Export of steryl esters from lipid particles and release of free sterols in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Changes in lipid metabolism convey acid tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

BACKGROUND

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae plays an essential role in the fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Weak organic acids in lignocellulosic hydrolysate can hamper the use of this renewable resource for fuel and chemical production. Plasma-membrane remodeling has recently been found to be involved in acquiring tolerance to organic acids, but the mechanisms responsible remain largely unknown. Therefore, it is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of acid tolerance of S. cerevisiae for developing robust industrial strains.

RESULTS

We have performed a comparative analysis of lipids and fatty acids in S. cerevisiae grown in the presence of four different weak acids. The general response of the yeast to acid stress was found to be the accumulation of triacylglycerols and the degradation of steryl esters. In addition, a decrease in phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, and an increase in phosphatidylinositol were observed. Loss of cardiolipin in the mitochondria membrane may be responsible for the dysfunction of mitochondria and the dramatic decrease in the rate of respiration of S. cerevisiae under acid stress. Interestingly, the accumulation of ergosterol was found to be a protective mechanism of yeast exposed to organic acids, and the ERG1 gene in ergosterol biosynthesis played a key in ergosterol-mediated acid tolerance, as perturbing the expression of this gene caused rapid loss of viability. Interestingly, overexpressing OLE1 resulted in the increased levels of oleic acid (18:1n-9) and an increase in the unsaturation index of fatty acids in the plasma membrane, resulting in higher tolerance to acetic, formic and levulinic acid, while this change was found to be detrimental to cells exposed to lipophilic cinnamic acid.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparison of lipid profiles revealed different remodeling of lipids, FAs and the unsaturation index of the FAs in the cell membrane in response of S. cerevisiae to acetic, formic, levulinic and cinnamic acid, depending on the properties of the acid. In future work, it will be necessary to combine lipidome and transcriptome analysis to gain a better understanding of the underlying regulation network and interactions between central carbon metabolism (e.g., glycolysis, TCA cycle) and lipid biosynthesis.

The impact of nonpolar lipids on the regulation of the steryl ester hydrolases Tgl1p and Yeh1p in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae degradation of steryl esters is catalyzed by the steryl ester hydrolases Tgl1p, Yeh1p and Yeh2p. The two steryl ester hydrolases Tgl1p and Yeh1p localize to lipid droplets, a cell compartment storing steryl esters and triacylglycerols. In the present study we investigated regulatory aspects of these two hydrolytic enzymes, namely the gene expression level, protein amount, stability and enzyme activity of Tgl1p and Yeh1p in strains lacking both or only one of the two major nonpolar lipids, steryl esters and triacylglycerols. In a strain lacking both nonpolar lipids and consequently lipid droplets, Tgl1p as well as Yeh1p were present at low amount, became highly unstable compared to wild-type cells, and lost their enzymatic activity. Under these conditions both steryl ester hydrolases were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. The lack of steryl esters alone was not sufficient to cause an altered intracellular localization of Tgl1p and Yeh1p. Surprisingly, the stability of Tgl1p and Yeh1p was markedly reduced in a strain lacking triacylglycerols, but their capacity to mobilize steryl esters remained unaffected. We also tested a possible cross-regulation of Tgl1p and Yeh1p by analyzing the behavior of each hydrolase in the absence of its counterpart steryl ester hydrolases. In summary, this study demonstrates a strong regulation of the two lipid droplet associated steryl ester hydrolases Tgl1p and Yeh1p due to the presence/absence of their host organelle.

Computational Modeling of Lipid Metabolism in Yeast

Lipid metabolism is essential for all major cell functions and has recently gained increasing attention in research and health studies. However, mathematical modeling by means of classical approaches such as stoichiometric networks and ordinary differential equation systems has not yet provided satisfactory insights, due to the complexity of lipid metabolism characterized by many different species with only slight differences and by promiscuous multifunctional enzymes. Here, we present an object-oriented stochastic model approach as a way to cope with the complex lipid metabolic network. While all lipid species are treated objects in the model, they can be modified by the respective converting reactions based on reaction rules, a hybrid method that integrates benefits of agent-based and classical stochastic simulation. This approach allows to follow the dynamics of all lipid species with different fatty acids, different degrees of saturation and different headgroups over time and to analyze the effect of parameter changes, potential mutations in the catalyzing enzymes or provision of different precursors. Applied to yeast metabolism during one cell cycle period, we could analyze the distribution of all lipids to the various membranes in time-dependent manner. The presented approach allows to efficiently treat the complexity of cellular lipid metabolism and to derive conclusions on the time- and location-dependent distributions of lipid species and their properties such as saturation. It is widely applicable, easily extendable and will provide further insights in healthy and diseased states of cell metabolism.

Triacylglycerol Storage in Lipid Droplets in Procyclic Trypanosoma brucei

Carbon storage is likely to enable adaptation of trypanosomes to nutritional challenges or bottlenecks during their stage development and migration in the tsetse. Lipid droplets are candidates for this function. This report shows that feeding of T. brucei with oleate results in a 4-5 fold increase in the number of lipid droplets, as quantified by confocal fluorescence microscopy and by flow cytometry of BODIPY 493/503-stained cells. The triacylglycerol (TAG) content also increased 4-5 fold, and labeled oleate is incorporated into TAG. Fatty acid carbon can thus be stored as TAG in lipid droplets under physiological growth conditions in procyclic T. brucei. β-oxidation has been suggested as a possible catabolic pathway for lipids in T. brucei. A single candidate gene, TFEα1 with coding capacity for a subunit of the trifunctional enzyme complex was identified. TFEα1 is expressed in procyclic T. brucei and present in glycosomal proteomes, Unexpectedly, a TFEα1 gene knock-out mutant still expressed wild-type levels of previously reported NADP-dependent 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity, and therefore, another gene encodes this enzymatic activity. Homozygous Δtfeα1/Δtfeα1 null mutant cells show a normal growth rate and an unchanged glycosomal proteome in procyclic T. brucei. The decay kinetics of accumulated lipid droplets upon oleate withdrawal can be fully accounted for by the dilution effect of cell division in wild-type and Δtfeα1/Δtfeα1 cells. The absence of net catabolism of stored TAG in procyclic T. brucei, even under strictly glucose-free conditions, does not formally exclude a flux through TAG, in which biosynthesis equals catabolism. Also, the possibility remains that TAG catabolism is completely repressed by other carbon sources in culture media or developmentally activated in post-procyclic stages in the tsetse.

Trans-chalcone and quercetin down-regulate fatty acid synthase gene expression and reduce ergosterol content in the human pathogenic dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum

BACKGROUND

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a promising antifungal target due to its marked structural differences between fungal and mammalian cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of flavonoids described in the scientific literature as FAS inhibitors (quercetin, trans-chalcone, ellagic acid, luteolin, galangin, and genistein) against the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum and their effects on fatty acid and ergosterol synthesis.

METHODS

The antifungal activity of the natural products was tested by the microdilution assay for determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The effect of the compounds on the cell membrane was evaluated using a protoplast regeneration assay. Ergosterol content was quantified by spectrophotometry. Inhibition of FAS by flavonoids was evaluated by an enzymatic assay to determine IC50 values. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure transcription levels of the FAS1 and ERG6 genes involved in fatty acid and ergosterol biosynthesis, respectively, during exposure of T. rubrum to the flavonoids tested.

RESULTS

The flavonoids quercetin and trans-chalcone were effective against T. rubrum, with MICs of 125 and 7.5 μg/mL for the wild-type strain (MYA3108) and of 63 and 1.9 μg/mL for the ABC transporter mutant strain (ΔTruMDR2), respectively. The MICs of the fluconazole and cerulenin controls were 63 and 125 μg/mL for the wild-type strain and 30 and 15 μg/mL for the mutant strain, respectively. Quercetin and trans-chalcone also reduced ergosterol content in the two strains, indicating that interference with fatty acid and ergosterol synthesis caused cell membrane disruption. The MIC of quercetin reduced the number of regenerated protoplasts by 30.26% (wild-type strain) and by 91.66% (mutant strain). Half the MIC (0.5 MIC) of quercetin did not reduce the number of regenerated wild-type fungal colonies, but caused a 36.19% reduction in the number of mutant strain protoplasts. In contrast, the MIC and 0.5 MIC of trans-chalcone and cerulenin drastically reduced protoplast regeneration in the two strains. The FAS1 gene was repressed in the presence of MICs of quercetin, trans-chalcone, fluconazole and cerulenin. The ERG6 gene was induced in the presence of MICs of fluconazole and cerulenin and was repressed in the presence of MICs of trans-chalcone and quercetin. Trans-chalcone and quercetin inhibited the enzymatic activity of FAS, with IC50 values of 68.23 and 17.1 μg/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Trans-chalcone and quercetin showed antifungal activity against T. rubrum, reducing ergosterol levels and modulating the expression of FAS1 and ERG6.

Lipid droplets and peroxisomes: key players in cellular lipid homeostasis or a matter of fat--store 'em up or burn 'em down

Lipid droplets (LDs) and peroxisomes are central players in cellular lipid homeostasis: some of their main functions are to control the metabolic flux and availability of fatty acids (LDs and peroxisomes) as well as of sterols (LDs). Both fatty acids and sterols serve multiple functions in the cell—as membrane stabilizers affecting membrane fluidity, as crucial structural elements of membrane-forming phospholipids and sphingolipids, as protein modifiers and signaling molecules, and last but not least, as a rich carbon and energy source. In addition, peroxisomes harbor enzymes of the malic acid shunt, which is indispensable to regenerate oxaloacetate for gluconeogenesis, thus allowing yeast cells to generate sugars from fatty acids or nonfermentable carbon sources. Therefore, failure of LD and peroxisome biogenesis and function are likely to lead to deregulated lipid fluxes and disrupted energy homeostasis with detrimental consequences for the cell. These pathological consequences of LD and peroxisome failure have indeed sparked great biomedical interest in understanding the biogenesis of these organelles, their functional roles in lipid homeostasis, interaction with cellular metabolism and other organelles, as well as their regulation, turnover, and inheritance. These questions are particularly burning in view of the pandemic development of lipid-associated disorders worldwide.

WAT is a functional adipocyte?

In vertebrates, adipose tissue is the main storage site for lipids within specialized lipid-laden mature adipocytes. While many species have evolved cells capable of lipid storage, the adipocyte represents a unique specialized cell involved in fuel storage, endocrine, nervous and immune function. However, the adipocytes are not the only cell type in mammals that can accumulate lipid droplets. The ectopic accumulation of lipid in non-adipose tissues including the liver, skeletal muscle, bone, pancreas, and heart in combination with its excessive accumulation in adipose tissue contributes to metabolic disease. Determining the lipid processing components that are necessary and sufficiently for lipid accumulation in adipose and non-adipose tissues, in addition to endocrine function, will lead to a clearer definition of an adipocyte.

Mobilization of steryl esters from lipid particles of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the yeast as in other eukaryotes, formation and hydrolysis of steryl esters (SE) are processes linked to lipid storage. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the three SE hydrolases Tgl1p, Yeh1p and Yeh2p contribute to SE mobilization from their site of storage, the lipid particles/droplets. Here, we provide evidence for enzymatic and cellular properties of these three hydrolytic enzymes. Using the respective single, double and triple deletion mutants and strains overexpressing the three enzymes, we demonstrate that each SE hydrolase exhibits certain substrate specificity. Interestingly, disturbance in SE mobilization also affects sterol biosynthesis in a type of feedback regulation. Sterol intermediates stored in SE and set free by SE hydrolases are recycled to the sterol biosynthetic pathway and converted to the final product, ergosterol. This recycling implies that the vast majority of sterol precursors are transported from lipid particles to the endoplasmic reticulum, where sterol biosynthesis is completed. Ergosterol formed through this route is then supplied to its subcellular destinations, especially the plasma membrane. Only a minor amount of sterol precursors are randomly distributed within the cell after cleavage from SE. Conclusively, SE storage and mobilization although being dispensable for yeast viability contribute markedly to sterol homeostasis and distribution.

Distribution of free and esterified ergosterols in the medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum

The fruiting bodies, spores, and lipid from the spores of Ganoderma lucidum have been widely used for medicinal purpose in China. Ergosterol content may be a suitable marker for evaluating the quality of ganoderma spore and ganoderma spore lipid (GSL) products. A gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the simultaneous determination of free and esterified ergosterols in G. lucidum. The contents of free and esterified ergosterols in the different parts (the stipe, pileus, tubes, and spores) of G. lucidum and GSL were determined. The results showed that total ergosterol levels in the stipe, pileus, tubes, and spores of G. lucidum were between 0.8 and 1.6 mg/g. The relative abundances of free to esterified ergosterol were different in the different parts of G. lucidum. The spores and the tubes, the hymenophore tissue that contains the spore-producing cells, have a considerably higher percentage of ergosteryl esters (41.9 and 39.7% of total ergosterol) in comparison with the pileus and stipe tissues (3.6 and 6.2%).

Lipid requirements for endocytosis in yeast

Endocytosis is, besides secretion, the most prominent membrane transport pathway in eukaryotic cells. In membrane transport, defined areas of the donor membranes engulf solutes of the compartment they are bordering and bud off with the aid of coat proteins to form vesicles. These transport vehicles are guided along cytoskeletal paths, often matured and, finally, fuse to the acceptor membrane they are targeted to. Lipids and proteins are equally important components in membrane transport pathways. Not only are they the structural units of membranes and vesicles, but both classes of molecules also participate actively in membrane transport processes. Whereas proteins form the cytoskeleton and vesicle coats, confer signals and constitute attachment points for membrane-membrane interaction, lipids modulate the flexibility of bilayers, carry protein recognition sites and confer signals themselves. Over the last decade it has been realized that all classes of bilayer lipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids and sterols, actively contribute to functional membrane transport, in particular to endocytosis. Thus, abnormal bilayer lipid metabolism leads to endocytic defects of different severity. Interestingly, there seems to be a great deal of interdependence and interaction among lipid classes. It will be a challenge to characterize this plenitude of interactions and find out about their impact on cellular processes.

The lipid droplet enzyme Tgl1p hydrolyzes both steryl esters and triglycerides in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Based on sequence homology to mammalian acid lipases, yeast reading frame YKL140w was predicted to encode a triacylglycerol (TAG) lipase in yeast and was hence named as TGL1, triglyceride lipase 1. A deletion of TGL1, however, resulted in an increase of the cellular steryl ester content. Fluorescently labeled lipid analogs that become covalently linked to the enzyme active site upon catalysis were used to discriminate between the lipase and esterase activities of Tgl1p. Tgl1p preferred single-chain esterase inhibitors over lipase inhibitors in vitro. Under assay conditions optimal for acid lipases, Tgl1p exhibited steryl esterase activity only and lacked any triglyceride lipase activity. In contrast, at pH 7.4, Tgl1p also exhibited TAG lipase activity; however, steryl ester hydrolase activity was still predominant. Tgl1p localized exclusively to lipid droplets which are the intracellular storage compartment of steryl esters and triacylglycerols in the yeast S. cerevisiae. In a tgl1 deletion mutant, the mobilization of steryl esters in vivo was delayed, but not abolished, suggesting the existence of additional enzymes involved in steryl ester mobilization.

YEH2/YLR020c Encodes a Novel Steryl Ester Hydrolase of the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Previous work from our laboratory (Zinser, E., Paltauf, F., and Daum, G. (1993) J. Bacteriol. 175, 2853-2858) demonstrated steryl ester hydrolase activity in the plasma membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we show that the gene product of YEH2/ YLR020c, which is homologous to several known mammalian steryl ester hydrolases, is the enzyme catalyzing this reaction. Deletion of yeast YEH2 led to complete loss of plasma membrane steryl ester hydrolase activity whereas overexpression of the gene resulted in a significant elevation of the activity. Purification of enzymatically active Yeh2p close to homogeneity unambiguously identified this protein as a steryl ester hydrolase and thus as the first enzyme of this kind characterized in S. cerevisiae. In addition to evidence obtained in vitro experiments in vivo contributed to the characterization of this novel enzyme. Sterol analysis of yeh2Delta unveiled a slightly elevated level of zymosterol suggesting that the esterified form of this sterol precursor is a preferred substrate of Yeh2p. However, in strains bearing hybrid proteins with strongly enhanced Yeh2p activity decreased levels of all steryl esters were observed. Thus, it appears that Yeh2p activity is not restricted to distinct steryl esters but rather has broad substrate specificity. The fact that in a yeh2Delta deletion strain bulk steryl ester mobilization occurred at a similar rate as in wild type suggested that Yeh2p is not the only steryl ester hydrolase but that other enzymes with overlapping function exist in the yeast.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae YLL012/YEH1, YLR020/YEH2, and TGL1 genes encode a novel family of membrane-anchored lipases that are required for steryl ester hydrolysis

Sterol homeostasis in eukaryotic cells relies on the reciprocal interconversion of free sterols and steryl esters. The formation of steryl esters is well characterized, but the mechanisms that control steryl ester mobilization upon cellular demand are less well understood. We have identified a family of three lipases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are required for efficient steryl ester mobilization. These lipases, encoded by YLL012/YEH1, YLR020/YEH2, and TGL1, are paralogues of the mammalian acid lipase family, which is composed of the lysosomal acid lipase, the gastric lipase, and four novel as yet uncharacterized human open reading frames. Lipase triple-mutant yeast cells are completely blocked in steryl ester hydrolysis but do not affect the mobilization of triacylglycerols, indicating that the three lipases are required for steryl ester mobilization in vivo. Lipase single mutants mobilize steryl esters to various degrees, indicating partial functional redundancy of the three gene products. Lipase double-mutant cells in which the third lipase is expressed from the inducible GAL1 promoter have greatly reduced steady-state levels of steryl esters, indicating that overexpression of any of the three lipases is sufficient for steryl ester mobilization in vivo. The three yeast enzymes constitute a novel class of membrane-anchored lipases that differ in topology and subcellular localization.

The Candida albicans lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase (ERG11) gene promoter is maximally induced after prolonged growth with antifungal drugs

The azole antifungal drugs that target lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase, encoded by the ERG11 gene, are used to treat a variety of infections caused by Candida albicans. Azoles are known to induce expression of ERG11 mRNA. The ERG11 promoter was cloned 5' of the luciferase-coding region, and the induction of ERG11 expression by azoles was monitored by luciferase assays. Maximal induction of the ERG11 promoter by azoles occurs not during logarithmic growth but after the diauxic shift and requires azoles to be present throughout logarithmic growth. The effects of pH, carbon source, and aerobic or anaerobic growth on induction of the ERG11 promoter by azoles were analyzed. Treatment with terbinafine and fenpropimorph, which target other enzymes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway, also resulted in a delayed induction of ERG11 promoter activity. Nascent sterol synthesis was shown to parallel ERG11 promoter activity, and total sterols were reduced coincident with the timing of ERG11 promoter activation. These results as a whole suggest that expression of the ERG11 promoter is regulated in response to sterol depletion.

A yeast strain lacking lipid particles bears a defect in ergosterol formation

Lipid particles of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are storage compartments for triacylglycerols (TAG) and steryl esters (STE). Four gene products, namely the TAG synthases Dga1p and Lro1p, and the STE synthases Are1p and Are2p contribute to storage lipid synthesis. A yeast strain lacking the four respective genes is devoid of lipid particles thus providing a valuable tool to study the physiological role of storage lipids and lipid particles. Using a dga1lro1are1are2 quadruple mutant transformed with plasmids bearing inducible DGA1, LRO1, or ARE2 we demonstrate that TAG synthesis contributes more efficiently to lipid particle proliferation than synthesis of STE. Moreover, we show that proteins typically located to lipid particles in wild type such as Erg1p, Erg6p, Erg7p, and Ayr1p are refined to microsomal fractions of the dga1lro1are1are2 quadruple mutant. This result confirms the close relationship between lipid particles and endoplasmic reticulum. Most interestingly, the amount of the squalene epoxidase Erg1p, which is dually located in lipid particles and endoplasmic reticulum of wild type, is decreased in the quadruple mutant, whereas amounts of other lipid particle proteins tested were not reduced. This decrease is not caused by down-regulation of ERG1 transcription but by the low stability of Erg1p in the quadruple mutant. Because a similar effect was also observed in are1are2 mutants this finding can be mainly attributed to the lack of STE. The quadruple mutant, however, was more sensitive to terbinafine, an inhibitor of Erg1p, than the are1are2 strain suggesting that the presence of TAG and/or intact lipid particles has an additional protective effect. In a strain lacking the two STE synthases, Are1p and Are2p, incorporation of ergosterol into the plasma membrane was reduced, although the total cellular amount of free ergosterol was higher in the mutant than in wild type. Thus, an esterification/deacylation mechanism appears to contribute to the supply of ergosterol to the plasma membrane.

Terbinafine resistance in a pleiotropic yeast mutant is caused by a single point mutation in the ERG1 gene

A terbinafine-resistant mutant of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a complex pleiotropic phenotype (resistance to terbinafine and itraconazole, sensitivity to several antifungal compounds, respiration deficiency, and temperature sensitivity) has been isolated after chemical mutagenesis. Detailed analysis revealed that some of its traits (thermosensitive growth, sensitivity to the polyene antimycotic nystatin and to calcofluor white) are linked to alterations in the cell wall. A single C1288G base change in the ERG1 gene resulting in the substitution of proline by alanine at position 430 in the enzyme squalene epoxidase (Erg1p) was identified as the sole cause of terbinafine resistance. This novel mutation in the ERG1 gene confers only partial resistance of Erg1p to terbinafine, however, even the low level of resistance enables terbinafine-treated mutant cells to maintain adequate ergosterol levels over longer cultivation periods. Lack of interference of squalene accumulation with growth of terbinafine-treated mutant cells indicates that the antimycotic effect of terbinafine in S. cerevisiae may be linked primarily to ergosterol depletion.

Yeast oxidosqualene cyclase (Erg7p) is a major component of lipid particles

Oxidosqualene cyclase of the yeast encoded by the ERG7 gene converts oxidosqualene to lanosterol, the first cyclic component of sterol biosynthesis. In a previous study (Athenstaedt, K., Zweytick, D., Jandrositz, A, Kohlwein, S. D., and Daum, G. (1999) J. Bacteriol. 181, 6441-6448), Erg7p was identified as a component of yeast lipid particles. Here, we present evidence that Erg7p is almost exclusively associated with this compartment as shown by analysis of enzymatic activity, Western blot analysis, and in vivo localization of Erg7p-GFP. Occurrence of oxidosqualene cyclase in other organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum is negligible. In an erg7 deletion strain or in wild-type cells treated with an inhibitor of oxidosqualene cyclase, the substrate of Erg7p, oxidosqualene, accumulated mostly in lipid particles. Storage in lipid particles of this intermediate produced in excess may provide a possibility to exclude this membrane-perturbing component from other organelles. Thus, our data provide evidence that lipid particles are not only a depot for neutral lipids, but also participate in coordinate sterol metabolism and trafficking and serve as a storage site for compounds that may negatively affect membrane integrity.

Synthesis of triacylglycerols by the acyl-coenzyme A:diacyl-glycerol acyltransferase Dga1p in lipid particles of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The terminal step of triacylglycerol (TAG) formation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is catalyzed by the enzyme acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DAGAT). In this study we demonstrate that the gene product of YOR245c, Dga1p, catalyzes a major yeast DAGAT activity which is localized to lipid particles. Enzyme measurements employing a newly established assay containing radioactively labeled diacylglycerol (DAG) as a substrate and unlabeled palmitoyl-CoA as a cosubstrate revealed a 70- to 90-fold enrichment of DAGAT in lipid particles over the homogenate but also a 2- to 3-fold enrichment in endoplasmic reticulum fractions. In a dga1 deletion strain, the DAGAT activity in lipid particles is dramatically reduced, whereas the activity in microsomes is affected only to a minor extent. Thus, we propose the existence of DAGAT isoenzymes in the microsomal fraction. Furthermore, we unveiled an acyl-CoA-independent TAG synthase activity in lipid particles which is distinct from Dga1p and the phosphatidylcholine:DAGAT Lro1p. This acyl-CoA-independent TAG synthase utilizes DAG as an acceptor and free fatty acids as cosubstrates and occurs independently of the acyl-CoA synthases Faa1p to Faa4p. Based on lipid analysis of the respective deletion strains, Lro1p and Dga1p are the major contributors to total cellular TAG synthesis, whereas other TAG synthesizing systems appear to be of minor importance. In conclusion, at least three different pathways are involved in the formation of storage TAG in the yeast.

Transcriptional regulation of the two sterol esterification genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcribes two genes, ARE1 and ARE2, that contribute disproportionately to the esterification of sterols. Are2p is the major enzyme isoform in a wild-type cell growing aerobically. This likely results from a combination of differential transcription initiation and transcript stability. By using ARE1 and ARE2 promoter fusions to lacZ reporters, we demonstrated that transcriptional initiation from the ARE1 promoter is significantly reduced compared to that from the ARE2 promoter. Furthermore, the half-life of the ARE2 mRNA is approximately 12 times as long as that of the ARE1 transcript. We present evidence that the primary role of the minor sterol esterification isoform encoded by ARE1 is to esterify sterol intermediates, whereas the role of the ARE2 enzyme is to esterify ergosterol, the end product of the pathway. Accordingly, the ARE1 promoter is upregulated in strains that accumulate ergosterol precursors. Furthermore, ARE1 and ARE2 are oppositely regulated by heme. Under heme-deficient growth conditions, ARE1 was upregulated fivefold while ARE2 was down-regulated. ARE2 requires the HAP1 transcription factor for optimal expression, and both ARE genes are derepressed in a rox1 (repressor of oxygen) mutant genetic background. We further report that the ARE genes are not subject to end product inhibition; neither ARE1 nor ARE2 transcription is altered in an are mutant background, nor does overexpression of either ARE gene alter the response of the ARE-lacZ reporter constructs. Our observations are consistent with an important physiological role for Are1p during anaerobic growth when heme is limiting and sterol precursors may accumulate. Conversely, Are2p is optimally required during aerobiosis when ergosterol is plentiful.

A novel sequence element is involved in the transcriptional regulation of expression of the ERG1 (squalene epoxidase) gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Squalene epoxidase is an essential enzyme in the ergosterol-biosynthesis pathway. It catalyzes the epoxidation of squalene to 2,3-oxidosqualene and is the specific target of the antifungal drug terbinafine. Treatment of yeast cells with this inhibitor leads to squalene accumulation and sterol depletion. As ergosterol fulfils several essential functions, each requiring optimal sterol concentrations, synthesis of sterols in yeast must be tightly regulated. This study focuses on the sterol-mediated regulation of expression of the ERG1 gene, which codes for squalene epoxidase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis with terbinafine increases the expression of ERG1 in a concentration-dependent manner to a maximum of sevenfold. Inhibition of later steps in the ergosterol-biosynthetic pathway by ketoconazole, an inhibitor of the lanosterol-14alpha-demethylase, and U18666A, an inhibitor of the squalene-2,3-epoxide-lanosterol cyclase, also induce expression of ERG1, suggesting that ERG1 expression is positively regulated by diminished intracellular ergosterol levels. The regulatory effect of sterols is manifested at the level of transcription. Deletion analysis of the ERG1 promoter identified a novel regulatory DNA sequence element. Two 6-bp direct repeats, separated by 4 bp, AGCTCGGCCGAGCTCG, are unique to the ERG1 promoter. A DNA fragment containing this region confers ergosterol-regulated expression on an otherwise unregulated CYC1 promoter construction. One copy of the 6-bp element, AGCTCG, is sufficient to confer regulation, albeit less effectively than when both elements are present, whereas the removal of both elements from the ERG1 promoter leads to the loss of sterol-dependent ERG1 regulation.

Intracellular lipid particles of eukaryotic cells

In this review article we describe characterization of intracellular lipid particles of three different eukaryotic species, namely mammalian cells, plants and yeast. Lipid particles of all types of cells share a general structure. A hydrophobic core of neutral lipids is surrounded by a membrane monolayer of phospholipids which contains a minor amount of proteins. Whereas lipid particles from mammalian cells and plants harbor specific classes of polypeptides, mainly perilipins and oleosins, respectively, yeast lipid particles contain a more complex set of enzymes which are involved in lipid biosynthesis. Function of lipid particles as storage compartment and metabolic organelle, and their interaction with other subcellular fractions are discussed. Furthermore, models for the biogenesis of lipid particles are presented and compared among the different species.

Biochemical characterization and subcellular localization of the sterol C-24(28) reductase, erg4p, from the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast ERG4 gene encodes sterol C-24(28) reductase which catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of ergosterol. Deletion of ERG4 resulted in a complete lack of ergosterol and accumulation of the precursor ergosta-5,7,22,24(28)-tetraen-3beta-ol. An erg4 mutant strain exhibited pleiotropic defects such as hypersensitivity to divalent cations and a number of drugs such as cycloheximide, miconazole, 4-nitroquinoline, fluconazole, and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Similar to erg6 mutants, erg4 mutants are sensitive to the Golgi-destabilizing drug brefeldin A. Enzyme activity measurements with isolated subcellular fractions revealed that Erg4p is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. This view was confirmed in vivo by fluorescence microscopy of a strain expressing a functional fusion of Erg4p to enhanced green fluorescent protein. We conclude that ergosterol biosynthesis is completed in the endoplasmic reticulum, and the final product is supplied from there to its membranous destinations.

Effects of singlet oxygen on membrane sterols in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Photodynamic treatment of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the singlet oxygen sensitizer toluidine blue and visible light leads to rapid oxidation of ergosterol and accumulation of oxidized ergosterol derivatives in the plasma membrane. The predominant oxidation product accumulated was identified as 5alpha, 6alpha-epoxy-(22E)-ergosta-8,22-dien-3beta,7a lpha-diol (8-DED). 9(11)-dehydroergosterol (DHE) was identified as a minor oxidation product. In heat inactivated cells ergosterol is photooxidized to ergosterol epidioxide (EEP) and DHE. Disrupted cell preparations of S. cerevisiae convert EEP to 8-DED, and this activity is abolished in a boiled control indicating the presence of a membrane associated enzyme with an EEP isomerase activity. Yeast selectively mobilizes ergosterol from the intracellular sterol ester pool to replenish the level of free ergosterol in the plasma membrane during singlet oxygen oxidation. The following reaction pathway is proposed: singlet oxygen-mediated oxidation of ergosterol leads to mainly the formation of EEP, which is enzymatically rearranged to 8-DED. Ergosterol 7-hydroperoxide, a known minor product of the reaction of singlet oxygen with ergosterol, is formed at a much lower rate and decomposes to give DHE. Changes of physical properties of the plasma membrane are induced by depletion of ergosterol and accumulation of polar derivatives. Subsequent permeation of photosensitizer through the plasma membrane into the cell leads to events including impairment of mitochondrial function and cell inactivation.

Contribution of Are1p and Are2p to steryl ester synthesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, two acyl-CoA:sterol acyltransferases (ASATs) that catalyze the synthesis of steryl esters have been identified, namely Are2p (Sat1p) and Are1p (Sat2p). Deletion of either ARE1 or ARE2 has no effect on cell viability, and are1are2 double mutants grow in a similar manner to wild-type despite the complete lack of cellular ASAT activity and steryl ester formation [Yang, H., Bard, M., Bruner, D. A., Gleeson, A., Deckelbaum, R. J., Aljinovic, G., Pohl, T. M., Rothstein, R. & Sturley, S. L. (1996) Science 272, 1353-1356; Yu, C., Kennedy, J., Chang, C. C. Y. & Rothblatt, J. A. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 24157-24163]. Here we show that both Are2p and Are1p reside in the endoplasmic reticulum as demonstrated by measuring ASAT activity in subcellular fractions of are1 and are2 deletion strains. This localization was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy using hybrid proteins of Are2p and Are1p fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lipid analysis of are1 and are2 deletion strains revealed that Are2p and Are1p utilize sterol substrates in vivo with different efficiency; Are2p has a significant preference for ergosterol as a substrate, whereas Are1p esterifies sterol precursors, mainly lanosterol, as well as ergosterol. The specificity towards fatty acids is similar for both isoenzymes. The lack of steryl esters in are1are2 mutant cells is largely compensated by an increased level of free sterols. Nevertheless, terbinafine, an inhibitor of ergosterol biosynthesis, inhibits growth of are1are2 cells more efficiently than growth of wild-type. In a growth competition experiment are1are2 cells grow more slowly than wild-type after several rounds of cultivation, suggesting that Are1p and Are2p or steryl esters, the product formed by these two enzymes, are more important in the natural environment than under laboratory conditions.

Specific sterols required for the internalization step of endocytosis in yeast

Sterols are major components of the plasma membrane, but their functions in this membrane are not well understood. We isolated a mutant defective in the internalization step of endocytosis in a gene (ERG2) encoding a C-8 sterol isomerase that acts in the late part of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway. In the absence of Erg2p, yeast cells accumulate sterols structurally different from ergosterol, which is the major sterol in wild-type yeast. To investigate the structural requirements of ergosterol for endocytosis in more detail, several erg mutants (erg2Delta, erg6Delta, and erg2Deltaerg6Delta) were made. Analysis of fluid phase and receptor-mediated endocytosis indicates that changes in the sterol composition lead to a defect in the internalization step. Vesicle formation and fusion along the secretory pathway were not strongly affected in the ergDelta mutants. The severity of the endocytic defect correlates with changes in sterol structure and with the abundance of specific sterols in the ergDelta mutants. Desaturation of the B ring of the sterol molecules is important for the internalization step. A single desaturation at C-8,9 was not sufficient to support internalization at 37 degrees C whereas two double bonds, either at C-5,6 and C-7,8 or at C-5,6 and C-8,9, allowed internalization.

Biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology of lipids of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a powerful experimental system to study biochemical, cell biological and molecular biological aspects of lipid synthesis. Most but not all genes encoding enzymes involved in fatty acid, phospholipid, sterol or sphingolipid biosynthesis of this unicellular eukaryote have been cloned, and many gene products have been functionally characterized. Less information is available about genes and gene products governing the transport of lipids between organelles and within membranes, turnover and degradation of complex lipids, regulation of lipid biosynthesis, and linkage of lipid metabolism to other cellular processes. Here we summarize current knowledge about lipid biosynthetic pathways in S. cerevisiae and describe the characteristic features of the gene products involved. We focus on recent discoveries in these fields and address questions on the regulation of lipid synthesis, subcellular localization of lipid biosynthetic steps, cross-talk between organelles during lipid synthesis and subcellular distribution of lipids. Finally, we discuss distinct functions of certain key lipids and their possible roles in cellular processes.

A mutation in a purported regulatory gene affects control of sterol uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Aerobically growing wild-type strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are unable to take exogenously supplied sterols from media. This aerobic sterol exclusion is vitiated under anaerobic conditions, in heme-deficient strains, and under some conditions of impaired sterol synthesis. Mutants which can take up sterols aerobically in heme-competent cells have been selected. One of these mutations, designated upc2-1, gives a pleiotropic phenotype in characteristics as diverse as aerobic accumulation of sterols, total lipid storage, sensitivity to metabolic inhibitors, response to altered sterol structures, and cation requirements. During experiments designed to ascertain the effects of various cations on yeast with sterol alterations, it was observed that upc2-1 was hypersensitive to Ca2+. Using resistance to Ca2+ as a screening vehicle, we cloned UPC2 and showed that it is YDR213W, an open reading frame on chromosome IV. This belongs to a fungal regulatory family containing the Zn(II)2Cys6 binuclear cluster DNA binding domain. The single guanine-to-adenine transition in upc2-1 gives a predicted amino acid change from glycine to aspartic acid. The regulatory defect explains the semidominance and pleiotropic effects of upc2-1.

Dual localization of squalene epoxidase, Erg1p, in yeast reflects a relationship between the endoplasmic reticulum and lipid particles

Squalene epoxidase, encoded by the ERG1 gene in yeast, is a key enzyme of sterol biosynthesis. Analysis of subcellular fractions revealed that squalene epoxidase was present in the microsomal fraction (30,000 x g) and also cofractionated with lipid particles. A dual localization of Erg1p was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy. On the basis of the distribution of marker proteins, 62% of cellular Erg1p could be assigned to the endoplasmic reticulum and 38% to lipid particles in late logarithmic-phase cells. In contrast, sterol Delta24-methyltransferase (Erg6p), an enzyme catalyzing a late step in sterol biosynthesis, was found mainly in lipid particles cofractionating with triacylglycerols and steryl esters. The relative distribution of Erg1p between the endoplasmic reticulum and lipid particles changes during growth. Squalene epoxidase (Erg1p) was absent in an erg1 disruptant strain and was induced fivefold in lipid particles and in the endoplasmic reticulum when the ERG1 gene was overexpressed from a multicopy plasmid. The amount of squalene epoxidase in both compartments was also induced approximately fivefold by treatment of yeast cells with terbinafine, an inhibitor of the fungal squalene epoxidase. In contrast to the distribution of the protein, enzymatic activity of squalene epoxidase was only detectable in the endoplasmic reticulum but was absent from isolated lipid particles. When lipid particles of the wild-type strain and microsomes of an erg1 disruptant were mixed, squalene epoxidase activity was partially restored. These findings suggest that factor(s) present in the endoplasmic reticulum are required for squalene epoxidase activity. Close contact between lipid particles and endoplasmic reticulum may be necessary for a concerted action of these two compartments in sterol biosynthesis.

Reduction of ATPase activity accompanied by photodecomposition of ergosterol by near-UV irradiation in plasma membranes prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

When plasma membranes prepared from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were exposed to near-UV radiation, photodecomposition of ergosterol and reduction of ATPase-activity occurred simultaneously. The Vmax for ATPase activity decreased markedly with increasing near-UV dosage while the Km value remained constant. When ATPase solubilized from the plasma membrane was exposed to near-UV, the activity remained constant irrespective of dosage, indicating that the ATPase molecule itself was not damaged by near-UV irradiation. The relationship between content of ergosterol and ATPase activity was examined using liposomes constructed with lipids extracted from the membrane. Maximum activity of ATPase was seen at 5% ergosterol in liposomes; this activity was 2.5 times greater than that in liposomes without ergosterol. Activity of ATPase bound to liposomes with 5% ergosterol was reduced after near-UV irradiation, while the activity remained unchanged in the case of the liposomes without ergosterol. Fluidity of the liposomes with 5% ergosterol also decreased with increasing near-UV dosage. Dosage-response curves for reduction of ATPase activity and for decrease in fluidity were similar to that for photodecomposition of ergosterol. These results suggested that the reduction of ATPase activity in the membrane by near-UV irradiation was not caused by photochemical degradation of the primary structure of the ATPase molecule, but was attributable to conformational change resulting from an alteration in the higher-order structure of the membrane due to photochemical decomposition of ergosterol.

Near-UV-induced absorbance change and photochemical decomposition of ergosterol in the plasma membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

When cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were exposed to near-UV (300-400 nm), their absorption spectra changed slightly within the range 220-300 nm with increasing dosage. Difference spectra, calculated by substracting the curve recorded in cells exposed to near-UV from the curve of unexposed cells, decreased with increasing dosage over a broad band with peaks at 272, 282 and 295 nm and a shoulder at 265 nm. These peaks were in agreement with the absorption maxima of ergosterol, which is one of the major components of the plasma membrane of yeast. Near-UV radiation induced a simultaneous decrease in absorption spectra and reduction of ergosterol content in the plasma membrane. Photochemical decomposition of ergosterol by near-UV radiation was revealed in vivo, although ergosterol is generally known to be photoconverted to previtamin D2 industrially by UV radiation in vitro. In order to remove photosensitizers, liposomes were prepared from phospholipids and glycolipids, with or without ergosterol from purified yeast plasma membranes. Liposomal ergosterol in the orientated state was photochemically decomposed by near-UV radiation but ergosterol in the disorientated state in a homogeneous solution was not. Near-UV radiation also induced a decrease in activity of membrane-bound ATPase. Dose-response curves for the reduction of ATPase activity were similar to that for decomposition of ergosterol, suggesting that near-UV caused membrane function damage.

A conditional sterol esterification defect in yeast having either a sec1 or sec5 mutation in the secretory pathway

Two temperature-conditional secretory mutations, sec1 and sec5, cause the accumulation of post-Golgi vesicles when strains containing these mutations are grown at 37 degrees C. In addition to accumulating vesicles, the mutants do not esterify free sterol on rich media at the restrictive temperature. It is the high level of inositol in the media that causes this condition in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, not a defective steryl ester synthase or lack of substrates. When strains containing the sec1 or sec5 mutation were transformed separately with a plasmid carrying SEC1 and SEC5, the esterification and secretory defects were alleviated. Double mutants containing sec6, sec14 or sec18 with either a sec1 or sec5 mutation have normal esterification levels. Strains with suppressor mutations were isolated that grew at 37 degrees C, esterified sterols and had diminished accumulation of vesicles, when grown at the restrictive temperature on defined media with additional inositol. Electron microscopy was used to examine vesicle accumulation, the number of lipid droplets, and to further characterize the esterification defect. When grown at 37 degrees C on defined medium, the strains with sec5 or sec1 accumulated the usual secretory vesicles, but when grown under similar conditions with elevated levels of inositol, accumulated an additional vesicular-like body.

Oleosin of plant seed oil bodies is correctly targeted to the lipid bodies in transformed yeast

Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has been used extensively as a heterologous eukaryotic system to study the intracellular targeting of proteins to different organelles. The lipid bodies in yeast have not been previously subjected to such studies. These organelles are functionally equivalent to the subcellular storage oil bodies in plant seeds. A plant oil body has a matrix of oils (triacylglycerols) surrounded by a layer of phospholipids embedded with abundant structural proteins called oleosins. We tested whether plant oleosin could be correctly targeted to the lipid bodies in transformed yeast. The coding region of a maize (Zea mays L.) oleosin gene was incorporated into yeast high copy and low copy number plasmids in which its expression was under the control of GAL1 promoter. Yeast strains transformed with these plasmids produced oleosin when grown in a medium containing galactose but not glucose. The oleosin produced in yeast had a molecular mass slightly higher than that of the native protein in maize. Oleosin accumulated concomitantly with the storage lipids during growth of the transformed yeast, and it was not secreted. Subcellular fractionation of the cell extracts obtained by two different cell breakage procedures revealed that the oleosin was largely restricted to the lipid bodies. Oleosin apparently did not affect the lipid contents and composition of the transformed yeast lipid bodies but replaced some of the native proteins associated with the organelles. Immunocytochemistry of the transformed yeast cells showed that the oleosin was present mostly on the periphery of the lipid bodies. Oleosin isolated from maize or transformed yeast strain, alone or in the presence of phospholipids or SDS, did not bind to the yeast lipid bodies in vitro. We conclude that plant oleosin is correctly targeted to the lipid bodies in transformed yeast and that yeast may be used as a heterologous system to dissect the intracellular targeting signals in the oleosin.