Dynamics of foreign protein secretion from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A mathematical model describing the dynamics of foreign protein secretion from yeast cells is developed. The secretion events, which are a series of complicated enzymatic reactions and carrier-involved transport, are lumped to a practically applicable model structure, based on the major interactions between the heterologous polypeptides and the host cell's secretory machinery through the pathway. The developed model structure predicts that the secretion rate constant is represented as a saturated form with respect to the host cell's specific growth rate. The validity of the proposed model structure is tested by generating dynamic response data to a step input of cycloheximide. The model system used in the experiment is SEY2102-s21, which has an integrated copy of a yeast secretion-mutant invertase that simulates well typical gene cassettes designed to secrete mature foreign proteins utilizing the yeast cell's secretion signals. Protein quantification is done by gel electrophoresis followed by immuno-blot on nitrocellulose filters and subsequent scanning with a reflectance densitometer. Experimental data confirm the proposed model structure.