmids with repressible acid phosphatase structural genes under control of the yeast glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP) promoter were constructed to obtain constitutive expression of acid phosphatase, and yeast strains with disruptions in PHO5, PHO10 and PHO11, respectively, were used to generate mutants expressing single genes or specific gene combinations. EndoF treatment of acid phosphatases, produced by these strains, followed by SDS-electrophoresis in combination with densitometry techniques revealed that the ratio p60/(p56 + p58) among structural polypeptides in extracellular enzyme is constant and equals to 6.0. A study of acid phosphatases formed by single type subunits was undertaken. Expression products of PHO5, PHO10 and PHO11 genes were isolated from the culture medium. The specific activities of the enzymes were found to be 33, 2 and 2 mM x mg-1 x min-1, respectively. The values of Mr estimated by HPLC chromatography for the enzymes encoded for by the genes PHO5, PHO10 and PHO11 and SDS-polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis data suggested an oligomeric organisation of the enzymes. Isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel with immobilised pH gradient followed by activity staining yielded numerous sharp bands of homopolymeric acid phosphatases forms being different in their pI. The kinetic characterisation of the enzymes revealed differences in Km values, sensitivity to temperature inactivation, inhibition by orthophosphate and the effect of pH on the enzyme activity.

High-level expression of endogenous acid phosphatase inhibits growth and vectorial secretion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The secretion pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was challenged by constitutively overexpressing plasmid-encoded acid phosphatase, a secreted endogenous glycoprotein. A 2-microns-based multicopy plasmid carrying the coding sequence of acid phosphatase under the control of a truncated variant of the strong constitutive glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter was used for expression. Selection for the promoterless dLEU2 marker leads to a growth arrest. This is not per se due to leucine starvation, but due to intracellular accumulation of highly glycosylated enzymatically active acid phosphatase. Immunofluorescence and cytological analysis indicate that intracellular accumulation of acid phosphatase occurs in a subpopulation of cells. By Ludox-AM density centrifugation, these cells can be enriched on the basis of their higher density. The dense accumulating cells have a higher average plasmid copy number and produce more acid phosphatase than non-accumulating cells of low density. These cells are defective in directed secretion and bud formation, therefore can no longer grow and show dramatic changes in cell morphology. We suggest that the secretion pathway in these cells is overloaded with the high level of acid phosphatase leading to a shutdown in vectorial secretion, subsequently to a standstill in growth and to the intracellular accumulation of further expressed acid phosphatase. We have indications that accumulation of acid phosphatase occurs in the late Golgi, suggesting a limitation of the overall secretion at this stage.

Identification of the yeast ACC1 gene product (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) as the target of the polyketide fungicide soraphen A

Soraphen A, a polyketide isolated from the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum, is a potent inhibitor of fungal growth. We have used a genetic approach to localize the target of this drug, employing Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. we have isolated soraphen A-resistant mutants and found that all of them map at the same genetic locus and exhibit a broad range of semidominant phenotypes. Data from genetic crosses of soraphen A-resistant clones with an acc1 mutant revealed that ACC1, coding for acetyl-CoA carboxylase (E.C. 6.4.1.2), is tightly linked to soraphen A resistance. Partially-purified enzyme extracts containing acetyl-CoA carboxylase were prepared and assayed for their soraphen A sensitivity. Our experiments showed that the catalytic activity of the wild-type enzyme is inhibited in vitro by soraphen A while the mutant enzyme remains catalytically active. Taken together these data strongly suggest that the ACC1 gene product is the primary target for soraphen A in vivo.

Characterization of the Aspergillus niger pelB gene: structure and regulation of expression

The nucleotide sequence of pelB, a member of the Aspergillus niger pectin lyase multigene family, has been determined. The pelB gene product, PLB, shares 65% amino acid identity with pectin lyase A (PLA) and 60% with pectin lyase D (PLD). Although growth of pelB multicopy transformants on pectin-containing media results in elevated pelB mRNA levels, pectin lyase B (PLB) is barely detectable. This is probably due to degradation of PLB by acid proteases, since multicopy transformants grown on pectin medium with a high concentration of phosphate, leading to a less rapid decline in pH, secrete detectable amounts of PLB. To produce PLB in high amounts under conditions where few other extracellular enzymes are present, we tried two strategies. Firstly, heterologous expression of the pelB gene in A. nidulans, and secondly, expression of the pelB gene under control of the constitutive A. niger pki promoter.

Temperature sensitivity of the cdc9-1 allele of Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA ligase is dependent on specific combinations of amino acids in the primary structure of the expressed protein

In this study we present the characterization of the temperature-sensitive mutant allele cdc9-1 encoding DNA ligase, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain A364A by DNA sequencing. Comparison with the published wild-type sequence from strain SK1 revealed 13 nucleotide exchanges between these two sequences, which are derived from non-isogenic genetic backgrounds. Only four of these changes, distributed over the whole coding region, lead to amino acid exchanges in the protein chain. Our analysis of the sequence of the wild-type CDC9 allele from strain A364A revealed differences from the isogenic cdc9-1 allele in only two nucleotides: one silent change and one leading to a single amino acid exchange. The latter is therefore responsible for the temperature-sensitive phenotype. A mosaic protein, in which a region carrying this amino acid exchange has been inserted in place of the corresponding part of CDC9 from the non-isogenic strain SK1, is not temperature sensitive. The exchange of a longer stretch of DNA leading to atteration of three amino acids of the protein compared with the original sequence of SK1 is required to obtain a temperature-sensitive DNA ligase in this strain, while in strain A364A a single amino acid change is sufficient for expression of a temperature-sensitive protein.

Heterologous expression of human microsomal epoxide hydrolase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Study of the valpromide-carbamazepine epoxide interaction

A cDNA of human microsomal epoxide hydrolase (hmEH) was constitutively and inducibly expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The heterologous enzyme was located mainly in the microsomal fraction of yeast cells. Yeast microsomes containing hmEH exerted styrene oxide hydrolase activity (Km = 300 microM; Vmax = 22 nmol/mg min) as well as carbamazepine epoxide hydrolase activity. The hmEH catalysed exclusively the formation of carbamazepine-10,11-transdihydrodiol, since no carbamazepine-10,11-cisdihydrodiol was detected. Inhibition studies using these microsomes revealed unequivocally hmEH as the target for inhibition by the antiepileptic drug valpromide. A Ki value of 27 microM was determined for the inhibitor valpromide with styrene oxide as substrate. For carbamazepine epoxide, a Ki value of 8.6 microM was obtained, which is well in line with data published for hmEH determined with human liver microsomes. Our results demonstrate the potential of heterologous gene expression in S. cerevisiae and its application to the in vitro study of pharmacological and toxicological problems.

A new system for amplifying 2 microns plasmid copy number in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast 2 microns plasmid is found in the nucleus of almost all Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Its replication is very similar to that of chromosomal DNA. Although the plasmid does not encode essential genes it is stably maintained in the yeast population and exhibits only a small, though detectable, loss rate. This stability is achieved by a plasmid-encoded copy-number control system which ensures constant plasmid levels. For the investigation of 2 microns replication, a yeast strain that is absolutely dependent on this plasmid was constructed. This was achieved by disruption of the chromosomal CDC9 gene, coding for DNA ligase and providing this essential gene on a 2 microns-derived plasmid. This plasmid is absolutely stable under all growth conditions tested. Using the temperature-sensitive mutant allele cdc9-1 we have developed an artificial control system which allows one to change the copy number of 2 microns-derived plasmids solely by changing the incubation temperature.

Removal of N-glycosylation sites of the yeast acid phosphatase severely affects protein folding

The influence of N glycosylation on the production of yeast acid phosphatase was studied. A set of synthetic hypoglycosylation mutants was generated by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis of the 12 putative sequons (Asn-X-Ser/Thr). Derepression of the hypoglycosylation mutants and analysis of their molecular sizes showed that all 12 sequons of the wild-type acid phosphatase are glycosylated. Activity measurements in combination with pulse-chase experiments revealed that the specific activity was not impaired by the introduced amino acid exchanges. However, absence of N glycosylation severely affected protein folding. Protein folding was found to be the rate-limiting factor in acid phosphatase secretion, and improper folding resulted in irreversible retention of malfolded acid phosphatase in the endoplasmic reticulum. With a decreasing number of attached glycan chains, less active acid phosphatase was secreted. Efficiency of correct folding was shown to be temperature dependent; i.e., lower temperatures could compensate for the reduction in attached oligosaccharides. In addition, protein folding and stability were shown to depend on both the number and the position of the attached oligosaccharides. N glycosylation was found to occur in a process independent of secondary structures, and thus our data support the model of a cotranslocational mechanism of glycosylation.

The yeast phosphatase system

Yeast cells produce a set of enzymes which are involved in the metabolism of phosphate, and include acid and alkaline phosphatases as well as permeases. Most of these enzymes are synthesized in response to the presence or absence of inorganic phosphate. In the past few years a considerable amount of genetic and molecular evidence has accumulated and a rather precise overall picture emerges which describes the mechanism of phosphate control at the level of gene activation. This mini-review summarizes these data. The main focus lies on the regulatory features associated with the control of transcription of PHO5, a gene coding for most of the regulated acid phosphatase activity produced by yeast cells.

Constitutive and inducible expression of human cytochrome P450IA1 in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: an alternative enzyme source for in vitro studies

A cDNA of human cytochrome P450IA1 was expressed in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on a multicopy plasmid under the control of the constitutive GAPFL or the inducible PHO5 promoter. Microsomes of transformed yeast contained substantial amounts of the heterologous enzyme as determined by reduced CO-difference spectra (156-68 pmol/mg). Enzyme kinetics with 7-ethoxyresorufin as substrate resulted in a Km value of 92 nM and a Vmax value of 223 pmol/mg/min, which is comparable to data obtained with human liver microsomes. The antimycotic drug ketoconazole (Ki = 22nM) as well as the isozyme specific P450 inhibitor alpha-naphthoflavone (Ki = 1.2 nM) were shown to be strong inhibitors of human P450IA1. Taken together, these data show that heterologous P450 gene expression in yeast is a potent instrument for the study of enzyme specific parameters and might be used to answer further questions with regard to substrate specificity as well as drug interaction in a background with no interfering activities.

The influence of GAP promoter variants on hirudin production, average plasmid copy number and cell growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been engineered to synthesize and secrete desulfato-hirudin (hirudin), a thrombin inhibitor from the leech Hirudo medicinalis. The synthetic gene coding for hirudin was expressed constitutively under the control of four size-variants of the yeast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter (GAP) and cloned into a 2 mu based multicopy yeast vector. The constitutive action of the four promoter variants was confirmed by demonstrating that the expression and secretion of hirudin is growth-related. The different efficiencies of the promoter variants not only affected hirudin expression but also led to changes in several cellular parameters, such as cell growth, average plasmid copy number and plasmid stability. The observed changes show that yeast cells establish a specific equilibrium for each promoter variant. We conclude, that the adjustment of cellular parameters in response to the expression levels of a heterologous protein is regulated by two counteracting selective forces: (1) the need for complementation of the auxotrophic host marker by the plasmid-encoded selection gene which, in the case of dLEU2, requires several plasmid copies; and (2) a selective advantage of cells with a lower copy number enabling them to escape the burden of heterologous protein production.

In vivo translocation of the cell wall acid phosphatase across the yeast endoplasmic reticulum membrane: are there multiple signals for the targeting process?

The repressible Saccharomyces cerevisiae acid phosphatase (APase) coded by the PHO5 gene is a cell wall protein that follows the yeast secretory pathway. We had previously described the in vivo fate of a multicopy plasmid-encoded modified protein, lacking 15 out of 17 signal peptide amino acids. This modified protein accumulates mainly within the cell as an inactive unglycosylated form. However 30% of this precursor is translocated, glycosylated and dispatched to the cell wall. We establish, in the present report, that this phenomenon did not result from an overproduction of the plasmid encoded protein, since it was also observed in a normal single copy situation. The secretion persisted after a deletion including the single hydrophobic segment present in the N-terminus of the mature protein. The entry of both wild type and mutant APase into the ER was inhibited in sec62 mutants suggesting that the SEC62 gene product would not be implicated in signal peptide recognition.

Functional analysis of the signal-sequence processing site of yeast acid phosphatase

A systematic study of the signal peptidase cleavage site of the main cell-wall-repressible Saccharomyces cerevisiae acid phosphatase encoded by the PHO5 gene is presented. The last amino acid of the signal sequence, the chromosomally encoded alanine of the wild-type gene, was changed by any of 19 other amino acids in the chromosomal DNA by using in vitro mutagenesis in Escherichia coli and the technique of gene replacement. Processing and secretion are normal when the amino acid at this position is a small neutral amino acid, i.e. alanine, glycine, cysteine, serine or threonine. Processing glycosylation, and secretion of regulated acid phosphatase are distinctly affected with other amino acid substitutions and core-glycosylated protein accumulates in the cell. Surprisingly, PHO5 protein is still secreted to the cell wall and into the growth medium but at a lower rate and without cleavage of the signal sequence. The same features are exhibited by a mutated acid phosphatase with a deletion of four amino acids at the end of the signal peptide (-7 to -4 relative to the processing site) thus preserving the important -3 to -1 region.

The two positively acting regulatory proteins PHO2 and PHO4 physically interact with PHO5 upstream activation regions

The repressible acid phosphatase gene PHO5 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the two positively acting regulatory proteins PHO2 and PHO4 for expression. pho2 or pho4 mutants are not able to derepress the PHO5 gene under low-Pi conditions. Here we show that both PHO2 and PHO4 bind specifically to the PHO5 promoter in vitro. Gel retardation assays using promoter deletions revealed two regions involved in PHO4 binding. Further characterization by DNase I footprinting showed two protected areas, one located at -347 to -373 (relative to the ATG initiator codon) (UASp1) and the other located at -239 to -262 (UASp2). Exonuclease III footprint experiments revealed stops at -349 and -368 (UASp1) as well as at -245 and -260 (UASp2). Gel retardation assays with the PHO2 protein revealed a binding region that lay between the two PHO4-binding sites. DNase I footprint analysis suggested a PHO2-binding site covering the region between -277 and -296.

Interpathway regulation of the TRP4 gene of yeast

Two regulatory proteins, PHO2 and the general control regulator GCN4, bind in vitro to the promoter of the tryptophan biosynthetic TRP4 gene; the TRP4 gene product catalyses the phosphoribosylation of anthranilate. PHO2 binds specifically to the TRP4 promoter, but does not bind to any other TRP promoter. PHO2 and GCN4 proteins bind in a mutually exclusive manner to the same sequence, UAS1, one of two GCN4 binding sites in the TRP4 promoter. UAS1 is the major site for GCN4-dependent TRP4 activation. The second GCN4 binding site, UAS2, interacts with GCN4 alone. PHO2 binding interferes with the general control response of TRP4 under low phosphate conditions and simultaneous amino acid starvation and thus the PHO2 regulatory protein connects phosphate metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis in yeast. The GCN4 protein mediates the response of the transcriptional apparatus to the environmental signal 'amino acid limitation', while PHO2 seems to be the phosphate sensor that adjusts the response to the availability of phosphate precursors.

A 28-bp segment of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO5 upstream activator sequence confers phosphate control to the CYC1-lacZ gene fusion

Two regions within the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO5 upstream activator sequence (UAS) are involved in phosphate dependent transcription activation [Rudolph and Hinnen, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84 (1987) 1340-1344]. In experiments carried out in vivo we showed that one of these can compensate for the CYC1 UAS and expresses the heterologous CYC1-lacZ gene in response to phosphate starvation. A 28-bp segment is very efficient in gene activation, and a 19-bp subsegment that corresponds to the UASp consensus sequence brings about a weak but still detectable activation. As was observed with other UAS, gene activation is obtained with either orientation of the element, and tandem copies yield double lacZ activity compared to a single copy. No gene activation is observed in a pho4 and in a pho2 mutant. Absence of PHO2 reduces the basal expression of CYC1.

The yeast acid phosphatase can enter the secretory pathway without its N-terminal signal sequence

The repressible Saccharomyces cerevisiae acid phosphatase (APase) coded by the PHO5 gene is a cell wall glycoprotein that follows the yeast secretory pathway. We used in vitro mutagenesis to construct a deletion (delta SP) including the entire signal sequence and four amino acids of the mature sequence of APase. An APase-deficient yeast strain was transformed with a high-copy-number plasmid carrying the PHO5/delta SP gene. When expressed in vivo, the PHO5/delta SP gene product accumulated predominantly as an inactive, unglycosylated form located inside the cell. A large part of this unglycosylated precursor underwent proteolytic degradation, but up to 30% of it was translocated, core glycosylated, and matured by the addition of mannose residues, before reaching the cell wall. It appears, therefore, that the signal sequence is important for efficient translocation and core glycosylation of yeast APase but that it is not absolutely necessary for entry of the protein into the yeast secretory pathway. mRNA obtained by in vitro transcription of PHO5 and PHO5/delta SP genes were translated in vitro in the presence of either reticulocyte lysate and dog pancreatic microsomes or yeast lysate and yeast microsomes. The PHO5 gene product was translocated and core glycosylated in the heterologous system and less efficiently in the homologous system. We were not able to detect any translocation or glycosylation of PHO5/delta SP gene product in the heterologous system, but a very small amount of core suppression of glycosylated material could be evidenced in the homologous system.

PHO5 upstream sequences confer phosphate control on the constitutive PHO3 gene

To identify the sequences involved in the regulation of the yeast acid phosphatase gene (PHO5) we constructed a series of hybrid promoters. Increasing lengths of 5'-flanking sequences of the PHO5 gene were placed in front of the TATA-box of constitutively expressed acid phosphatase gene (PHO3). The PHO5/PHO3 promoter constructions were used to replace the entire PHO5, PHO3 gene cluster on chromosome II. Depending on the length of PHO5 5'-flanking sequences present the PHO3 gene driven by the hybrid promoter could now be derepressed in response to inorganic phosphate (low Pi) exactly as the PHO5 wild type gene. A critical regulatory element was located between position -402 to -351 (upstream from ATG) and sequences further downstream (from -351 to -300) could increase transcriptional activation. The transcription levels of PHO3 were determined by northern blot analysis, under repressed (high Pi) and derepressed (low Pi) conditions which was paralleled by an increase in extra-cellular acid phosphatase activity. Fully regulated promoter hybrids showed a 40-fold induction of mRNA levels, comparable to wild type PHO5 promoter. Sl-nuclease protection experiments revealed that the PHO5 5'-flanking sequences, placed in front of PHO3, did not change the PHO3 transcription initiation site/s.

The yeast PHO5 promoter: phosphate-control elements and sequences mediating mRNA start-site selection

Transcription of PHO5 is strongly regulated in response to the level of inorganic phosphate (Pi) present in the growth medium. We have identified elements required for PHO5 expression by analyzing small deletions in the PHO5 promoter on chromosome II. The results reveal three functionally different components of the PHO5 promoter: regulatory regions, a "TATA" element, and specific mRNA initiation sites. The regulatory regions contain related 19-base-pair (bp) dyad sequences acting as phosphate-controlled upstream activation sites (UASpS). These UASpS mediate the transcriptional activation of PHO5 observed in low Pi conditions. The unlinked but coordinately regulated PHO11 promoter contains a single copy of an almost identical dyad sequence, suggesting that there is a common regulatory UASp for both genes. A TATA element is absolutely required for detectable PHO5 transcription. Specific purine-pyrimidine motifs (RRYRR) (R = purine and Y = pyrimidine) serve as PHO5 mRNA initiation sites, but only if they lie 55-110 bp downstream of a functional TATA element. Such an "initiation window" is not found in higher eukaryotes and implies mechanistic differences in the transcription machineries between yeast and higher eukaryotes.

The sequence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene PHO2 codes for a regulatory protein with unusual aminoacid composition

A new centromere vector for the construction of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene library, allowing direct selection for DNA insert, will be described. From that library the gene for the regulatory protein PHO2 involved in PHO5 induction has been cloned by complementation of a pho2 mutation. The complementing activity was shown to be located on a 3.6 kb HindIII fragment. This fragment was used to evict the genomic copy and with appropriate genetic crosses we proved, that the cloned gene is PHO2. The DNA sequence of PHO2 was determined. Analysis of the sequence data uncovered striking homology regions with PHO4, another protein necessary for the induction of PHO5. The relevance of the observed homology will be discussed.

Removal of positioned nucleosomes from the yeast PHO5 promoter upon PHO5 induction releases additional upstream activating DNA elements

The chromatin fine structure in the promoter region of PHO5, the structural gene for a strongly regulated acid phosphatase in yeast, was analyzed. An upstream activating sequence 367 bp away from the start of the coding sequence that is essential for gene induction was found to reside in the center of a hypersensitive region under conditions of PHO5 repression. Under these conditions three related elements at positions -469, -245 and -185 are contained within precisely positioned nucleosomes located on both sides of the hypersensitive region. Upon PHO5 induction the chromatin structure of the promoter undergoes a defined transition, in the course of which two nucleosomes upstream and two nucleosomes downstream of the hypersensitive site are selectively removed. In this way approximately 600 bp upstream of the PHO5 coding sequence become highly accessible and all four elements are free to interact with putative regulatory proteins. These findings suggest a mechanism by which the chromatin structure participates in the functioning of a regulated promoter.

One-step gene replacement in yeast by cotransformation

A general method to replace chromosomal DNA sequences of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by any in vitro modified DNA sequence has been developed and was applied to the PHO5 locus on chromosome II. A recipient strain was constructed in which part of the chromosomal PHO5 sequence was substituted by the URA3 gene. Replacement of this pho5-URA3 substitution by pho5 mutant alleles was achieved in one step by cotransformation with a pho5 DNA fragment and the self-replicating plasmid YEp13, which contains the LEU2 gene as a selectable marker. Leu+ transformants were selected, and the replacement events at the PHO5 locus were detected by their Ura- phenotype (1-4% of the Leu+ were Ura-). In a similar way the PHO5 coding sequence was replaced by the sequence coding for human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA).

A deletion that includes the signal peptidase cleavage site impairs processing, glycosylation, and secretion of cell surface yeast acid phosphatase

We transformed Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a high-copy-number plasmid carrying either the wild-type gene coding for a repressible cell surface acid phosphatase or two modified genes whose products lack a 13- or 14-amino-acid segment spanning or immediately adjacent to the signal peptidase cleavage site. The wild-type gene product underwent proteolytic cleavage of the signal peptide, core glycosylation, and outer chain glycosylation. The deletion spanning the signal peptidase cleavage site led to an unprocessed protein. This modified protein exhibited core glycosylation, whereas its outer chain glycosylation was severely inhibited. Secretion of the deleted protein was impaired, and active enzyme accumulated within the cell. The deletion immediately adjacent to the signal peptidase cleavage site exhibited only a small decrease in the efficiency of processing and had no effect on the efficiency of secretion.

Structural analysis of the two tandemly repeated acid phosphatase genes in yeast

We have sequenced the genetically linked genes for repressible (PHO5) and and constitutive (PHO3) acid phosphatase from S. cerevisiae. Both genes are located on a 3.91 Kb BamHI and HpaI fragment, in the order (5') PHO5, PHO3 (3'). The mRNA transcripts have been analysed by S1-nuclease mapping. They show heterogenous initiation sites. Each of the PHO5 and PHO3 genes codes for 467 amino acids as deduced from the DNA sequence. The coding regions of the two genes show homology both at the nucleotide (82%) and the amino acid (87%) level. In the coding sequences, long stretches of homologous regions are flanked by small non-homologous regions. The nucleotide homology (65%) extends to some length into the 5' and 3' non-coding flanking sequences. Further upstream sequences are unrelated. The comparison of the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence, with that of purified repressible acid phosphatase revealed the presence of a putative signal peptide.

Hepatitis B virus antigens made in microbial cells immunise against viral infection

Chimpanzees have been vaccinated successfully against hepatitis B virus with preparations of the viral antigens made in microbial cells by genetic engineering methods.

Two yeast acid phosphatase structural genes are the result of a tandem duplication and show different degrees of homology in their promoter and coding sequences

We have cloned the structural genes for a regulated ( PHO5 ) and a constitutive ( PHO3 ) acid phosphatase from yeast by transformation and complementation of a yeast pho3 , pho5 double mutant. Both genes are located on a 5.1-kb BamHI fragment. The cloned genes were identified on the basis of genetic evidence and by hybrid selection of mRNA coupled with in vitro translation and immunoprecipitation. Subcloning of partial Sau3A digests and functional in vivo analysis by transformation together with DNA sequence analysis showed that the two genes are oriented in the order (5') PHO5 , PHO3 (3'). While the nucleotide sequences of the two coding regions are quite similar, the putative promoter regions show a lower degree of sequence homology. Partly divergent promoter sequences may explain the different regulation of the two genes.

Transformation of yeast

A stable leu2- yeast strain has been transformed to LEU2+ by using a chimeric ColE1 plasmid carrying the yeast leu2 gene. We have used recently developed hybridization and restriction endonuclease mapping techniques to demonstrate directly the presence of the transforming DNA in the yeast genome and also to determine the arrangement of the sequences that were introduced. These studies show that ColE1 DNA together with the yeast sequences can integrate into the yeast chromosomes. This integration may be additive or substitutive. The bacterial plasmid sequences, once integrated, behave as a simple Mendelian element. In addition, we have determined the genetic linkage relationships for each newly introduced LEU2+ allele with the original leu2- allele. These studies show that the transforming squences integrate not only in the leu2 region but also in several other chromosomal locations.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cephalosporin C by an extracellular acetylhydrolase of Cephalosporium acremonium

Extracellular hydrolases from Cephalosporium acremonium were analyzed according to their ability to deacetylate the beta-lactam antibiotic cephalosporin C. One out of at least six hydrolases exhibits appreciable cephalosporin C acetylhydrolase (CAH) activity. This enzyme was separated from other hydrolases and purified 220-fold. The purified CAH has a relatively low affinity for cephalosporin C (K(m), 20 mM) and is strongly inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate and less markedly affected by fluoride. Addition of glucose, maltose, and sucrose to the culture broth suppresses CAH production, whereas glycerol and succinate have no effect. Verrucarin A prevented the enzyme from appearing in the medium, which indicates the necessity of protein synthesis for CAH formation. When 1-thio-d-glucose was added to the culture medium, the results suggested that this glucose analogue is able to inhibit CAH synthesis. Our data provide evidence for a regulation of CAH synthesis similar to the catabolite repression system in bacteria.