Characterization of Schizosaccharomyces pombe mutants defective in vacuolar acidification and protein sorting

The vacuolar H⁺-ATPases (V-ATPases) are ATP-dependent proton pumps responsible for acidification of intracellular compartments in eukaryotic cells. To investigate the functional roles of the V-ATPase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the gene vma1 encoding subunit A or vma3 encoding subunit c was disrupted. Both deletion mutants lost the capacity for vacuolar acidification in vivo, and showed sensitivity to neutral pH or high concentrations of divalent cations including Ca²⁺. The delivery of FM4-64 to the vacuolar membrane and accumulation of Lucifer Yellow CH were strongly inhibited in the vma1 and vma3 mutants. Moreover, deletion of the S. pombe vma1 ⁺ or vma3 ⁺ gene resulted in pleiotropic phenotypes consistent with lack of vacuolar acidification, including the missorting of vacuolar carboxypeptidase Y, abnormal vacuole morphology, and mating defects. These findings suggest that V-ATPase is essential for endocytosis, ion and pH homeostasis, and for intracellular targeting of vacuolar proteins and vacuolar biogenesis in S. pombe.Communicated by M. Johnston