1
|
Sadoine M, De Michele R, Župunski M, Grossmann G, Castro-Rodríguez V. Monitoring nutrients in plants with genetically encoded sensors: achievements and perspectives. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 193:195-216. [PMID: 37307576 PMCID: PMC10469547 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of nutrient allocation in organisms requires precise knowledge of the spatiotemporal dynamics of small molecules in vivo. Genetically encoded sensors are powerful tools for studying nutrient distribution and dynamics, as they enable minimally invasive monitoring of nutrient steady-state levels in situ. Numerous types of genetically encoded sensors for nutrients have been designed and applied in mammalian cells and fungi. However, to date, their application for visualizing changing nutrient levels in planta remains limited. Systematic sensor-based approaches could provide the quantitative, kinetic information on tissue-specific, cellular, and subcellular distributions and dynamics of nutrients in situ that is needed for the development of theoretical nutrient flux models that form the basis for future crop engineering. Here, we review various approaches that can be used to measure nutrients in planta with an overview over conventional techniques, as well as genetically encoded sensors currently available for nutrient monitoring, and discuss their strengths and limitations. We provide a list of currently available sensors and summarize approaches for their application at the level of cellular compartments and organelles. When used in combination with bioassays on intact organisms and precise, yet destructive analytical methods, the spatiotemporal resolution of sensors offers the prospect of a holistic understanding of nutrient flux in plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayuri Sadoine
- Institute of Cell and Interaction Biology, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Roberto De Michele
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Palermo 90129, Italy
| | - Milan Župunski
- Institute of Cell and Interaction Biology, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Guido Grossmann
- Institute of Cell and Interaction Biology, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Vanessa Castro-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga 29071, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sadoine M, Ishikawa Y, Kleist TJ, Wudick MM, Nakamura M, Grossmann G, Frommer WB, Ho CH. Designs, applications, and limitations of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors to explore plant biology. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:485-503. [PMID: 35237822 PMCID: PMC8491070 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of signaling and metabolic processes in multicellular organisms requires knowledge of the spatial dynamics of small molecules and the activities of enzymes, transporters, and other proteins in vivo, as well as biophysical parameters inside cells and across tissues. The cellular distribution of receptors, ligands, and activation state must be integrated with information about the cellular distribution of metabolites in relation to metabolic fluxes and signaling dynamics in order to achieve the promise of in vivo biochemistry. Genetically encoded sensors are engineered fluorescent proteins that have been developed for a wide range of small molecules, such as ions and metabolites, or to report biophysical processes, such as transmembrane voltage or tension. First steps have been taken to monitor the activity of transporters in vivo. Advancements in imaging technologies and specimen handling and stimulation have enabled researchers in plant sciences to implement sensor technologies in intact plants. Here, we provide a brief history of the development of genetically encoded sensors and an overview of the types of sensors available for quantifying and visualizing ion and metabolite distribution and dynamics. We further discuss the pros and cons of specific sensor designs, imaging systems, and sample manipulations, provide advice on the choice of technology, and give an outlook into future developments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayuri Sadoine
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Yuuma Ishikawa
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Thomas J. Kleist
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Michael M. Wudick
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Masayoshi Nakamura
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Guido Grossmann
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute for Cell and Interaction Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Wolf B. Frommer
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Cheng-Hsun Ho
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Author for communication:
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Botman D, O’Toole TG, Goedhart J, Bruggeman FJ, van Heerden JH, Teusink B. A yeast FRET biosensor enlightens cAMP signaling. Mol Biol Cell 2021; 32:1229-1240. [PMID: 33881352 PMCID: PMC8351543 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-05-0319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cAMP-PKA signaling cascade in budding yeast regulates adaptation to changing environments. We developed yEPAC, a FRET-based biosensor for cAMP measurements in yeast. We used this sensor with flow cytometry for high-throughput single cell-level quantification during dynamic changes in response to sudden nutrient transitions. We found that the characteristic cAMP peak differentiates between different carbon source transitions and is rather homogenous among single cells, especially for transitions to glucose. The peaks are mediated by a combination of extracellular sensing and intracellular metabolism. Moreover, the cAMP peak follows the Weber-Fechner law; its height scales with the relative, and not the absolute, change in glucose. Last, our results suggest that the cAMP peak height conveys information about prospective growth rates. In conclusion, our yEPAC-sensor makes possible new avenues for understanding yeast physiology, signaling, and metabolic adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Botman
- Systems Biology Lab/AIMMS, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom G. O’Toole
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Vrije University Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim Goedhart
- Section of Molecular Cytology, van Leeuwenhoek Centre for Advanced Microscopy, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank J. Bruggeman
- Systems Biology Lab/AIMMS, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johan H. van Heerden
- Systems Biology Lab/AIMMS, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Teusink
- Systems Biology Lab/AIMMS, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of transmembrane receptors in fungi. These receptors have an important role in the transduction of extracellular signals into intracellular sites in response to diverse stimuli. They enable fungi to coordinate cell function and metabolism, thereby promoting their survival and propagation, and sense certain fundamentally conserved elements, such as nutrients, pheromones, and stress, for adaptation to their niches, environmental stresses, and host environment, causing disease and pathogen virulence. This chapter highlights the role of GPCRs in fungi in coordinating cell function and metabolism. Fungal cells sense the molecular interactions between extracellular signals. Their respective sensory systems are described here in detail.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abd El-Latif Hesham
- Department of Genetics Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | | | | | | | - Vijai Kumar Gupta
- AgroBioSciences and Chemical & Biochemical Sciences Department, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cardarelli S, Giorgi M, Poiana G, Biagioni S, Saliola M. Metabolic role of cGMP in S. cerevisiae: the murine phosphodiesterase-5 activity affects yeast cell proliferation by altering the cAMP/cGMP equilibrium. FEMS Yeast Res 2019; 19:5322165. [PMID: 30772891 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In higher eukaryotes, cAMP and cGMP are signal molecules of major transduction pathways while phosphodiesterases (PDE) are a superfamily of cAMP/cGMP hydrolysing enzymes, modulatory components of these routes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbours two genes for PDE: Pde2 is a high affinity cAMP-hydrolysing enzyme, while Pde1 can hydrolyse both cAMP and cGMP. To gain insight into the metabolic role of cGMP in the physiology of yeast, the murine Pde5a1 gene encoding a specific cGMP-hydrolysing enzyme, was expressed in S. cerevisiae pdeΔ strains. pde1Δ and pde2Δ PDE5A1-transformed strain displayed opposite growth-curve profiles; while PDE5A1 recovered the growth delay of pde1Δ, PDE5A1 reversed the growth profile of pde2Δ to that of the untransformed pde1Δ. Growth test analysis and the use of Adh2 and Adh1 as respiro-fermentative glycolytic flux markers confirmed that PDE5A1 altered the metabolism by acting on Pde1-Pde2/cyclic nucleotides content and also on the TORC1 nutrient-sensing cascade. cGMP is required during the log-phase of cell proliferation to adjust/modulate cAMP levels inside well-defined ranges. A model is presented proposing the role of cGMP in the cAMP/PKA pathway. The expression of the PDE5A1 cassette in other mutant strains might constitute the starting tool to define cGMP metabolic role in yeast nutrient signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Cardarelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, Rome 5, 00185, Italy
| | - Mauro Giorgi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, Rome 5, 00185, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Poiana
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, Rome 5, 00185, Italy
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, Rome 5, 00185, Italy
| | - Michele Saliola
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, Rome 5, 00185, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Skruzny M, Pohl E, Abella M. FRET Microscopy in Yeast. BIOSENSORS 2019; 9:E122. [PMID: 31614546 PMCID: PMC6956097 DOI: 10.3390/bios9040122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy is a powerful fluorescence microscopy method to study the nanoscale organization of multiprotein assemblies in vivo. Moreover, many biochemical and biophysical processes can be followed by employing sophisticated FRET biosensors directly in living cells. Here, we summarize existing FRET experiments and biosensors applied in yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, two important models of fundamental biomedical research and efficient platforms for analyses of bioactive molecules. We aim to provide a practical guide on suitable FRET techniques, fluorescent proteins, and experimental setups available for successful FRET experiments in yeasts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Skruzny
- Department of Systems and Synthetic Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Emma Pohl
- Department of Systems and Synthetic Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Marc Abella
- Department of Systems and Synthetic Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ribeiro GF, de Góes CG, Onorio DS, de Campos CBL, Morais FV. Autophagy in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis under normal mycelia to yeast transition and under selective nutrient deprivation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202529. [PMID: 30138387 PMCID: PMC6107164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Paracoccidioides spp. is a thermally dimorphic fungus endemic to Latin America and the etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a granulomatous disease acquired through fungal propagule inhalation by its mammalian host. The infection is established after successful mycelia to yeast transition in the host pulmonary alveoli. The challenging environment inside the host exposes the fungus to the need of adaptation in order to circumvent nutritional, thermal, oxidative, immunological and other stresses that can directly affect their survival. Considering that autophagy is a response to abrupt environmental changes and is induced by stress conditions, this study hypothesizes that this process might be crucially involved in the adaptation of Paracoccidioides spp. to the host and, therefore, it is essential for the proper establishment of the disease. By labelling autophagous vesicles with monodansylcadaverine, autophagy was observed as an early event in cells during the normal mycelium to yeast transition, as well as in yeast cells of P. brasiliensis under glucose deprivation, and under either rapamycin or 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Findings in this study demonstrated that autophagy is triggered in P. brasiliensis during the thermal-induced mycelium to yeast transition and by glucose-limited conditions in yeasts, both of which modulated by rapamycin or 3-MA. Certainly, further genetic and in vivo analyses are needed in order to finally address the contribution of autophagy for adaptation. Yet, our data propose that autophagy possibly plays an important role in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis virulence and pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giselle Ferreira Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Fungos, Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Caroline Gonçalves de Góes
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Fungos, Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Diego Santos Onorio
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Fungos, Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Barbosa Ladeira de Campos
- Laboratório de Bioquímica, Biologia Celular e Molecular de Fungos, Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia–Universidade Federal de São Paulo–UNIFESP, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Flavia Villaça Morais
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Fungos, Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sugar and Glycerol Transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 892:125-168. [PMID: 26721273 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-25304-6_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the process of transport of sugar substrates into the cell comprises a complex network of transporters and interacting regulatory mechanisms. Members of the large family of hexose (HXT) transporters display uptake efficiencies consistent with their environmental expression and play physiological roles in addition to feeding the glycolytic pathway. Multiple glucose-inducing and glucose-independent mechanisms serve to regulate expression of the sugar transporters in yeast assuring that expression levels and transporter activity are coordinated with cellular metabolism and energy needs. The expression of sugar transport activity is modulated by other nutritional and environmental factors that may override glucose-generated signals. Transporter expression and activity is regulated transcriptionally, post-transcriptionally and post-translationally. Recent studies have expanded upon this suite of regulatory mechanisms to include transcriptional expression fine tuning mediated by antisense RNA and prion-based regulation of transcription. Much remains to be learned about cell biology from the continued analysis of this dynamic process of substrate acquisition.
Collapse
|
9
|
Nogueira KMV, Costa MDN, de Paula RG, Mendonça-Natividade FC, Ricci-Azevedo R, Silva RN. Evidence of cAMP involvement in cellobiohydrolase expression and secretion by Trichoderma reesei in presence of the inducer sophorose. BMC Microbiol 2015; 15:195. [PMID: 26424592 PMCID: PMC4590280 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0536-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The signaling second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) regulates many aspects of cellular function in all organisms. Previous studies have suggested a role for cAMP in the regulation of gene expression of cellulolytic enzymes in Trichoderma reesei (anamorph of Hypocrea jecorina). Methods The effects of cAMP in T. reesei were analyzed through both activity and expression of cellulase, intracellular cAMP level measurement, western blotting, indirect immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Results To elucidate the involvement of cAMP in the cellulase expression, we analyzed the growth of the mutant strain ∆acy1 and its parental strain QM9414 in the presence of the inducers cellulose, cellobiose, lactose, or sophorose, and the repressor glucose. Our results indicated that cAMP regulates the expression of cellulase in a carbon source-dependent manner. The expression cel7a, and cel6a genes was higher in the presence of sophorose than in the presence of cellulose, lactose, cellobiose, or glucose. Moreover, intracellular levels of cAMP were up to four times higher in the presence of sophorose compared to other carbon sources. Concomitantly, our immunofluorescence microscopy and western blot data suggest that in the presence of sophorose, cAMP may regulate secretion of cellulolytic enzymes in T. reesei. Conclusions These results allow us to better understand the role of cAMP and expand our knowledge on the signal transduction pathways involved in the regulation of cellulase expression in T. reesei. Finally, our data may help develop new strategies to improve the expression of cel7a and cel6a genes, and therefore, favor their application in several biotechnology fields. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-015-0536-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Maria Vieira Nogueira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Mariana do Nascimento Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Renato Graciano de Paula
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Flávia Costa Mendonça-Natividade
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Rafael Ricci-Azevedo
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Roberto Nascimento Silva
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Molecular mechanism of flocculation self-recognition in yeast and its role in mating and survival. mBio 2015; 6:mBio.00427-15. [PMID: 25873380 PMCID: PMC4453552 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00427-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied the flocculation mechanism at the molecular level by determining the atomic structures of N-Flo1p and N-Lg-Flo1p in complex with their ligands. We show that they have similar ligand binding mechanisms but distinct carbohydrate specificities and affinities, which are determined by the compactness of the binding site. We characterized the glycans of Flo1p and their role in this binding process and demonstrate that glycan-glycan interactions significantly contribute to the cell-cell adhesion mechanism. Therefore, the extended flocculation mechanism is based on the self-interaction of Flo proteins and this interaction is established in two stages, involving both glycan-glycan and protein-glycan interactions. The crucial role of calcium in both types of interaction was demonstrated: Ca2+ takes part in the binding of the carbohydrate to the protein, and the glycans aggregate only in the presence of Ca2+. These results unify the generally accepted lectin hypothesis with the historically first-proposed “Ca2+-bridge” hypothesis. Additionally, a new role of cell flocculation is demonstrated; i.e., flocculation is linked to cell conjugation and mating, and survival chances consequently increase significantly by spore formation and by introduction of genetic variability. The role of Flo1p in mating was demonstrated by showing that mating efficiency is increased when cells flocculate and by differential transcriptome analysis of flocculating versus nonflocculating cells in a low-shear environment (microgravity). The results show that a multicellular clump (floc) provides a uniquely organized multicellular ultrastructure that provides a suitable microenvironment to induce and perform cell conjugation and mating. Yeast cells can form multicellular clumps under adverse growth conditions that protect cells from harsh environmental stresses. The floc formation is based on the self-interaction of Flo proteins via an N-terminal PA14 lectin domain. We have focused on the flocculation mechanism and its role. We found that carbohydrate specificity and affinity are determined by the accessibility of the binding site of the Flo proteins where the external loops in the ligand-binding domains are involved in glycan recognition specificity. We demonstrated that, in addition to the Flo lectin-glycan interaction, glycan-glycan interactions also contribute significantly to cell-cell recognition and interaction. Additionally, we show that flocculation provides a uniquely organized multicellular ultrastructure that is suitable to induce and accomplish cell mating. Therefore, flocculation is an important mechanism to enhance long-term yeast survival.
Collapse
|
11
|
Ecologically Driven Competence for Exogenous DNA Uptake in Yeast. Curr Microbiol 2015; 70:883-93. [DOI: 10.1007/s00284-015-0808-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
|
12
|
Abstract
Soluble sugars serve five main purposes in multicellular organisms: as sources of carbon skeletons, osmolytes, signals, and transient energy storage and as transport molecules. Most sugars are derived from photosynthetic organisms, particularly plants. In multicellular organisms, some cells specialize in providing sugars to other cells (e.g., intestinal and liver cells in animals, photosynthetic cells in plants), whereas others depend completely on an external supply (e.g., brain cells, roots and seeds). This cellular exchange of sugars requires transport proteins to mediate uptake or release from cells or subcellular compartments. Thus, not surprisingly, sugar transport is critical for plants, animals, and humans. At present, three classes of eukaryotic sugar transporters have been characterized, namely the glucose transporters (GLUTs), sodium-glucose symporters (SGLTs), and SWEETs. This review presents the history and state of the art of sugar transporter research, covering genetics, biochemistry, and physiology-from their identification and characterization to their structure, function, and physiology. In humans, understanding sugar transport has therapeutic importance (e.g., addressing diabetes or limiting access of cancer cells to sugars), and in plants, these transporters are critical for crop yield and pathogen susceptibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Qing Chen
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California 94305;
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
San Martín A, Sotelo-Hitschfeld T, Lerchundi R, Fernández-Moncada I, Ceballo S, Valdebenito R, Baeza-Lehnert F, Alegría K, Contreras-Baeza Y, Garrido-Gerter P, Romero-Gómez I, Barros LF. Single-cell imaging tools for brain energy metabolism: a review. NEUROPHOTONICS 2014; 1:011004. [PMID: 26157964 PMCID: PMC4478754 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.1.1.011004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2014] [Revised: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Neurophotonics comes to light at a time in which advances in microscopy and improved calcium reporters are paving the way toward high-resolution functional mapping of the brain. This review relates to a parallel revolution in metabolism. We argue that metabolism needs to be approached both in vitro and in vivo, and that it does not just exist as a low-level platform but is also a relevant player in information processing. In recent years, genetically encoded fluorescent nanosensors have been introduced to measure glucose, glutamate, ATP, NADH, lactate, and pyruvate in mammalian cells. Reporting relative metabolite levels, absolute concentrations, and metabolic fluxes, these sensors are instrumental for the discovery of new molecular mechanisms. Sensors continue to be developed, which together with a continued improvement in protein expression strategies and new imaging technologies, herald an exciting era of high-resolution characterization of metabolism in the brain and other organs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro San Martín
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Tamara Sotelo-Hitschfeld
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Lerchundi
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ignacio Fernández-Moncada
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Sebastian Ceballo
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
| | - Rocío Valdebenito
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
| | | | - Karin Alegría
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
| | - Yasna Contreras-Baeza
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Pamela Garrido-Gerter
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ignacio Romero-Gómez
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - L. Felipe Barros
- Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, 5110466, Chile
- Address all correspondence to: L. Felipe Barros, E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
De Michele R, Ast C, Loqué D, Ho CH, Andrade SLA, Lanquar V, Grossmann G, Gehne S, Kumke MU, Frommer WB. Fluorescent sensors reporting the activity of ammonium transceptors in live cells. eLife 2013; 2:e00800. [PMID: 23840931 PMCID: PMC3699834 DOI: 10.7554/elife.00800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ammonium serves as key nitrogen source and metabolic intermediate, yet excess causes toxicity. Ammonium uptake is mediated by ammonium transporters, whose regulation is poorly understood. While transport can easily be characterized in heterologous systems, measuring transporter activity in vivo remains challenging. Here we developed a simple assay for monitoring activity in vivo by inserting circularly-permutated GFP into conformation-sensitive positions of two plant and one yeast ammonium transceptors (‘AmTrac’ and ‘MepTrac’). Addition of ammonium to yeast cells expressing the sensors triggered concentration-dependent fluorescence intensity (FI) changes that strictly correlated with the activity of the transporter. Fluorescence-based activity sensors present a novel technology for monitoring the interaction of the transporters with their substrates, the activity of transporters and their regulation in vivo, which is particularly valuable in the context of analytes for which no radiotracers exist, as well as for cell-specific and subcellular transport processes that are otherwise difficult to track. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00800.001 Ammonium provides a vital source of nitrogen for bacteria, fungi and plants, and is produced by animals as a waste product of metabolism. High levels of ammonium can be toxic, so all organisms need to control their uptake or excretion of this substance. Ammonium transporters, which are highly conserved from bacteria to plants to humans, are essential for this process but, along with transporters in general, they are hard to study. Their activity can be examined in vitro by expressing them in heterologous systems—that is, in cells other than those in which they are naturally found. But in vivo studies must rely on indirect techniques such as monitoring radioactive isotopes or membrane potentials, and these cannot distinguish between the activity of ammonium transporters and uptake of ammonium through other routes. One approach that has been successful in other fields is the use of fluorescent proteins that can signal conformational changes—such as those that occur when a transporter is activated—by a shift in fluorescence. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a commonly used fluorescent indicator, and a particularly useful variant is ‘circularly permutated GFP’. This is GFP in which parts of the amino acid sequence have been rearranged without fundamentally changing the overall structure or function of the protein. Circularly permutated GFP can be fused to another protein in such a way that a conformational change in the second protein triggers a change in fluorescence that can be detected by fluorescence spectroscopy or microscopy. Now, De Michele et al. have applied this approach to the study of both plant and yeast ammonium transporters. They constructed a library of fusion proteins made up of circularly permutated GFP and an ammonium transporter from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana—and found one version that functioned normally as a transporter but also produced a detectable change in fluorescence that correlated precisely with transporter activity. De Michele et al. then used the same method to produce fluorescent indicator fusion proteins of two more ammonium transporters—a second isoform from Arabidopsis and one from yeast. These fluorescent sensors should be a great boon to researchers studying the ammonium transport system. Moreover, this approach could in theory be applied to other transporter proteins that are currently difficult to study, and so could help to open up research into a variety of transport processes. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00800.002
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto De Michele
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States.,Institute of Plant Genetics, Italian National Research Council (CNR-IGV), Palermo, Italy
| | - Cindy Ast
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States.,NanoPolyPhotonik, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Dominique Loqué
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, United States
| | - Cheng-Hsun Ho
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| | - Susana LA Andrade
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, and BIOSS Center for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Viviane Lanquar
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| | - Guido Grossmann
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| | - Sören Gehne
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Michael U Kumke
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Wolf B Frommer
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
De Michele R, Ast C, Loqué D, Ho CH, Andrade SLA, Lanquar V, Grossmann G, Gehne S, Kumke MU, Frommer WB. Fluorescent sensors reporting the activity of ammonium transceptors in live cells. eLife 2013; 2:e00800. [PMID: 23840931 DOI: 10.7554/elife.00800.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ammonium serves as key nitrogen source and metabolic intermediate, yet excess causes toxicity. Ammonium uptake is mediated by ammonium transporters, whose regulation is poorly understood. While transport can easily be characterized in heterologous systems, measuring transporter activity in vivo remains challenging. Here we developed a simple assay for monitoring activity in vivo by inserting circularly-permutated GFP into conformation-sensitive positions of two plant and one yeast ammonium transceptors ('AmTrac' and 'MepTrac'). Addition of ammonium to yeast cells expressing the sensors triggered concentration-dependent fluorescence intensity (FI) changes that strictly correlated with the activity of the transporter. Fluorescence-based activity sensors present a novel technology for monitoring the interaction of the transporters with their substrates, the activity of transporters and their regulation in vivo, which is particularly valuable in the context of analytes for which no radiotracers exist, as well as for cell-specific and subcellular transport processes that are otherwise difficult to track. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00800.001.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto De Michele
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Italian National Research Council (CNR-IGV), Palermo, Italy
| | - Cindy Ast
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
- NanoPolyPhotonik, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Dominique Loqué
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, United States
| | - Cheng-Hsun Ho
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| | - Susana LA Andrade
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, and BIOSS Center for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Viviane Lanquar
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| | - Guido Grossmann
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| | - Sören Gehne
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Michael U Kumke
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Wolf B Frommer
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Jones AM, Grossmann G, Danielson JÅ, Sosso D, Chen LQ, Ho CH, Frommer WB. In vivo biochemistry: applications for small molecule biosensors in plant biology. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2013; 16:389-95. [PMID: 23587939 PMCID: PMC3679211 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2013.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Revised: 02/22/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Revolutionary new technologies, namely in the areas of DNA sequencing and molecular imaging, continue to impact new discoveries in plant science and beyond. For decades we have been able to determine properties of enzymes, receptors and transporters in vitro or in heterologous systems, and more recently been able to analyze their regulation at the transcriptional level, to use GFP reporters for obtaining insights into cellular and subcellular localization, and tp measure ion and metabolite levels with unprecedented precision using mass spectrometry. However, we lack key information on the location and dynamics of the substrates of enzymes, receptors and transporters, and on the regulation of these proteins in their cellular environment. Such information can now be obtained by transitioning from in vitro to in vivo biochemistry using biosensors. Genetically encoded fluorescent protein-based sensors for ion and metabolite dynamics provide highly resolved spatial and temporal information, and are complemented by sensors for pH, redox, voltage, and tension. They serve as powerful tools for identifying missing processes (e.g., glucose transport across ER membranes), components (e.g., SWEET sugar transporters for cellular sugar efflux), and signaling networks (e.g., from systematic screening of mutants that affect sugar transport or cytosolic and vacuolar pH). Combined with the knowledge of properties of enzymes and transporters and their interactions with the regulatory machinery, biosensors promise to be key diagnostic tools for systems and synthetic biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Jones
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Plant Biology, 260 Panama St., Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|