Hypotonic stress-induced calcium signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves TRP-like transporters on the endoplasmic reticulum membrane

Calcineurin-dependent contributions to fitness in the opportunistic pathogen Candida glabrata

The protein phosphatase calcineurin is vital for the virulence of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida glabrata. The host-induced stresses that activate calcineurin signaling are unknown, as are the targets of calcineurin relevant to virulence. To potentially shed light on these processes, millions of transposon insertion mutants throughout the genome of C. glabrata were profiled en masse for fitness defects in the presence of FK506, a specific inhibitor of calcineurin. Eighty-seven specific gene deficiencies depended on calcineurin signaling for full viability in vitro both in wild-type and pdr1∆ null strains lacking pleiotropic drug resistance. Three genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis (FKS1, DCW1, FLC1) possess co-essential paralogs whose expression depended on calcineurin and Crz1 in response to micafungin, a clinical antifungal that interferes with cell wall biogenesis. Interestingly, 80% of the FK506-sensitive mutants were deficient in different aspects of vesicular trafficking, such as endocytosis, exocytosis, sorting, and biogenesis of secretory proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In response to the experimental antifungal manogepix that blocks GPI-anchor biosynthesis in the ER, calcineurin signaling increased and strongly prevented cell death independent of Crz1, one of its major targets. Comparisons between manogepix, micafungin, and the ER-stressing tunicamycin reveal a correlation between the degree of calcineurin signaling and the degree of cell survival. These findings suggest that calcineurin plays major roles in mitigating stresses of vesicular trafficking. Such stresses may arise during host infection and in response to antifungal therapies.IMPORTANCECalcineurin plays critical roles in the virulence of most pathogenic fungi. This study sheds light on those roles in the opportunistic pathogen Candida glabrata using a genome-wide analysis in vitro. The findings could lead to antifungal developments that also avoid immunosuppression.

Maltose accumulation-induced cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Pretreatment of lignocellulose yields a complex sugar mixture that potentially can be converted into bioethanol and other chemicals by engineered yeast. One approach to overcome competition between sugars for uptake and metabolism is the use of a consortium of specialist strains capable of efficient conversion of single sugars. Here, we show that maltose inhibits cell growth of a xylose-fermenting specialist strain IMX730.1 that is unable to utilize glucose because of the deletion of all hexokinase genes. The growth inhibition cannot be attributed to a competition between maltose and xylose for uptake. The inhibition is enhanced in a strain lacking maltase enzymes (dMalX2) and completely eliminated when all maltose transporters are deleted. High-level accumulation of maltose in the dMalX2 strain is accompanied by a hypotonic-like transcriptional response, while cells are rescued from maltose-induced cell death by the inclusion of an extracellular osmolyte such as sorbitol. These data suggest that maltose-induced cell death is due to high levels of maltose uptake causing hypotonic-like stress conditions and can be prevented through engineering of the maltose transporters. Transporter engineering should be included in the development of stable microbial consortia for the efficient conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks.

The versatility of the putative transient receptor potential ion channels in regulating the calcium signaling in Aspergillus nidulans

IMPORTANCE

Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels are evolutionarily conserved integral membrane proteins with non-selective ion permeability, and they are widely distributed in mammals and single-cell yeast and serve as crucial mediators of sensory signals. However, the relevant information concerning TRP channels in Aspergillus nidulans remains inadequately understood. In this study, by gene deletion, green fluorescent protein tagging, and cytosolic Ca2+ transient monitoring techniques, the biological functions of three potential TRP channels (TrpA, TrpB, and TrpC) have been explored for which they play distinct and multiple roles in hyphal growth, conidiation, responsiveness to external stress, and regulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. The findings of this study on the functions of potential TRP channels in A. nidulans may serve as a valuable reference for understanding the roles of TRP homologs in industrial or medical strains of Aspergillus, as well as in other filamentous fungi.

The Cryptococcus neoformans Flc1 Homologue Controls Calcium Homeostasis and Confers Fungal Pathogenicity in the Infected Hosts

Cryptococcus neoformans, an opportunistic yeast pathogen, relies on a complex network of stress response pathways that allow for proliferation in the host. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, stress responses are regulated by integral membrane proteins containing a transient receptor potential (TRP) domain, including the flavin carrier protein 1 (Flc1), which regulates calcium homeostasis and flavin transport. Here, we report that deletion of C. neoformans FLC1 results in cytosolic calcium elevation and increased nuclear content of calcineurin-dependent transcription factor Crz1, which is associated with an aberrant cell wall chitin overaccumulation observed in the flc1Δ mutant. Absence of Flc1 or inhibition of calcineurin with cyclosporine A prevents vacuolar fusion under conditions of combined osmotic and temperature stress, which is reversed in the flc1Δ mutant by the inhibition of TORC1 kinase with rapamycin. Flc1-deficient yeasts exhibit compromised vacuolar fusion under starvation conditions, including conditions that stimulate formation of carbohydrate capsule. Consequently, the flc1Δ mutant fails to proliferate under low nutrient conditions and displays a defect in capsule formation. Consistent with the previously uncharacterized role of Flc1 in vacuolar biogenesis, we find that Flc1 localizes to the vacuole. The flc1Δ mutant presents a survival defect in J774A.1 macrophage cell-line and profound virulence attenuation in both the Galleria mellonella and mouse pulmonary infection models, demonstrating that Flc1 is essential for pathogenicity. Thus, cryptococcal Flc1 functions in calcium homeostasis and links calcineurin and TOR signaling with vacuolar biogenesis to promote survival under conditions associated with vacuolar fusion required for this pathogen's fitness and virulence. IMPORTANCE Cryptococcosis is a highly lethal infection with limited drug choices, most of which are highly toxic or complicated by emerging antifungal resistance. There is a great need for new drug targets that are unique to the fungus. Here, we identify such a potential target, the Flc1 protein, which we show is crucial for C. neoformans stress response and virulence. Importantly, homologues of Flc1 exist in other fungal pathogens, such as Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus, and are poorly conserved in humans, which could translate into wider spectrum therapy associated with minimal toxicity. Thus, Flc1 could be an "Achille's heel" of C. neoformans to be leveraged therapeutically in cryptococcosis and possibly other fungal infections.

Updating Insights into the Regulatory Mechanisms of Calcineurin-Activated Transcription Factor Crz1 in Pathogenic Fungi

Ca2+, as a second messenger in cells, enables organisms to adapt to different environmental stresses by rapidly sensing and responding to external stimuli. In recent years, the Ca2+ mediated calcium signaling pathway has been studied systematically in various mammals and fungi, indicating that the pathway is conserved among organisms. The pathway consists mainly of complex Ca2+ channel proteins, calcium pumps, Ca2+ transporters and many related proteins. Crz1, a transcription factor downstream of the calcium signaling pathway, participates in regulating cell survival, ion homeostasis, infection structure development, cell wall integrity and virulence. This review briefly summarizes the Ca2+ mediated calcium signaling pathway and regulatory roles in plant pathogenic fungi. Based on discussing the structure and localization of transcription factor Crz1, we focus on the regulatory role of Crz1 on growth and development, stress response, pathogenicity of pathogenic fungi and its regulatory mechanisms. Furthermore, we explore the cross-talk between Crz1 and other signaling pathways. Combined with the important role and pathogenic mechanism of Crz1 in fungi, the new strategies in which Crz1 may be used as a target to explore disease control in practice are also discussed.

Modeling Calcium Signaling in S. cerevisiae Highlights the Role and Regulation of the Calmodulin-Calcineurin Pathway in Response to Hypotonic Shock

Calcium homeostasis and signaling processes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as well as in any eukaryotic organism, depend on various transporters and channels located on both the plasma and intracellular membranes. The activity of these proteins is regulated by a number of feedback mechanisms that act through the calmodulin-calcineurin pathway. When exposed to hypotonic shock (HTS), yeast cells respond with an increased cytosolic calcium transient, which seems to be conditioned by the opening of stretch-activated channels. To better understand the role of each channel and transporter involved in the generation and recovery of the calcium transient—and of their feedback regulations—we defined and analyzed a mathematical model of the calcium signaling response to HTS in yeast cells. The model was validated by comparing the simulation outcomes with calcium concentration variations before and during the HTS response, which were observed experimentally in both wild-type and mutant strains. Our results show that calcium normally enters the cell through the High Affinity Calcium influx System and mechanosensitive channels. The increase of the plasma membrane tension, caused by HTS, boosts the opening probability of mechanosensitive channels. This event causes a sudden calcium pulse that is rapidly dissipated by the activity of the vacuolar transporter Pmc1. According to model simulations, the role of another vacuolar transporter, Vcx1, is instead marginal, unless calcineurin is inhibited or removed. Our results also suggest that the mechanosensitive channels are subject to a calcium-dependent feedback inhibition, possibly involving calmodulin. Noteworthy, the model predictions are in accordance with literature results concerning some aspects of calcium homeostasis and signaling that were not specifically addressed within the model itself, suggesting that it actually depicts all the main cellular components and interactions that constitute the HTS calcium pathway, and thus can correctly reproduce the shaping of the calcium signature by calmodulin- and calcineurin-dependent complex regulations. The model predictions also allowed to provide an interpretation of different regulatory schemes involved in calcium handling in both wild-type and mutants yeast strains. The model could be easily extended to represent different calcium signals in other eukaryotic cells.

A Transient Receptor Potential-like Calcium Ion Channel in the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus nidulans

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) proteins constitute a superfamily that encodes transmembrane ion channels with highly diverse permeation and gating properties. Filamentous fungi possess putative TRP channel-encoded genes, but their functions remain elusive. Here, we report that a putative TRP-like calcium channel, trpR, in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, performs important roles in conidiation and in adapting to cell wall disruption reagents in a high temperature-induced defect-dependent manner, especially under a calcium-limited culture condition. The genetic and functional relationship between TrpR and the previously identified high-affinity calcium channels CchA/MidA indicates that TrpR has an opposite response to CchA/MidA when reacting to cell wall disruption reagents and in regulating calcium transients. However, a considerable addition of calcium can rescue all the defects that occur in TrpR and CchA/MidA, meaning that calcium is able to bypass the necessary requirement. Nevertheless, the colocalization at the membrane of the Golgi for TrpR and the P-type Golgi Ca²⁺ ATPase PmrA suggests two channels that may work as ion transporters, transferring Ca²⁺ from the cytosol into the Golgi apparatus and maintaining cellular calcium homeostasis. Therefore, combined with data for the trpR deletion mutant revealing abnormal cell wall structures, TrpR works as a Golgi membrane calcium ion channel that involves cell wall integration.

K+-specific importers Trk1 and Trk2 play different roles in Ca2+ homeostasis and signalling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells

The maintenance of K+ and Ca2+ homeostasis is crucial for many cellular functions. Potassium is accumulated in cells at high concentrations, while the cytosolic level of calcium, to ensure its signalling function, is kept at low levels and transiently increases in response to stresses. We examined Ca2+ homeostasis and Ca2+ signalling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains lacking plasma-membrane K+ influx (Trk1 and Trk2) or efflux (Tok1, Nha1 and Ena1-5) systems. The lack of K+ exporters slightly increased the cytosolic Ca2+, but did not alter the Ca2+ tolerance or Ca2+-stress response. In contrast, the K+-importers Trk1 and Trk2 play important and distinct roles in the maintenance of Ca2+ homeostasis. The presence of Trk1 was vital mainly for the growth of cells in the presence of high extracellular Ca2+, whilst the lack of Trk2 doubled steady-state intracellular Ca2+ levels. The absence of both K+ importers highly increased the Ca2+ response to osmotic or CaCl2 stresses and altered the balance between Ca2+ flux from external media and intracellular compartments. In addition, we found Trk2 to be important for the tolerance to high KCl and hygromycin B in cells growing on minimal media. All the data describe new interconnections between potassium and calcium homeostasis in S. cerevisiae.

Role of the fungus-specific flavin carrier Flc1 in antifungal resistance in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

FLC family, a conserved fungus-specific family of integral membrane proteins, has been demonstrated to play important roles in flavin transport, growth, and virulence in several fungi but not yet in Cryptococcus neoformans. In this study, we have identified the single homologue of flavin adenine dinucleotide transporter in the opportunistic pathogen C. neoformans. The computational and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the fungal specificity of cryptococcal Flc1 protein, thus providing a promising drug target for clinical treatment of cryptococcosis. Disruption of FLC1 conferred sensitivity to 1% Congo red and 0.02% SDS, as well as leading to impaired chitin distribution in cell wall as observed with Calcofluor White staining, which collectively indicated the roles of FLC1 in maintenance of cell wall integrity. Further investigations revealed the defects of flc1Δ mutant in resistance to poor nutrition and elevated temperatures, and the ability to undergo invasive growth under nutrient-depleted conditions was reduced as well in flc1Δ mutant, suggesting the roles of Flc1 in response to environmental stresses. More importantly, our results showed that flc1Δ mutant exhibited severe susceptibility to antifungal aminoglycosides (hygromycin B and geneticin) and amphotericin B, but developed multidrug resistance to flucytosine and rapamycin, which provided great hints for therapeutic failure of cryptococcosis in clinic with the standard combination therapy. Finally, typical virulence factors including melanin biosynthesis and capsule formation in flc1Δ mutant were reduced as well, indicating the possible involvement of Flc1 in virulence.

Fission yeast TRP channel Pkd2p localizes to the cleavage furrow and regulates cell separation during cytokinesis

Force plays a central role in separating daughter cells during cytokinesis, the last stage of cell division. However, the mechanism of force sensing during cytokinesis remains unknown. Here we discovered that Pkd2p, a putative force-sensing transient receptor potential channel, localizes to the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis of the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Pkd2p, whose human homologues are associated with autosomal polycystic kidney disease, is an essential protein whose localization depends on the contractile ring and the secretory pathway. We identified and characterized a novel pkd2 mutant pkd2-81KD. The pkd2 mutant cells show signs of osmotic stress, including temporary shrinking, paused turnover of the cytoskeletal structures, and hyperactivated mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. During cytokinesis, although the contractile ring constricts more rapidly in the pkd2 mutant than the wild-type cells (50% higher), the cell separation in the mutant is slower and often incomplete. These cytokinesis defects are also consistent with misregulated turgor pressure. Finally, the pkd2 mutant exhibits strong genetic interactions with two mutants of the septation initiation network pathway, a signaling cascade essential for cytokinesis. We propose that Pkd2p modulates osmotic homeostasis and is potentially a novel regulator of cytokinesis.

Calcium signaling pathway is involved in non-CYP51 azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, which is one of the primary airborne ascomycete pathogens and allergens worldwide, causes invasive fungal infections, which have high morbidity and mortality rates among immunosuppressed patients. The abuse of azole antifungals results in serious drug resistance in clinical therapy. Thus, a thorough understanding of the azole drug resistance mechanism and screening of antifungal agents with a novel mode of action and new drug targets are required to fight against drug resistance. Current studies suggest that there are three major azole resistance mechanisms in fungal pathogens, including changes of the drug target Cyp51, activation of drug efflux pumps and induction of cellular stress responses. Fungi must adapt to a variety of external environmental stressors to survive. These obstacles include stress to the plasma membrane after azole antifungal treatments, high temperature, pH variation, and oxidative stress. As a filamentous fungus, A. fumigatus has evolved numerous signal-transduction systems to sense and respond to azole stresses to survive and proliferate in harsh environmental conditions. Among these signal-transduction systems, the Ca2+ signaling pathway is one of the most important response systems, which has been verified to be involved in stress adaptation. In this review, we have summarized how the components of the calcium-signaling pathway and their interaction network are involved in azole stress response in A. fumigatus.

Manganese Suppresses the Haploinsufficiency of Heterozygous trpy1Δ/TRPY1 Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells and Stimulates the TRPY1-Dependent Release of Vacuolar Ca2+ under H₂O₂ Stress

Transient potential receptor (TRP) channels are conserved cation channels found in most eukaryotes, known to sense a variety of chemical, thermal or mechanical stimuli. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae TRPY1 is a TRP channel with vacuolar localization involved in the cellular response to hyperosmotic shock and oxidative stress. In this study, we found that S. cerevisiae diploid cells with heterozygous deletion in TRPY1 gene are haploinsufficient when grown in synthetic media deficient in essential metal ions and that this growth defect is alleviated by non-toxic Mn²⁺ surplus. Using cells expressing the Ca²⁺-sensitive photoprotein aequorin we found that Mn²⁺ augmented the Ca²⁺ flux into the cytosol under oxidative stress, but not under hyperosmotic shock, a trait that was absent in the diploid cells with homozygous deletion of TRPY1 gene. TRPY1 activation under oxidative stress was diminished in cells devoid of Smf1 (the Mn²⁺-high-affinity plasma membrane transporter) but it was clearly augmented in cells lacking Pmr1 (the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi located ATPase responsible for Mn²⁺ detoxification via excretory pathway). Taken together, these observations lead to the conclusion that increased levels of intracytosolic Mn²⁺ activate TRPY1 in the response to oxidative stress.

Identification of Inhibitory Ca2+ Binding Sites in the Upper Vestibule of the Yeast Vacuolar TRP Channel

By vacuolar patch-clamp and Ca²⁺ imaging experiments, we show that the yeast vacuolar transient receptor potential (TRPY) channel 1 is activated by cytosolic Ca²⁺ and inhibited by Ca²⁺ from the vacuolar lumen. The channel is cooperatively affected by vacuolar Ca²⁺ (Hill coefficient, 1.5), suggesting that it may accommodate a Ca²⁺ receptor that can bind two calcium ions. Alanine scanning of six negatively charged amino acid residues in the transmembrane S5 and S6 linker, facing the vacuolar lumen, revealed that two aspartate residues, 401 and 405, are essential for current inhibition and direct binding of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺. Expressed in HEK-293 cells, a significant fraction of TRPY1, present in the plasma membrane, retained its Ca²⁺ sensitivity. Based on these data and on homology with TRPV channels, we conclude that D401 and D405 are key residues within the vacuolar vestibule of the TRPY1 pore that decrease cation access or permeation after Ca²⁺ binding.

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The yeast vacuolar TRPY1 channel is inhibited by vacuolar Ca²⁺

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Aspartate residues D401A and D405A are essential for Ca²⁺-mediated inhibition

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Aspartate residues D401 and D405 are essential for direct Ca²⁺ binding

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Ca²⁺ binding to D401 and D405 within vacuolar pore vestibule mediates inhibition

The PHR Family: The Role of Extracellular Transglycosylases in Shaping Candida albicans Cells

Candida albicans is an opportunistic microorganism that can become a pathogen causing mild superficial mycosis or more severe invasive infections that can be life-threatening for debilitated patients. In the etiology of invasive infections, key factors are the adaptability of C. albicans to the different niches of the human body and the transition from a yeast form to hypha. Hyphal morphology confers high adhesiveness to the host cells, as well as the ability to penetrate into organs. The cell wall plays a crucial role in the morphological changes C. albicans undergoes in response to specific environmental cues. Among the different categories of enzymes involved in the formation of the fungal cell wall, the GH72 family of transglycosylases plays an important assembly role. These enzymes cut and religate β-(1,3)-glucan, the major determinant of cell shape. In C. albicans, the PHR family encodes GH72 enzymes, some of which work in specific environmental conditions. In this review, we will summarize the work from the initial discovery of PHR genes to the study of the pH-dependent expression of PHR1 and PHR2, from the characterization of the gene products to the recent findings concerning the stress response generated by the lack of GH72 activity in C. albicans hyphae.

Two mutations in mitochondrial ATP6 gene of ATP synthase, related to human cancer, affect ROS, calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial permeability transition in yeast

The relevance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in cancer process is still unknown. Since the mutagenesis of mitochondrial genome in mammals is not possible yet, we have exploited budding yeast S. cerevisiae as a model to study the effects of tumor-associated mutations in the mitochondrial MTATP6 gene, encoding subunit 6 of ATP synthase, on the energy metabolism. We previously reported that four mutations in this gene have a limited impact on the production of cellular energy. Here we show that two mutations, Atp6-P163S and Atp6-K90E (human MTATP6-P136S and MTATP6-K64E, found in prostate and thyroid cancer samples, respectively), increase sensitivity of yeast cells both to compounds inducing oxidative stress and to high concentrations of calcium ions in the medium, when Om45p, the component of porin complex in outer mitochondrial membrane (OM), was fused to GFP. In OM45-GFP background, these mutations affect the activation of yeast permeability transition pore (yPTP, also called YMUC, yeast mitochondrial unspecific channel) upon calcium induction. Moreover, we show that calcium addition to isolated mitochondria heavily induced the formation of ATP synthase dimers and oligomers, recently proposed to form the core of PTP, which was slower in the mutants. We show the genetic evidence for involvement of mitochondrial ATP synthase in calcium homeostasis and permeability transition in yeast. This paper is a first to show, although in yeast model organism, that mitochondrial ATP synthase mutations, which accumulate during carcinogenesis process, may be significant for cancer cell escape from apoptosis.

Hypotonic stress promotes ATP release, reactive oxygen species production and cell proliferation via TRPV4 activation in rheumatoid arthritis rat synovial fibroblasts

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune-disease with complex and unclear etiology. Hypotonicity of synovial fluid is a typical characteristic of RA, which may play pivotal roles in RA pathogenesis. In this work, we studied the responses of RA synovial fibroblasts to hypotonic stress in vitro and further explored the underlying mechanisms. Data showed that hyposmotic solutions significantly triggered increases in cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_c) of synoviocytes. Subsequently, it caused rapid release of ATP, as well as remarkable production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, hypotonic stimulus promoted the proliferation of synovial fibroblasts. These effects were almost abolished by calcium-free buffer and significantly inhibited by gadolinium (III) chloride (a mechanosensitive Ca²⁺ channel blocker) and ruthenium red (a transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) blocker). 4α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, a specific agonist of TRPV4, also mimicked hypotonic shock-induced responses shown above. In contrast, voltage-gated channel inhibitors verapamil and nifedipine had little influences on these responses. Furthermore, RT-PCR and western blotting evidently detected TRPV4 expression at mRNA and protein level in isolated synoviocytes. Taken together, our results indicated that hypotonic stimulus resulted in ATP release, ROS production, and cell proliferation depending on Ca²⁺ entry through activation of TRPV4 channel in synoviocytes.

Of yeast, mice and men: MAMs come in two flavors

The past decade has seen dramatic progress in our understanding of membrane contact sites (MCS). Important examples of these are endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria contact sites. ER-mitochondria contacts have originally been discovered in mammalian tissue, where they have been designated as mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs). It is also in this model system, where the first critical MAM proteins have been identified, including MAM tethering regulators such as phospho-furin acidic cluster sorting protein 2 (PACS-2) and mitofusin-2. However, the past decade has seen the discovery of the MAM also in the powerful yeast model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This has led to the discovery of novel MAM tethers such as the yeast ER-mitochondria encounter structure (ERMES), absent in the mammalian system, but whose regulators Gem1 and Lam6 are conserved. While MAMs, sometimes referred to as mitochondria-ER contacts (MERCs), regulate lipid metabolism, Ca²⁺ signaling, bioenergetics, inflammation, autophagy and apoptosis, not all of these functions exist in both systems or operate differently. This biological difference has led to puzzling discrepancies on findings obtained in yeast or mammalian cells at the moment. Our review aims to shed some light onto mechanistic differences between yeast and mammalian MAM and their underlying causes.

Reviewers: This article was reviewed by Paola Pizzo (nominated by Luca Pellegrini), Maya Schuldiner and György Szabadkai (nominated by Luca Pellegrini).

Calcium signaling and copper toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells

To respond to metal surpluses, cells have developed intricate ways of defense against the excessive metallic ions. To understand the ways in which cells sense the presence of toxic concentration in the environment, the role of Ca²⁺ in mediating the cell response to high Cu²⁺ was investigated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. It was found that the cell exposure to high Cu²⁺ was accompanied by elevations in cytosolic Ca²⁺ with patterns that were influenced not only by Cu²⁺ concentration but also by the oxidative state of the cell. When Ca²⁺ channel deletion mutants were used, it was revealed that the main contributor to the cytosolic Ca²⁺ pool under Cu²⁺ stress was the vacuolar Ca²⁺ channel, Yvc1, also activated by the Cch1-mediated Ca²⁺ influx. Using yeast mutants defective in the Cu²⁺ transport across the plasma membrane, it was found that the Cu²⁺-dependent Ca²⁺ elevation could correlate not only with the accumulated metal, but also with the overall oxidative status. Moreover, it was revealed that Cu²⁺ and H₂O₂ acted in synergy to induce Ca²⁺-mediated responses to external stress.

The putative flavin carrier family FlcA-C is important for Aspergillus fumigatus virulence

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen and the most important species causing pulmonary fungal infections. The signaling by calcium is very important for A. fumigatus pathogenicity and it is regulated by the transcription factor CrzA. We have previously used used ChIP-seq (Chromatin Immunoprecipitation DNA sequencing) aiming to identify gene targets regulated by CrzA. We have identified among several genes regulated by calcium stress, the putative flavin transporter, flcA. This transporter belongs to a small protein family composed of FlcA, B, and C. The ΔflcA null mutant showed several phenotypes, such as morphological defects, increased sensitivity to calcium chelating-agent ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA), cell wall or oxidative damaging agents and metals, repre-sentative of deficiencies in calcium signaling and iron homeostasis. Increasing calcium concentrations improved significantly the ΔflcA growth and conidiation, indicating that ΔflcA mutant has calcium insufficiency. Finally, ΔflcA-C mutants showed reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and were avirulent in a low dose murine infection model.

Chemogenetic E-MAP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Identification of Membrane Transporters Operating Lipid Flip Flop

While most yeast enzymes for the biosynthesis of glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids and ergosterol are known, genes for several postulated transporters allowing the flopping of biosynthetic intermediates and newly made lipids from the cytosolic to the lumenal side of the membrane are still not identified. An E-MAP measuring the growth of 142'108 double mutants generated by systematically crossing 543 hypomorphic or deletion alleles in genes encoding multispan membrane proteins, both on media with or without an inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis, was generated. Flc proteins, represented by 4 homologous genes encoding presumed FAD or calcium transporters of the ER, have a severe depression of sphingolipid biosynthesis and elevated detergent sensitivity of the ER. FLC1, FLC2 and FLC3 are redundant in granting a common function, which remains essential even when the severe cell wall defect of flc mutants is compensated by osmotic support. Biochemical characterization of some other genetic interactions shows that Cst26 is the enzyme mainly responsible for the introduction of saturated very long chain fatty acids into phosphatidylinositol and that the GPI lipid remodelase Cwh43, responsible for introducing ceramides into GPI anchors having a C26:0 fatty acid in sn-2 of the glycerol moiety can also use lyso-GPI protein anchors and various base resistant lipids as substrates. Furthermore, we observe that adjacent deletions in several chromosomal regions show strong negative genetic interactions with a single gene on another chromosome suggesting the presence of undeclared suppressor mutations in certain chromosomal regions that need to be identified in order to yield meaningful E-map data.

All living cells define their boundaries by lipid-containing membranes, which are impermeable to ions and water-soluble metabolic intermediates, and thus allow maintaining constant conditions inside the cells and stopping metabolic intermediates from diffusing away. Membranes are formed by amphiphilic lipids that have a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic component. Such lipids form flat double-layered sheets (bilayers) wherein the hydrophilic components of the constituent lipids are directed towards the aqueous surroundings, the hydrophobic ones populate the center of the bilayer. Membranes grow when enzymes resident in the bilayer synthesize new amphiphilic lipids. These enzymes have their active site on one side of the membrane and insert the newly made lipids in only one of the two layers. To ensure symmetric growth of membranes, cells need flippases catalyzing the transfer of lipids from one into the other layer. To identify unknown flippases we performed a chemogenetic interaction screen able to bring to light functions of unknown proteins through their genetic interaction with genes of known function. The data point to Flc proteins as potential lipid flippases of the endoplasmic reticulum, reveal novel lipid modifying activities of Cst26 and Cwh43 and suggest that undeclared suppressor mutations in certain chromosomal regions can generate false genetic interactions.

Genomic and functional analyses unveil the response to hyphal wall stress in Candida albicans cells lacking β(1,3)-glucan remodeling

Background

The cell wall is essential for the yeast to hypha (Y-H) transition that enables Candida albicans to invade human tissues and evade the immune system. The main constituent, β(1,3)-glucan, is remodeled by glucanosyltransferases of the GH72 family. Phr1p is responsible of glucan remodeling at neutral-alkaline pH and is essential for morphogenesis and virulence. Due to the pH-regulated expression of PHR1, the phr1Δ phenotype is manifested at pH > 6 and its severity increases with the rise in pH. We exploited the pH-conditional nature of a PHR1 null mutant to analyze the impact of glucan remodeling on the hyphal transcriptional program and the role of chitin synthases in the hyphal wall stress (HWS) response.

Results

In hyphal growth inducing conditions, phr1Δ germ tubes are defective in elongation, accumulate chitin, and constitutively activate the signaling pathways mediated by the MAP kinases Mkc1p, Cek1p and Hog1p. The transcriptional profiles revealed an increase of transcript levels for genes involved in cell wall formation (CHS2 and CHS8, CRH11, PGA23, orf19.750, RBR1, RBT4, ECM331, PGA6, PGA13), protein N-glycosylation and sorting in the ER (CWH8 and CHS7), signaling (CPP1, SSK2), ion transport (FLC2, YVC1), stress response and metabolism and a reduced expression of adhesins. A transient up-regulation of DNA replication genes associated with entry into S-phase occurred whereas cell-cycle regulating genes (PCL1, PCL2, CCN1, GIN4, DUN1, CDC28) were persistently up-regulated. To test the physiological relevance of altered CHS gene expression, phr1Δ chsxΔ (x = 2,3,8) mutant phenotypes were analyzed during the Y-H transition. PHR1 deletion was synthetic lethal with CHS3 loss on solid M199 medium-pH 7.5 and with CHS8 deletion on solid M199-pH 8. On Spider medium, PHR1 was synthetic lethal with CHS3 or CHS8 at pH 8.

Conclusions

The absence of Phr1p triggers an adaptive response aimed to reinforce the hyphal cell wall and restore homeostasis. Chs3p is essential in preserving phr1Δ cell integrity during the Y-H transition. Our findings also unveiled an unanticipated essential role of Chs8p during filamentation on solid media. These results highlight the flexibility of fungal cells in maintaining cell wall integrity and contribute to assessments of glucan remodeling as a target for therapy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2853-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Genetic interactions between the Golgi Ca2+/H+ exchanger Gdt1 and the plasma membrane calcium channel Cch1/Mid1 in the regulation of calcium homeostasis, stress response and virulence in Candida albicans

The Golgi-localized Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScGdt1 is a member of the cation/Ca(2+) exchanger superfamily. We show here that Candida albicans CaGdt1 is the functional homolog of ScGdt1 in calcium sensitivity, and shows genetic interactions with CaCch1 or CaMid1 in response to ER stresses. In addition, similar to ScCCH1 and ScMID1, deletion of either CaCCH1 or CaMID1 leads to a growth sensitivity of cells to cold stress, which can be suppressed by deletion of CaGDT1. Furthermore, deletion of CaCCH1 leads to a severe delay in filamentation of C. albicans cells, and this defect is abolished by deletion of CaGDT1. In contrast, CaGDT1 does not show genetic interaction with CaMID1 in filamentation. Interestingly, C. albicans cells lacking both CaMID1 and CaGDT1 exhibit an intermediate virulence between C. albicans cells lacking CaCCH1 (non-virulent) and C. albicans cells lacking CaGDT1 (partially virulent), while C. albicans cells lacking both CaCCH1 and CaGDT1 are not virulent in a mouse model of systemic candidiasis. Therefore, CaGdt1 genetically interacts with the plasma membrane calcium channel, CaCch1/CaMid1, in the response of C. albicans cells to cold and ER stresses and antifungal drug challenge as well as in filamentation and virulence.