scholarly journals Anhydrobiosis in Yeasts: Changes in Mitochondrial Membranes Improve the Resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells to Dehydration–Rehydration

Fermentation ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galina Khroustalyova ◽  
Alexander Rapoport

Anhydrobiosis is a unique state of live organisms in which their metabolism is temporary reversibly suspended as the result of strong dehydration of their cells. This state is widely used currently during large-capacity production of active dry baker’s yeast. Other strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as well as other yeast species that could potentially find use in modern biotechnology, are not resistant to dehydration–rehydration treatments. To improve their resistance, the main factors that influence cell survival during such treatment need to be revealed. This study showed the importance of mitochondria for yeast cell survival during transfer into anhydrobiosis, a factor that was strongly underestimated until this study. It was revealed that the external introduction inside yeast cells of 50 μM of lithocholic acid (LCA), an agent that induces changes in glycerophospholipids in mitochondrial membranes, in combination with 1% DMSO, may improve the survival rate of dehydrated cells. The influence of LCA upon yeast cell resistance to dehydration–rehydration was not linked with changes in the state of the cells’ plasma membrane.

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 2878-2887 ◽  
Author(s):  
X Liu ◽  
J Bowen ◽  
M A Gorovsky

H2A.F/Z histones are conserved variants that diverged from major H2A proteins early in evolution, suggesting they perform an important function distinct from major H2A proteins. Antisera specific for hv1, the H2A.F/Z variant of the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila, cross-react with proteins from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, no H2A.F/Z variant has been reported in this budding yeast species. We sought to distinguish among three explanations for these observations: (i) that S. cerevisiae has an undiscovered H2A.F/Z variant, (ii) that the major S. cerevisiae H2A proteins are functionally equivalent to H2A.F/Z variants, or (iii) that the conserved epitope is found on a non-H2A molecule. Repeated attempts to clone an S. cerevisiae hv1 homolog only resulted in the cloning of the known H2A genes yHTA1 and yHTA2. To test for functional relatedness, we attempted to rescue strains lacking the yeast H2A genes with either the Tetrahymena major H2A genes (tHTA1 or tHTA2) or the gene (tHTA3) encoding hv1. Although they differ considerably in sequence from the yeast H2A genes, the major Tetrahymena H2A genes can provide the essential functions of H2A in yeast cells, the first such case of trans-species complementation of histone function. The Tetrahymena H2A genes confer a cold-sensitive phenotype. Although expressed at high levels and transported to the nucleus, hv1 cannot replace yeast H2A proteins. Proteins from S. cerevisiae strains lacking yeast H2A genes fail to cross-react with anti-hv1 antibodies. These studies make it likely that S. cerevisiae differs from most other eukaryotes in that it does not have an H2A.F/Z homolog. A hypothesis is presented relating the absence of H2A.F/Z in S. cerevisiae to its function in other organisms.


Author(s):  
M Lairón-Peris ◽  
S. J. Routledge ◽  
J. A. Linney ◽  
J Alonso-del-Real ◽  
C.M. Spickett ◽  
...  

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important unicellular yeast species within the biotechnological and food and beverage industries. A significant application of this species is the production of ethanol, where concentrations are limited by cellular toxicity, often at the level of the cell membrane. Here, we characterize 61 S. cerevisiae strains for ethanol tolerance and further analyse five representatives with varying ethanol tolerances. The most tolerant strain, AJ4, was dominant in co-culture at 0% and 10% ethanol. Unexpectedly, although it does not have the highest NIC or MIC, MY29 was the dominant strain in co-culture at 6% ethanol, which may be linked to differences in its basal lipidome. Whilst relatively few lipidomic differences were observed between strains, a significantly higher PE concentration was observed in the least tolerant strain, MY26, at 0% and 6% ethanol compared to the other strains that became more similar at 10%, indicating potential involvement of this lipid with ethanol sensitivity. Our findings reveal that AJ4 is best able to adapt its membrane to become more fluid in the presence of ethanol and lipid extracts from AJ4 also form the most permeable membranes. Furthermore, MY26 is least able to modulate fluidity in response to ethanol and membranes formed from extracted lipids are least leaky at physiological ethanol concentrations. Overall, these results reveal a potential mechanism of ethanol tolerance and suggests a limited set of membrane compositions that diverse yeast species use to achieve this. Importance Many microbial processes are not implemented at the industrial level because the product yield is poorer and more expensive than can be achieved by chemical synthesis. It is well established that microbes show stress responses during bioprocessing, and one reason for poor product output from cell factories is production conditions that are ultimately toxic to the cells. During fermentative processes, yeast cells encounter culture media with high sugar content, which is later transformed into high ethanol concentrations. Thus, ethanol toxicity is one of the major stresses in traditional and more recent biotechnological processes. We have performed a multilayer phenotypic and lipidomic characterization of a large number of industrial and environmental strains of Saccharomyces to identify key resistant and non-resistant isolates for future applications.


1979 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Stanley Tarnowski ◽  

A multienzyme complex contained in Bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) which synthesizes CoA has been named the coenzyme A-synthesizing protein complex (CoA-SPC). The CoA-SPC has been shown to be insoluble in the crude Bakers' yeast cell lysate formed by exposing the yeast cell to ether and dry ice. Only after solubilization has this multienzyme complex been shown to catalyze the formation of bound dephospho-CoA utilizing the substrates adenosine triphosphate, D-pantothenic acid and L-cysteine. A low molecular weight component or components of the soluble fraction of the yeast cell and chloride ion appears to be responsible for the solubilization of CoA-SPC. This endogenous component of the yeast cell is referred to as t-Factor. Purification of t-Factor has been accomplished by techniques which have included dialysis, ultrafiltration and paper, permeation, adsorption and ion-exchange chromatography. Although the t-Factor has not been identified, several properties have been demonstrated: (1) the molecular weight is between 400 to 1,000; (2) it is stable to heat at 80°C for 24 hours; (3) it is resistant to hydrolysis by trypsin and protease; (4) it is inactivated by ashing; and (5) has no ultraviolet absorption at 260 mu and 280 my. Replacement of t-Factor by commercially available compounds or solubilizing agents has failed to reveal its identity. A "one-step" purification of CoA-SPC may be obtained by combining partially purified t-Factor with insoluble yeast cell residue. An alternate procedure was developed for the preparation of CoA-SPC. This procedure involves the slow drying and rehydration of the yeast cells, but the need for t-Factor still remains. Sonic oscillation and passage through a french pressure cell, two of the more classical cell breakage techniques, fail to produce active CoA-SPC preparations.


2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 747-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Zadrag ◽  
Magdalena Kwolek-Mirek ◽  
Grzegorz Bartosz ◽  
Tomasz Bilinski

Reaching the limit of cell divisions, a phenomenon referred to as replicative aging, of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves a progressive increase in the cell volume. However, the exact relationship between the number of cell divisions accomplished (replicative age), the potential for further divisions and yeast cell volume has not been investigated thoroughly. In this study an increase of the yeast cell volume was achieved by treatment with pheromone alpha for up to 18 h. Plotting the number of cell divisions (replicative life span) of the pheromone-treated cells as a function of the cell volume attained during the treatment showed an inverse linear relationship. An analogous inverse relationship between the initial cell volume and replicative life span was found for the progeny of the pheromone-treated yeast. This phenomenon indicates that attaining an excessive volume may be a factor contributing to the limitation of cellular divisions of yeast cells.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 850
Author(s):  
Karolina Nowosad ◽  
Monika Sujka ◽  
Urszula Pankiewicz ◽  
Damijan Miklavčič ◽  
Marta Arczewska

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of a pulsed electric field (PEF) on the level of iron ion accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and to select PEF conditions optimal for the highest uptake of this element. Iron ions were accumulated most efficiently when their source was iron (III) nitrate. When the following conditions of PEF treatment were used: voltage 1500 V, pulse width 10 μs, treatment time 20 min, and a number of pulses 1200, accumulation of iron ions in the cells from a 20 h-culture reached a maximum value of 48.01 mg/g dry mass. Application of the optimal PEF conditions thus increased iron accumulation in cells by 157% as compared to the sample enriched with iron without PEF. The second derivative of the FTIR spectra of iron-loaded and -unloaded yeast cells allowed us to determine the functional groups which may be involved in metal ion binding. The exposure of cells to PEF treatment only slightly influenced the biomass and cell viability. However, iron-enriched yeast (both with or without PEF) showed lower fermentative activity than a control sample. Thus obtained yeast biomass containing a high amount of incorporated iron may serve as an alternative to pharmacological supplementation in the state of iron deficiency.


Genetics ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-540
Author(s):  
Aileen K W Taguchi ◽  
Elton T Young

ABSTRACT The alcohol dehydrogenase II (ADH2) gene of the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is not transcribed during growth on fermentable carbon sources such as glucose. Growth of yeast cells in a medium containing only nonfermentable carbon sources leads to a marked increase or derepression of ADH2 expression. The recessive mutation, adr6-1, leads to an inability to fully derepress ADH2 expression and to an inability to sporulate. The ADR6 gene product appears to act directly or indirectly on ADH2 sequences 3' to or including the presumptive TATAA box. The upstream activating sequence (UAS) located 5' to the TATAA box is not required for the Adr6- phenotype. Here, we describe the isolation of a recombinant plasmid containing the wild-type ADR6 gene. ADR6 codes for a 4.4-kb RNA which is present during growth both on glucose and on nonfermentable carbon sources. Disruption of the ADR6 transcription unit led to viable cells with decreased ADHII activity and an inability to sporulate. This indicates that both phenotypes result from mutations within a single gene and that the adr6-1 allele was representative of mutations at this locus. The ADR6 gene mapped to the left arm of chromosome XVI at a site 18 centimorgans from the centromere.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 442-451
Author(s):  
M Nishizawa ◽  
R Araki ◽  
Y Teranishi

To clarify carbon source-dependent control of the glycolytic pathway in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have initiated a study of transcriptional regulation of the pyruvate kinase gene (PYK). By deletion analysis of the 5'-noncoding region of the PYK gene, we have identified an upstream activating sequence (UASPYK1) located between 634 and 653 nucleotides upstream of the initiating ATG codon. The promoter activity of the PYK 5'-noncoding region was abolished when the sequence containing the UASPYK1 was deleted from the region. Synthetic UASPYK1 (26mer), in either orientation, was able to restore the transcriptional activity of UAS-depleted mutants when placed upstream of the TATA sequence located at -199 (ATG as +1). While the UASPYK1 was required for basal to intermediate levels of transcriptional activation, a sequence between -714 and -811 was found to be necessary for full activation. On the other hand, a sequence between -344 and -468 was found to be responsible for transcriptional repression of the PYK gene when yeast cells were grown on nonfermentable carbon sources. This upstream repressible sequence also repressed transcription, although to a lesser extent, when glucose was present in the medium. The possible mechanism for carbon source-dependent regulation of PYK expression through these cis-acting regulatory elements is discussed.


Genetics ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 373A-393
Author(s):  
James B Hicks ◽  
Ira Herskowitz

ABSTRACT The two mating types of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be interconverted in both homothallic and heterothallic strains. Previous work indicates that all yeast cells contain the information to be both a and α and that the HO gene (in homothallic strains) promotes a change in mating type by causing a change at the mating type locus itself. In both heterothallic and homothallic strains, a defective α mating type locus can be converted to a functional a locus and subsequently to a functional α locus. In contrast, action of the HO gene does not restore mating ability to a strain defective in another gene for mating which is not at the mating type locus. These observations indicate that a yeast cell contains an additional copy (or copies) of α information, and lead to the "cassette" model for mating type interconversion. In this model, HM  a and hmα loci are blocs of unexpressed α regulatory information, and HMα and hm  a loci are blocs of unexpressed a regulatory information. These blocs are silent because they lack an essential site for expression, and become active upon insertion of this information (or a copy of the information) into the mating type locus by action of the HO gene.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 5010-5019 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Heitman ◽  
A Koller ◽  
J Kunz ◽  
R Henriquez ◽  
A Schmidt ◽  
...  

The immunosuppressants cyclosporin A, FK506, and rapamycin inhibit growth of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms and also block activation of T lymphocytes from multicellular eukaryotes. In vitro, these compounds bind and inhibit two different types of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases. Cyclosporin A binds cyclophilins, whereas FK506 and rapamycin bind FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs). Cyclophilins and FKBPs are ubiquitous, abundant, and targeted to multiple cellular compartments, and they may fold proteins in vivo. Previously, a 12-kDa cytoplasmic FKBP was shown to be only one of at least two FK506-sensitive targets in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We find that a second FK506-sensitive target is required for amino acid import. Amino acid-auxotrophic yeast strains (trp1 his4 leu2) are FK506 sensitive, whereas prototrophic strains (TRP1 his4 leu2, trp1 HIS4 leu2, and trp1 his4 LEU2) are FK506 resistant. Amino acids added exogenously to the growth medium mitigate FK506 toxicity. FK506 induces GCN4 expression, which is normally induced by amino acid starvation. FK506 inhibits transport of tryptophan, histidine, and leucine into yeast cells. Lastly, several genes encoding proteins involved in amino acid import or biosynthesis confer FK506 resistance. These findings demonstrate that FK506 inhibits amino acid import in yeast cells, most likely by inhibiting amino acid transporters. Amino acid transporters are integral membrane proteins which import extracellular amino acids and constitute a protein family sharing 30 to 35% identity, including eight invariant prolines. Thus, the second FK506-sensitive target in yeast cells may be a proline isomerase that plays a role in folding amino acid transporters during transit through the secretory pathway.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 5101-5112
Author(s):  
J S Flick ◽  
M Johnston

Growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on glucose leads to repression of transcription of many genes required for alternative carbohydrate metabolism. The GRR1 gene appears to be of central importance to the glucose repression mechanism, because mutations in GRR1 result in a pleiotropic loss of glucose repression (R. Bailey and A. Woodword, Mol. Gen. Genet. 193:507-512, 1984). We have isolated the GRR1 gene and determined that null mutants are viable and display a number of growth defects in addition to the loss of glucose repression. Surprisingly, grr1 mutations convert SUC2, normally a glucose-repressed gene, into a glucose-induced gene. GRR1 encodes a protein of 1,151 amino acids that is expressed constitutively at low levels in yeast cells. GRR1 protein contains 12 tandem repeats of a sequence similar to leucine-rich motifs found in other proteins that may mediate protein-protein interactions. Indeed, cell fractionation studies are consistent with this view, suggesting that GRR1 protein is tightly associated with a particulate protein fraction in yeast extracts. The combined genetic and molecular data are consistent with the idea that GRR1 protein is a primary response element in the glucose repression pathway and is required for the generation or interpretation of the signal that induces glucose repression.


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