An Assembly of Proteins and Lipid Domains Regulates Transport of Phosphatidylserine to Phosphatidylserine Decarboxylase 2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae uses multiple biosynthetic pathways for the synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine. One route involves the synthesis of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the transport of this lipid to endosomes, and decarboxylation by PtdSer decarboxylase 2 (Psd2p) to produce phosphatidylethanolamine. Several proteins and protein motifs are known to be required for PtdSer transport to occur, namely the Sec14p homolog PstB2p/Pdr17p; a PtdIns 4-kinase, Stt4p; and a C2 domain of Psd2p. The focus of this work is on defining the protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions of these components. PstB2p interacts with a protein encoded by the uncharacterized gene YPL272C, which we name Pbi1p (PstB2p-interacting 1). PstB2p, Psd2, and Pbi1p were shown to be lipid-binding proteins specific for phosphatidic acid. Pbi1p also interacts with the ER-localized Scs2p, a binding determinant for several peripheral ER proteins. A complex between Psd2p and PstB2p was also detected, and this interaction was facilitated by a cryptic C2 domain at the extreme N terminus of Psd2p (C2-1) as well the previously characterized C2 domain of Psd2p (C2-2). The predicted N-terminal helical region of PstB2p was necessary and sufficient for promoting the interaction with both Psd2p and Pbi1p. Taken together, these results support a model for PtdSer transport involving the docking of a PtdSer donor membrane with an acceptor via specific protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions. Specifically, our model predicts that this process involves an acceptor membrane complex containing the C2 domains of Psd2p, PstB2p, and Pbi1p that ligate to Scs2p and phosphatidic acid present in the donor membrane, forming a zone of apposition that facilitates PtdSer transfer.     

Phosphatidylcholine Supply to Peroxisomes of the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphatidylcholine (PC), the major phospholipid (PL) of all organelle membranes, is synthesized via two different pathways. Methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) catalyzed by the methyl transferases Cho2p/Pem1p and Opi3p/Pem2p as well as incorporation of choline through the CDP (cytidine diphosphate)-choline branch of the Kennedy pathway lead to PC formation. To determine the contribution of these two pathways to the supply of PC to peroxisomes (PX), yeast mutants bearing defects in the two pathways were cultivated under peroxisome inducing conditions, i.e. in the presence of oleic acid, and subjected to biochemical and cell biological analyses. Phenotype studies revealed compromised growth of both the cho20Δopi3Δ (mutations in the methylation pathway) and the cki1Δdpl1Δeki1Δ (mutations in the CDP-choline pathway) mutant when grown on oleic acid. Analysis of peroxisomes from the two mutant strains showed that both pathways produce PC for the supply to peroxisomes, although the CDP-choline pathway seemed to contribute with higher efficiency than the methylation pathway. Changes in the peroxisomal lipid pattern of mutants caused by defects in the PC biosynthetic pathways resulted in changes of membrane properties as shown by anisotropy measurements with fluorescent probes. In summary, our data define the origin of peroxisomal PC and demonstrate the importance of PC for peroxisome membrane formation and integrity.     

Processing and Topology of the Yeast Mitochondrial Phosphatidylserine Decarboxylase 1

The inner mitochondrial membrane plays a crucial role in cellular lipid homeostasis through biosynthesis of the non-bilayer-forming lipids phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the majority of cellular phosphatidylethanolamine is synthesized by the mitochondrial phosphatidylserine decarboxylase 1 (Psd1). The biogenesis of Psd1 involves several processing steps. It was speculated that the Psd1 precursor is sorted into the inner membrane and is subsequently released into the intermembrane space by proteolytic removal of a hydrophobic sorting signal. However, components involved in the maturation of the Psd1 precursor have not been identified. We show that processing of Psd1 involves the action of the mitochondrial processing peptidase and Oct1 and an autocatalytic cleavage at a highly conserved LGST motif yielding the α- and β-subunit of the enzyme. The Psd1 β-subunit (Psd1β) forms the membrane anchor, which binds the intermembrane space-localized α-subunit (Psd1α). Deletion of a transmembrane segment in the β-subunit results in mislocalization of Psd1 and reduced enzymatic activity. Surprisingly, autocatalytic cleavage does not depend on proper localization to the inner mitochondrial membrane. In summary, membrane integration of Psd1 is crucial for its functionality and for maintenance of mitochondrial lipid homeostasis.     

Transport of Phosphatidylserine from the Endoplasmic Reticulum to the Site of Phosphatidylserine Decarboxylase2 in Yeast

Over the past two decades, most of the genes specifying lipid synthesis and metabolism in yeast have been identified and characterized. Several of these biosynthetic genes and their encoded enzymes have provided valuable tools for the genetic and biochemical dissection of interorganelle lipid transport processes in yeast. One such pathway involves the synthesis of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and its non‐vesicular transport to the site of phosphatidylserine decarboxylase2 (Psd2p) in membranes of the Golgi and endosomal sorting system. In this review, we summarize the identification and characterization of the yeast phosphatidylserine decarboxylases, and examine their role in studies of the transport‐dependent pathways of de novo synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn). The emerging picture of the Psd2p‐specific transport pathway is one in which the enzyme and its non‐catalytic N‐terminal domains act as a hub to nucleate the assembly of a multiprotein complex, which facilitates PtdSer transport at membrane contact sites between the ER and Golgi/endosome membranes. After transport to the catalytic site of Psd2p, PtdSer is decarboxylated to form PtdEtn, which is disseminated throughout the cell to support the structural and functional needs of multiple membranes.      

A Quantitative Study of the Hog1 MAPK Response to Fluctuating Osmotic Stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Background

Yeast cells live in a highly fluctuating environment with respect to temperature, nutrients, and especially osmolarity. The Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is crucial for the adaption of yeast cells to external osmotic changes.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To better understand the osmo-adaption mechanism in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have developed a mathematical model and quantitatively investigated the Hog1 response to osmotic stress. The model agrees well with various experimental data for the Hog1 response to different types of osmotic changes. Kinetic analyses of the model indicate that budding yeast cells have evolved to protect themselves economically: while they show almost no response to fast pulse-like changes of osmolarity, they respond periodically and are well-adapted to osmotic changes with a certain frequency. To quantify the signal transduction efficiency of the osmo-adaption network, we introduced a measure of the signal response gain, which is defined as the ratio of output change integral to input (signal) change integral. Model simulations indicate that the Hog1 response gain shows bell-shaped response curves with respect to the duration of a single osmotic pulse and to the frequency of periodic square osmotic pulses, while for up-staircase (ramp) osmotic changes, the gain depends on the slope.

Conclusions/Significance

The model analyses suggest that budding yeast cells have selectively evolved to be optimized to some specific types of osmotic changes. In addition, our work implies that the signaling output can be dynamically controlled by fine-tuning the signal input profiles.     

Mlc1p Is a Light Chain for the Unconventional Myosin Myo2p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the unconventional myosin Myo2p is of fundamental importance in polarized growth. We explore the role of the neck region and its associated light chains in regulating Myo2p function. Surprisingly, we find that precise deletion of the six IQ sites in the neck region results in a myosin, Myo2-Δ6IQp, that can support the growth of a yeast strain at 90% the rate of a wild-type isogenic strain. We exploit this mutant in a characterization of the light chains of Myo2p. First, we demonstrate that the localization of calmodulin to sites of polarized growth largely depends on the IQ sites in the neck of Myo2p. Second, we demonstrate that a previously uncharacterized protein, Mlc1p, is a myosin light chain of Myo2p. MLC1 (YGL106w) is an essential gene that exhibits haploinsufficiency. Reduced levels of MYO2 overcome the haploinsufficiency of MLC1. The mutant MYO2-Δ6IQ is able to suppress haploinsufficiency but not deletion of MLC1. We used a modified gel overlay assay to demonstrate a direct interaction between Mlc1p and the neck of Myo2p. Overexpression of MYO2 is toxic, causing a severe decrease in growth rate. When MYO2 is overexpressed, Myo2p is fourfold less stable than in a wild-type strain. High copies of MLC1 completely overcome the growth defects and increase the stability of Myo2p. Our results suggest that Mlc1p is responsible for stabilizing this myosin by binding to the neck region.     

Biosynthesis of Levan,a Bacterial Extracellular Polysaccharide,in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Levans are fructose polymers synthesized by a broad range of micro-organisms and a limited number of plant species as non-structural storage carbohydrates. In microbes, these polymers contribute to the formation of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) matrix and play a role in microbial biofilm formation. Levans belong to a larger group of commercially important polymers, referred to as fructans, which are used as a source of prebiotic fibre. For levan, specifically, this market remains untapped, since no viable production strategy has been established. Synthesis of levan is catalysed by a group of enzymes, referred to as levansucrases, using sucrose as substrate. Heterologous expression of levansucrases has been notoriously difficult to achieve in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As a strategy, this study used an invertase (Δsuc2) null mutant and two separate, engineered, sucrose accumulating yeast strains as hosts for the expression of the levansucrase M1FT, previously cloned from Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Intracellular sucrose accumulation was achieved either by expression of a sucrose synthase (Susy) from potato or the spinach sucrose transporter (SUT). The data indicate that in both Δsuc2 and the sucrose accumulating strains, the M1FT was able to catalyse fructose polymerisation. In the absence of the predicted M1FT secretion signal, intracellular levan accumulation was significantly enhanced for both sucrose accumulation strains, when grown on minimal media. Interestingly, co-expression of M1FT and SUT resulted in hyper-production and extracellular build-up of levan when grown in rich medium containing sucrose. This study presents the first report of levan production in S. cerevisiae and opens potential avenues for the production of levan using this well established industrial microbe. Furthermore, the work provides interesting perspectives when considering the heterologous expression of sugar polymerizing enzymes in yeast.     

Mutational Analysis of the Structure and Localization of the Nucleolus in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The nucleolus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a crescent-shaped structure that makes extensive contact with the nuclear envelope. In different chromosomal rDNA deletion mutants that we have analyzed, the nucleolus is not organized into a crescent structure, as determined by immunofluorescence microscopy, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and electron microscopy. A strain carrying a plasmid with a single rDNA repeat transcribed by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) contained a fragmented nucleolus distributed throughout the nucleus, primarily localized at the nuclear periphery. A strain carrying a plasmid with the 35S rRNA coding region fused to the GAL7 promoter and transcribed by Pol II contained a rounded nucleolus that often lacked extensive contact with the nuclear envelope. Ultrastructurally distinct domains were observed within the round nucleolus. A similar rounded nucleolar morphology was also observed in strains carrying the Pol I plasmid in combination with mutations that affect Pol I function. In a Pol I–defective mutant strain that carried copies of the GAL7-35S rDNA fusion gene integrated into the chromosomal rDNA locus, the nucleolus exhibited a round morphology, but was more closely associated with the nuclear envelope in the form of a bulge. Thus, both the organization of the rDNA genes and the type of polymerase involved in rDNA expression strongly influence the organization and localization of the nucleolus.     

Branched-Chain Aminotransferases Control TORC1 Signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The conserved target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) integrates nutrient signals to orchestrate cell growth and proliferation. Leucine availability is conveyed to control TORC1 activity via the leu-tRNA synthetase/EGOC-GTPase module in yeast and mammals, but the mechanisms sensing leucine remain only partially understood. We show here that both leucine and its α-ketoacid metabolite, α-ketoisocaproate, effectively activate the yeast TORC1 kinase via both EGOC GTPase-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Leucine and α-ketoisocaproate are interconverted by ubiquitous branched-chain aminotransferases (BCAT), which in yeast are represented by the mitochondrial and cytosolic enzymes Bat1 and Bat2, respectively. BCAT yeast mutants exhibit severely compromised TORC1 activity, which is partially restored by expression of Bat1 active site mutants, implicating both catalytic and structural roles of BCATs in TORC1 control. We find that Bat1 interacts with branched-chain amino acid metabolic enzymes and, in a leucine-dependent fashion, with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA)-cycle enzyme aconitase. BCAT mutation perturbed TCA-cycle intermediate levels, consistent with a TCA-cycle block, and resulted in low ATP levels, activation of AMPK, and TORC1 inhibition. We propose the biosynthetic capacity of BCAT and its role in forming multicomplex metabolons connecting branched-chain amino acids and TCA-cycle metabolism governs TCA-cycle flux to activate TORC1 signaling. Because mammalian mitochondrial BCAT is known to form a supramolecular branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase enzyme complex that links leucine metabolism to the TCA-cycle, these findings establish a precedent for understanding TORC1 signaling in mammals.     

Size Of Gene Specific Inverted Repeat - Dependent Gene Deletion In Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We describe here an approach for rapidly producing scar-free and precise gene deletions in S. cerevisiae with high efficiency. Preparation of the disruption gene cassette in this approach was simply performed by overlap extension-PCR of an invert repeat of a partial or complete sequence of the targeted gene with URA3. Integration of the prepared disruption gene cassette to the designated position of a target gene leads to the formation of a mutagenesis cassette within the yeast genome, which consists of a URA3 gene flanked by the targeted gene and its inverted repeat between two short identical direct repeats. The inherent instability of the inverted sequences in close proximity facilitates the self-excision of the entire mutagenesis cassette deposited in the genome and promotes homologous recombination resulting in a seamless deletion via a single transformation. This rapid assembly circumvents the difficulty during preparation of disruption gene cassettes composed of two inverted repeats of the URA3, which requires the engineering of unique restriction sites for subsequent digestion and T4 DNA ligation in vitro. We further identified that the excision of the entire mutagenesis cassette flanked by two DRs in the transformed S. cerevisiae is dependent on the length of the inverted repeat of which a minimum of 800 bp is required for effective gene deletion. The deletion efficiency improves with the increase of the inverted repeat till 1.2 kb. Finally, the use of gene-specific inverted repeats of target genes enables simultaneous gene deletions. The procedure has the potential for application on other yeast strains to achieve precise and efficient removal of gene sequences.     

Fractionation of Phenolic Compounds Extracted from Propolis and Their Activity in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have here investigated the activities of Slovenian propolis extracts in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and identified the phenolic compounds that appear to contribute to these activities. We correlated changes in intracellular oxidation and cellular metabolic energy in these yeasts with the individual fractions of the propolis extracts obtained following solid-phase extraction. The most effective fraction was further investigated according to its phenolic compounds.     

Synthesis of Morphinan Alkaloids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Morphinan alkaloids are the most powerful narcotic analgesics currently used to treat moderate to severe and chronic pain. The feasibility of morphinan synthesis in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae starting from the precursor (R,S)-norlaudanosoline was investigated. Chiral analysis of the reticuline produced by the expression of opium poppy methyltransferases showed strict enantioselectivity for (S)-reticuline starting from (R,S)-norlaudanosoline. In addition, the P. somniferum enzymes salutaridine synthase (PsSAS), salutaridine reductase (PsSAR) and salutaridinol acetyltransferase (PsSAT) were functionally co-expressed in S. cerevisiae and optimization of the pH conditions allowed for productive spontaneous rearrangement of salutaridinol-7-O-acetate and synthesis of thebaine from (R)-reticuline. Finally, we reconstituted a 7-gene pathway for the production of codeine and morphine from (R)-reticuline. Yeast cell feeding assays using (R)-reticuline, salutaridine or codeine as substrates showed that all enzymes were functionally co-expressed in yeast and that activity of salutaridine reductase and codeine-O-demethylase likely limit flux to morphine synthesis. The results of this study describe a significant advance for the synthesis of morphinans in S. cerevisiae and pave the way for their complete synthesis in recombinant microbes.     

Distinct Redox Regulation in Sub-Cellular Compartments in Response to Various Stress Conditions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Responses to many growth and stress conditions are assumed to act via changes to the cellular redox status. However, direct measurement of pH-adjusted redox state during growth and stress has never been carried out. Organellar redox state (E _GSH) was measured using the fluorescent probes roGFP2 and pHluorin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In particular, we investigated changes in organellar redox state in response to various growth and stress conditions to better understand the relationship between redox-, oxidative- and environmental stress response systems. E _GSH values of the cytosol, mitochondrial matrix and peroxisome were determined in exponential and stationary phase in various media. These values (−340 to −350 mV) were more reducing than previously reported. Interestingly, sub-cellular redox state remained unchanged when cells were challenged with stresses previously reported to affect redox homeostasis. Only hydrogen peroxide and heat stress significantly altered organellar redox state. Hydrogen peroxide stress altered the redox state of the glutathione disulfide/glutathione couple (GSSG, 2H⁺/2GSH) and pH. Recovery from moderate hydrogen peroxide stress was most rapid in the cytosol, followed by the mitochondrial matrix, with the peroxisome the least able to recover. Conversely, the bulk of the redox shift observed during heat stress resulted from alterations in pH and not the GSSG, 2H⁺/2GSH couple. This study presents the first direct measurement of pH-adjusted redox state in sub-cellular compartments during growth and stress conditions. Redox state is distinctly regulated in organelles and data presented challenge the notion that perturbation of redox state is central in the response to many stress conditions.