Design and Application of a Biosensor for Monitoring Toxicity of Compounds to Eukaryotes

Here we describe an alternative approach to currently used cytotoxicity analyses through applying eukaryotic microbial biosensors. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was genetically modified to express firefly luciferase, generating a bioluminescent yeast strain. The presence of any toxic chemical that interfered with the cells' metabolism resulted in a quantitative decrease in bioluminescence. In this study, it was demonstrated that the luminescent yeast strain senses chemicals known to be toxic to eukaryotes in samples assessed as nontoxic by prokaryotic biosensors. As the cell wall and adaptive mechanisms of S. cerevisiae cells enhance stability and protect from extremes of pH, solvent exposure, and osmotic shock, these inherent properties were exploited to generate a biosensor that should detect a wide range of both organic and inorganic toxins under extreme conditions.     

Biosorption of cadmium ions by different yeast species

Toxicity and accumulation of Cd2+ in yeasts were studied in eight different yeast species. The adaptation to toxic concentration of this metal was dependent on the production of extracellular yeast glycoproteins. The highest concentration of Cd2+ ions in the growth medium was tolerated by a Hansenula anomala, strain while the lowest tolerance was found by the strain of species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Extracellular glycoproteins of Hansenula anomala absorbed nearly 90% of the total content of Cd2+ ions bound by yeast cells, while extracellular glycoproteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae bound only 6% of the total amount of cadmium. This difference is caused by the variable composition of the saccharide moiety in the extracellular glycoproteins. The composition of extracellular glycoproteins changed during the adaptation of the yeast cells to the presence of Cd2+ ions.     

Disruption of the yeast ATH1 gene confers better survival after dehydration, freezing, and ethanol shock: potential commercial applications.

The accumulation of trehalose is a critical determinant of stress resistance in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have constructed a yeast strain in which the activity of the trehalose-hydrolyzing enzyme, acid trehalase (ATH), has been abolished. Loss of ATH activity was accomplished by disrupting the ATH1 gene, which is essential for ATH activity. The delta ath1 strain accumulated greater levels of cellular trehalose and grew to a higher cell density than the isogenic wild-type strain. In addition, the elevated levels of trehalose in the delta ath1 strain correlated with increased tolerance to dehydration, freezing, and toxic levels of ethanol. The improved resistance to stress conditions exhibited by the delta ath1 strain may make this strain useful in commercial applications, including baking and brewing.     

Expression of theSaccharomyces cerevisiae MPR1 gene encodingN-acetyltransferase inZygosaccharomyces rouxii confers resistance tol-azetidine-2-carboxylate

The osmotolerant yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii is sensitive to the toxic L-proline analogue, L-azetidine-2-carboxylate (AZC). The possibility of use of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MPR1 gene (ScMPR1) encoding the AZC-detoxifying enzyme as a dominant selection marker in Z. rouxii was examined. The heterologous expression of ScMPR1 in two Z. rouxii strains resulted in AZC-resistant colonies, but that of ScMPR1 as a dominant marker gene in vectors was affected by a high frequency of spontaneously resistant colonies. The same was found for an AZC-sensitive S. cerevisiae strain in which the ScMPR1 was expressed. In both yeasts, ScMPR1 can be used only as an auxiliary marker gene.     

Identification of RCN1 and RSA3 as ethanol-tolerant genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a high copy barcoded library

Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S.?cerevisiae) encounters a multitude of stresses during industrial processes such as wine fermentation including ethanol toxicity. High levels of ethanol reduce the viability of yeast and may prevent completion of fermentation. The identification of ethanol-tolerant genes is important for creating stress-resistant industrial yeast, and S.?cerevisiae genomic resources have been utilized for this purpose. We have employed a molecular barcoded yeast open reading frame (MoBY-ORF) high copy plasmid library to identify ethanol-tolerant genes in both the S.?cerevisiae S288C laboratory and M2 wine strains. We find that increased dosage of either RCN1 or RSA3 improves tolerance of S288C and M2 to toxic levels of ethanol. RCN1 is a regulator of calcineurin, whereas RSA3 has a role in ribosome maturation. Additional fitness advantages conferred upon overproduction of RCN1 and RSA3 include increased resistance to cell wall degradation, heat, osmotic and oxidative stress. We find that the M2 wine yeast strain is generally more tolerant of stress than S288C with the exception of translation inhibition, which affects M2 growth more severely than S288C. We conclude that regulation of ribosome biogenesis and ultimately translation is a critical factor for S.?cerevisiae survival during industrial-related environmental stress.     

A1 toxicity in yeast. A role for Mg?

We have established conditions in which soluble Al is toxic to the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The major modifications to a standard synthetic medium were lowering the pH and the concentration of Mg ions. Alterations to the PO4, Ca, or K concentration had little effect on toxicity. Organic acids known to chelate Al reduced its toxicity, suggesting that Al3+ is the toxic Al species. The unique ability of Mg ions to ameliorate Al toxicity led us to investigate the hypothesis that Al inhibits Mg uptake by yeast. Yeast cells accumulate Mg, Co, Zn, Ni, and Mn ions via the same transport system (G.F. Fuhrmann, A. Rothstein [1968] Biochim Biophys Acta 163: 325-330). Al3+ inhibited the accumulation of 57Co2+ by yeast cells more effectively than Ga, La, or Mg. In addition, a mutant yeast strain with a defect in divalent cation uptake proved to be more sensitive to Al than a wild-type strain. Taken together, these results suggest that Al may cause Mg deficiency in yeast by blocking Mg transport. We discuss the relevance of yeast as a model for the study of Al toxicity in plant systems.     

Phenotypic expression of Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin against Saccharomyces spp.

The secretion of killer toxins by some strains of yeasts is a phenomenon of significant industrial importance. The activity of a recently discovered Kluyveromyces lactis killer strain against a sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was determined on peptone-yeast extract-nutrient agar plates containing as the carbon source glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, or glycerol at pH 4.5 or 6.5. Enhanced activity (50 to 90% increase) was found at pH 6.5, particularly on the plates containing galactose, maltose, or glycerol, although production of the toxin in liquid medium was not significantly different with either glucose or galactose as the carbon source. Results indicated that the action of the K. lactis toxin was not mediated by catabolite repression in the sensitive strain. Sensitivities of different haploid and polyploid Saccharomyces yeasts to the two different killer yeasts S. cerevisiae (RNA-plasmid-coded toxin) and K. lactis (DNA-plasmid-coded toxin) were tested. Three industrial polyploid yeasts sensitive to the S. cerevisiae killer yeast were resistant to the K. lactis killer yeast. The S. cerevisiae killer strain itself, however, was sensitive to the K. lactis killer yeast.     

Phenotypic expression of Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin against Saccharomyces spp

The secretion of killer toxins by some strains of yeasts is a phenomenon of significant industrial importance. The activity of a recently discovered Kluyveromyces lactis killer strain against a sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was determined on peptone-yeast extract-nutrient agar plates containing as the carbon source glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, or glycerol at pH 4.5 or 6.5. Enhanced activity (50 to 90% increase) was found at pH 6.5, particularly on the plates containing galactose, maltose, or glycerol, although production of the toxin in liquid medium was not significantly different with either glucose or galactose as the carbon source. Results indicated that the action of the K. lactis toxin was not mediated by catabolite repression in the sensitive strain. Sensitivities of different haploid and polyploid Saccharomyces yeasts to the two different killer yeasts S. cerevisiae (RNA-plasmid-coded toxin) and K. lactis (DNA-plasmid-coded toxin) were tested. Three industrial polyploid yeasts sensitive to the S. cerevisiae killer yeast were resistant to the K. lactis killer yeast. The S. cerevisiae killer strain itself, however, was sensitive to the K. lactis killer yeast.     

Mammalian NHE2 Na(+)/H+ exchanger mediates efflux of potassium upon heterologous expression in yeast

Na(+)/H+exchangers form a broad family of transporters that mediate opposing fluxes of alkali metal cations and protons across cell membranes. They play multiple roles in different organisms (protection from toxic cations, regulation of cell volume or pH). Rat NHE2 exchanger was expressed in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain lacking its own exporters of alkali metal cations. Though most of the overexpressed NHE2 remained entrapped in the secretory pathway, part of it reached the plasma membrane and mediated K+ efflux from the yeast. We demonstrate for the first time that a mammalian Na(+)/H+ exchanger transports alkali metal cations in yeast in the opposite direction than in mammalian cells, and that the substrate specificity of the rat NHE2 exchanger is limited only to potassium cations upon expression in yeast cells.     

Inulase-secreting strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces fructose

The gene encoding inulase of the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus (INU1Km) was cloned and expressed in the inulin-negative yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cells of S. cerevisiae transformed with the INU1Km gene have acquired extracellular inulase activity and were able to grow in the medium with inulin as a sole carbon source. The S. cerevisiae strain was constructed that is capable of heterologous expression of secreted K. marxianus inulase and is defective in fructose uptake due to null-mutations of the hexokinase structural genes HXK1 and HXK2. When grown in inulin-containing media, this strain is capable of accumulating at least 10% glucose-free fructose in the culture liquid.     

黑曲霉木聚糖酶在工业酒精酵母中的分泌表达

用重叠延伸PCR方法从黑曲霉 (Aspergillusniger)UV 11的基因组DNA中克隆出木聚糖酶的cDNA基因 ,构建了由酵母乙醇脱氢酶 (ADH1)启动子和终止子引导表达、木聚糖酶自身信号肽引导分泌、rDNA序列介导的酵母整合型分泌表达质粒pAX2。用pAX2与酵母YEp型G4 18抗性质粒共转化野生型工业酒精酵母S .cerevisiae 2 346 ,获得了整合型分泌表达木聚糖酶的酵母重组菌株XY2。发酵分析表明该工程菌能够明显提高酒精生产率     

Construction of a xylan-fermenting yeast strain through codisplay of xylanolytic enzymes on the surface of xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells

Hemicellulose is one of the major forms of biomass in lignocellulose, and its essential component is xylan. We used a cell surface engineering system based on alpha-agglutinin to construct a Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain codisplaying two types of xylan-degrading enzymes, namely, xylanase II (XYNII) from Trichoderma reesei QM9414 and beta-xylosidase (XylA) from Aspergillus oryzae NiaD300, on the cell surface. In a high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, xylose was detected as the main product of the yeast strain codisplaying XYNII and XylA, while xylobiose and xylotriose were detected as the main products of a yeast strain displaying XYNII on the cell surface. These results indicate that xylan is sequentially hydrolyzed to xylose by the codisplayed XYNII and XylA. In a further step toward achieving the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of xylan, a xylan-utilizing S. cerevisiae strain was constructed by codisplaying XYNII and XylA and introducing genes for xylose utilization, namely, those encoding xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase from Pichia stipitis and xylulokinase from S. cerevisiae. After 62 h of fermentation, 7.1 g of ethanol per liter was directly produced from birchwood xylan, and the yield in terms of grams of ethanol per gram of carbohydrate consumed was 0.30 g/g. These results demonstrate that the direct conversion of xylan to ethanol is accomplished by the xylan-utilizing S. cerevisiae strain.     

Cell surface-engineered yeast displaying a histidine oligopeptide (hexa-His) has enhanced adsorption of and tolerance to heavy metal ions

A histidine oligopeptide (hexa-His) with the ability to chelate divalent heavy metal ions was displayed on the yeast cell surface for the purpose of enhanced adsorption of heavy metal ions. We genetically fused a hexa-His-encoding gene with the gene encoding the C-terminal half of alpha-agglutinin that includes a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor attachment signal sequence and attached the hexa-His peptide on the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This surface-engineered yeast adsorbed three to eight times more copper ions than the parent strain and was more resistant to copper (4 mM) than the parent (below 1 mM at pH 7.8). It was possible to recover about a half of the copper ions adsorbed by whole cells with EDTA treatment without disintegrating the cells. Thus, we succeeded in constructing a novel yeast cell with both tolerance to toxic contaminants and enhanced adsorption of metal ions onto the cell surface.     

高SO2产量啤酒酵母工业菌株的构建

二氧化硫在啤酒中具有抗氧化的重要功能,而在其形成过程中APS激酶(MET14编码)起着非常重要的作用。以二氧化硫产量较高的青岛啤酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)YSF-5的总DNA为模板,用PCR方法克隆得到MET14基因。为使目的基因在酿酒酵母中表达,以大肠杆菌-酿酒酵母穿梭质粒YEp352为载体,以PGK1强启动子为调控元件,构建了重组表达质粒pPM,并转化酿酒酵母YS58。转化子在YNB添加亮氨酸、组氨酸和色氨酸的选择性培养基上筛选鉴定,盐酸副玫瑰苯胺法测得转化子的SO2产量是受体菌的2倍左右。在重组表达质粒pPM的基础上添加铜抗性标记基因构建了重组表达质粒pCPM,并转化青岛啤酒工业酵母菌株YSF-38,转化子在YEPD 4mmol/L CuSO4的选择性培养基上筛选鉴定,实验室条件下培养后,测得转化子YSF-38(pCPM)的SO2产量是受体菌的3.2倍。用该转化子在青岛啤酒厂进行小型发酵实验,结果表明在发酵结束时,YSF-38(pCPM)转化子的SO2产量是受体菌的1.4倍。因此,MET14基因的有效表达可以提高啤酒工业酵母的SO2产量。     

Redox interactions between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces uvarum in mixed culture under enological conditions

Wine yeast starters that contain a mixture of different industrial yeasts with various properties may soon be introduced to the market. The mechanisms underlying the interactions between the different strains in the starter during alcoholic fermentation have never been investigated. We identified and investigated some of these interactions in a mixed culture containing two yeast strains grown under enological conditions. The inoculum contained the same amount (each) of a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a natural hybrid strain of S. cerevisiae and Saccharomyces uvarum. We identified interactions that affected biomass, by-product formation, and fermentation kinetics, and compared the redox ratios of monocultures of each strain with that of the mixed culture. The redox status of the mixed culture differed from that of the two monocultures, showing that the interactions between the yeast strains involved the diffusion of metabolite(s) within the mixed culture. Since acetaldehyde is a potential effector of fermentation, we investigated the kinetics of acetaldehyde production by the different cultures. The S. cerevisiae-S. uvarum hybrid strain produced large amounts of acetaldehyde for which the S. cerevisiae strain acted as a receiving strain in the mixed culture. Since yeast response to acetaldehyde involves the same mechanisms that participate in the response to other forms of stress, the acetaldehyde exchange between the two strains could play an important role in inhibiting some yeast strains and allowing the growth of others. Such interactions could be of particular importance in understanding the ecology of the colonization of complex fermentation media by S. cerevisiae.     

An essential function of sphingolipids in yeast cell division

Ceramides are bioactive lipids and precursors to sphingolipids. They have been shown to take part in a wide variety of different physiological processes in eukaryotic organisms and are thought to be toxic at high concentrations. Ceramide is synthesized by condensation of the sphingoid base sphinganine and a fatty acyl CoA by ceramide synthases, a family of enzymes that differ in their specificity for the length of the acyl CoA substrate. We have engineered a yeast strain where the endogenous ceramide synthase has been replaced by one of the putative enzymes from cotton. As a result, the yeast strain produces C18 rather than C26 ceramides showing that the cotton protein is a bona fide ceramide synthase with specificity towards C18 acyl CoA. Strikingly, the accumulation of C18 ceramide is not toxic in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This allows survival of the yeast after deletion of the normally essential AUR1 (inositol phosphorylceramide synthase) gene permitting us to address the essential roles of sphingolipids. Deletion of AUR1 allows cell growth, but leads to a defect in cytokinesis, which takes twice as long as in wild-type strains. Nuclear division and recruitment of septins is apparently not affected, but cytokinesis is delayed and cell separation is incomplete.     

Relationships between structure, toxicity and genetic effects in Salmonella typhimurium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae for substituted aniline mustards

A series of 4-substituted aniline mustards of widely varying reactivities have been evaluated for their mutagenic effects in Salmonella typhimurium strains of varying uvrB gene and plasmid status, and for their ability to cause mitotic crossing-over in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The 4-methyl aniline mustard N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-4-methylaniline and its corresponding half-mustard N-(2-chloroethyl)-4-methylaniline showed widely different effects in the various bacterial strains, with the half-mustard being much less toxic than the full mustard in the uvrB- strain TA100. However, in the uvrB+ strain TA1978+, possessing an intact excision repair system, both compounds were equally toxic and the full mustard was the more mutagenic. Both compounds were equally effective in promoting mitotic crossing-over in yeast. For a series of 4-substituted full mustards, the toxicity in S. typhimurium strain TA100 correlated with substituent electronic parameters in the same way as does mammalian cell toxicity, supporting the view that the primary mode of toxicity is via DNA cross-linking, even for unreactive analogues. However, there were no obvious correlations between substituent physiochemical properties and mutagenic potential in bacteria, suggesting that mutagenic events are subject to a variety of influences other than the reactivity of the mustard group. In contrast, the most chemically reactive compounds were the most toxic and most recombinogenic in yeast.     

Desensitization of feedback inhibition of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gamma-glutamyl kinase enhances proline accumulation and freezing tolerance

In response to osmotic stress, proline is accumulated in many bacterial and plant cells as an osmoprotectant. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae induces trehalose or glycerol synthesis but does not increase intracellular proline levels during various stresses. Using a proline-accumulating mutant, we previously found that proline protects yeast cells from damage by freezing, oxidative, or ethanol stress. This mutant was recently shown to carry an allele of PRO1 which encodes the Asp154Asn mutant gamma-glutamyl kinase (GK), the first enzyme of the proline biosynthetic pathway. Here, enzymatic analysis of recombinant proteins revealed that the GK activity of S. cerevisiae is subject to feedback inhibition by proline. The Asp154Asn mutant was less sensitive to feedback inhibition than wild-type GK, leading to proline accumulation. To improve the enzymatic properties of GK, PCR random mutagenesis in PRO1 was employed. The mutagenized plasmid library was introduced into an S. cerevisiae non-proline-utilizing strain, and proline-overproducing mutants were selected on minimal medium containing the toxic proline analogue azetidine-2-carboxylic acid. We successfully isolated several mutant GKs that, due to extreme desensitization to inhibition, enhanced the ability to synthesize proline better than the Asp154Asn mutant. The amino acid changes were localized at the region between positions 142 and 154, probably on the molecular surface, suggesting that this region is involved in allosteric regulation. Furthermore, we found that yeast cells expressing Ile150Thr and Asn142Asp/Ile166Val mutant GKs were more tolerant to freezing stress than cells expressing the Asp154Asn mutant.