Methanol sensor Wsc1 and MAP kinase suppress degradation of methanol-induced peroxisomes in methylotrophic yeast
In nature, methanol is produced during the hydrolysis of pectin in plant cell walls. Methanol shows circadian dynamics on plant leaves to which methanol-utilizing phyllosphere microorganisms adapt. In the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris), the plasma membrane protein KpWsc1 senses environmental methanol concentrations, and transmits the information to induce genes for methanol metabolism together with huge peroxisomes. In this study, we show that KpWsc1 and its downstream MAPK negatively regulate pexophagy in the presence of >0.15% methanol. Although KpMpk1 was not necessary for expression of methanol-inducible genes and peroxisome biogenesis, KpMpk1, KpRlm1 and a phosphatase were found suppress pexophagy by controlling phosphorylation level of KpAtg30, the key factor of pexophagy. We reveal at the molecular level how the single methanol sensor KpWsc1 commits the cell to peroxisome synthesis and degradation according to the methanol concentration, and discuss the physiological significance of regulating pexophagy for survival in the phyllosphere.