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Etherington GJ, Gil EG, Haerty W, Oliferenko S, Nieduszynski CA. Schizosaccharomyces versatilis represents a distinct evolutionary lineage of fission yeast. Yeast 2024; 41:95-107. [PMID: 38146786 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The fission yeast species Schizosaccharomyces japonicus is currently divided into two varieties-S. japonicus var. japonicus and S. japonicus var. versatilis. Here we examine the var. versatilis isolate CBS5679. The CBS5679 genome shows 88% identity to the reference genome of S. japonicus var. japonicus at the coding sequence level, with phylogenetic analyses suggesting that it has split from the S. japonicus lineage 25 million years ago. The CBS5679 genome contains a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 1 and 2, together with several large inversions. The products of genes linked to the major translocation are associated with 'metabolism' and 'cellular assembly' ontology terms. We further show that CBS5679 does not generate viable progeny with the reference strain of S. japonicus. Although CBS5679 shares closer similarity to the 'type' strain of var. versatilis as compared to S. japonicus, it is not identical to the type strain, suggesting population structure within var. versatilis. We recommend that the taxonomic status of S. japonicus var. versatilis is raised, with it being treated as a separate species, Schizosaccharomyces versatilis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Gomez Gil
- Oliferenko Lab, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Wilfried Haerty
- Research Faculty, The Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Snezhana Oliferenko
- Oliferenko Lab, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Conrad A Nieduszynski
- Research Faculty, The Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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2
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Prieto-Ruiz F, Gómez-Gil E, Vicente-Soler J, Franco A, Soto T, Madrid M, Cansado J. Divergence of cytokinesis and dimorphism control by myosin II regulatory light chain in fission yeasts. iScience 2023; 26:107611. [PMID: 37664581 PMCID: PMC10470405 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-muscle myosin II activation by regulatory light chain (Rlc1Sp) phosphorylation at Ser35 is crucial for cytokinesis during respiration in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We show that in the early divergent and dimorphic fission yeast S. japonicus non-phosphorylated Rlc1Sj regulates the activity of Myo2Sj and Myp2Sj heavy chains during cytokinesis. Intriguingly, Rlc1Sj-Myo2Sj nodes delay yeast to hyphae onset but are essential for mycelial development. Structure-function analysis revealed that phosphorylation-induced folding of Rlc1Sp α1 helix into an open conformation allows precise regulation of Myo2Sp during cytokinesis. Consistently, inclusion of bulky tryptophan residues in the adjacent α5 helix triggered Rlc1Sp shift and supported cytokinesis in absence of Ser35 phosphorylation. Remarkably, unphosphorylated Rlc1Sj lacking the α1 helix was competent to regulate S. pombe cytokinesis during respiration. Hence, early diversification resulted in two efficient phosphorylation-independent and -dependent modes of Rlc1 regulation of myosin II activity in fission yeasts, the latter being conserved through evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Prieto-Ruiz
- Yeast Physiology Group, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Campus de Excelencia Internacional de Ámbito Regional (CEIR) Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - Elisa Gómez-Gil
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jero Vicente-Soler
- Yeast Physiology Group, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Campus de Excelencia Internacional de Ámbito Regional (CEIR) Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - Alejandro Franco
- Yeast Physiology Group, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Campus de Excelencia Internacional de Ámbito Regional (CEIR) Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - Teresa Soto
- Yeast Physiology Group, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Campus de Excelencia Internacional de Ámbito Regional (CEIR) Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - Marisa Madrid
- Yeast Physiology Group, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Campus de Excelencia Internacional de Ámbito Regional (CEIR) Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - José Cansado
- Yeast Physiology Group, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Campus de Excelencia Internacional de Ámbito Regional (CEIR) Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
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Gu Y, Alam S, Oliferenko S. Peroxisomal compartmentalization of amino acid biosynthesis reactions imposes an upper limit on compartment size. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5544. [PMID: 37684233 PMCID: PMC10491753 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41347-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular metabolism relies on just a few redox cofactors. Selective compartmentalization may prevent competition between metabolic reactions requiring the same cofactor. Is such compartmentalization necessary for optimal cell function? Is there an optimal compartment size? Here we probe these fundamental questions using peroxisomal compartmentalization of the last steps of lysine and histidine biosynthesis in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. We show that compartmentalization of these NAD+ dependent reactions together with a dedicated NADH/NAD+ recycling enzyme supports optimal growth when an increased demand for anabolic reactions taxes cellular redox balance. In turn, compartmentalization constrains the size of individual organelles, with larger peroxisomes accumulating all the required enzymes but unable to support both biosynthetic reactions at the same time. Our reengineering and physiological experiments indicate that compartmentalized biosynthetic reactions are sensitive to the size of the compartment, likely due to scaling-dependent changes within the system, such as enzyme packing density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gu
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
| | - Sara Alam
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Snezhana Oliferenko
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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4
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Cool L, Hanon S, Verstrepen KJ. Metabolism: How a eukaryote adapted to life without respiration. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R444-R447. [PMID: 37279666 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A new study finds that Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, a eukaryote that lost the ability to respire, modified its central carbon metabolism to maintain efficient ATP production, cofactor regeneration, and amino-acid production. This remarkable metabolic flexibility opens new avenues towards applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lloyd Cool
- VIB Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, 3001, Belgium; CMPG Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, Department M2S, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Samuel Hanon
- VIB Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, 3001, Belgium; CMPG Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, Department M2S, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Kevin J Verstrepen
- VIB Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, 3001, Belgium; CMPG Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, Department M2S, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium.
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5
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Alam S, Gu Y, Reichert P, Bähler J, Oliferenko S. Optimization of energy production and central carbon metabolism in a non-respiring eukaryote. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2175-2186.e5. [PMID: 37164017 PMCID: PMC7615655 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Most eukaryotes respire oxygen, using it to generate biomass and energy. However, a few organisms have lost the capacity to respire. Understanding how they manage biomass and energy production may illuminate the critical points at which respiration feeds into central carbon metabolism and explain possible routes to its optimization. Here, we use two related fission yeasts, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, as a comparative model system. We show that although S. japonicus does not respire oxygen, unlike S. pombe, it is capable of efficient NADH oxidation, amino acid synthesis, and ATP generation. We probe possible optimization strategies through the use of stable isotope tracing metabolomics, mass isotopologue distribution analysis, genetics, and physiological experiments. S. japonicus appears to have optimized cytosolic NADH oxidation via glycerol-3-phosphate synthesis. It runs a fully bifurcated TCA pathway, sustaining amino acid production. Finally, we propose that it has optimized glycolysis to maintain high ATP/ADP ratio, in part by using the pentose phosphate pathway as a glycolytic shunt, reducing allosteric inhibition of glycolysis and supporting biomass generation. By comparing two related organisms with vastly different metabolic strategies, our work highlights the versatility and plasticity of central carbon metabolism in eukaryotes, illuminating critical adaptations supporting the preferential use of glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Alam
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Ying Gu
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Polina Reichert
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Jürg Bähler
- Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Snezhana Oliferenko
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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6
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Chen ES. Application of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe in human nutrition. FEMS Yeast Res 2023; 23:6961766. [PMID: 36574952 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foac064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe) is renowned as a powerful genetic model for deciphering cellular and molecular biological phenomena, including cell division, chromosomal events, stress responses, and human carcinogenesis. Traditionally, Africans use S. pombe to ferment the beer called 'Pombe', which continues to be consumed in many parts of Africa. Although not as widely utilized as the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. pombe has secured several niches in the food industry for human nutrition because of its unique metabolism. This review will explore three specific facets of human nutrition where S. pombe has made a significant impact: namely, in wine fermentation, animal husbandry and neutraceutical supplementation coenzyme Q10 production. Discussions focus on the current gaps in these areas, and the potential research advances useful for addressing future challenges. Overall, gaining a better understanding of S. pombe metabolism will strengthen production in these areas and potentially spearhead novel future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ee Sin Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore.,National University Health System (NUHS), Singapore 119228, Singapore.,NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
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7
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Fukunaga T, Ohashi T, Tanaka Y, Yoshimatsu T, Higuchi Y, Maekawa H, Takegawa K. Galactosylation of cell-surface glycoprotein required for hyphal growth and cell wall integrity in Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. J Biosci Bioeng 2022; 134:384-392. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Cansado J, Soto T, Franco A, Vicente-Soler J, Madrid M. The Fission Yeast Cell Integrity Pathway: A Functional Hub for Cell Survival upon Stress and Beyond. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 8:jof8010032. [PMID: 35049972 PMCID: PMC8781887 DOI: 10.3390/jof8010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of eukaryotic organisms during environmental changes is largely dependent on the adaptive responses elicited by signal transduction cascades, including those regulated by the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways. The Cell Integrity Pathway (CIP), one of the three MAPK pathways found in the simple eukaryote fission of yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, shows strong homology with mammalian Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinases (ERKs). Remarkably, studies over the last few decades have gradually positioned the CIP as a multi-faceted pathway that impacts multiple functional aspects of the fission yeast life cycle during unperturbed growth and in response to stress. They include the control of mRNA-stability through RNA binding proteins, regulation of calcium homeostasis, and modulation of cell wall integrity and cytokinesis. Moreover, distinct evidence has disclosed the existence of sophisticated interplay between the CIP and other environmentally regulated pathways, including Stress-Activated MAP Kinase signaling (SAPK) and the Target of Rapamycin (TOR). In this review we present a current overview of the organization and underlying regulatory mechanisms of the CIP in S. pombe, describe its most prominent functions, and discuss possible targets of and roles for this pathway. The evolutionary conservation of CIP signaling in the dimorphic fission yeast S. japonicus will also be addressed.
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9
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Rutherford KM, Harris MA, Oliferenko S, Wood V. JaponicusDB: rapid deployment of a model organism database for an emerging model species. Genetics 2021; 220:6481558. [PMID: 35380656 PMCID: PMC9209809 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus has recently emerged as a powerful system for studying the evolution of essential cellular processes, drawing on similarities as well as key differences between S. japonicus and the related, well-established model Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We have deployed the open-source, modular code and tools originally developed for PomBase, the S. pombe model organism database (MOD), to create JaponicusDB (www.japonicusdb.org), a new MOD dedicated to S. japonicus. By providing a central resource with ready access to a growing body of experimental data, ontology-based curation, seamless browsing and querying, and the ability to integrate new data with existing knowledge, JaponicusDB supports fission yeast biologists to a far greater extent than any other source of S. japonicus data. JaponicusDB thus enables S. japonicus researchers to realize the full potential of studying a newly emerging model species and illustrates the widely applicable power and utility of harnessing reusable PomBase code to build a comprehensive, community-maintainable repository of species-relevant knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim M Rutherford
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Midori A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Snezhana Oliferenko
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK,Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, UK,Corresponding author: (S.O.); (V.W.)
| | - Valerie Wood
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK,Corresponding author: (S.O.); (V.W.)
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10
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Bouwknegt J, Koster CC, Vos AM, Ortiz-Merino RA, Wassink M, Luttik MAH, van den Broek M, Hagedoorn PL, Pronk JT. Class-II dihydroorotate dehydrogenases from three phylogenetically distant fungi support anaerobic pyrimidine biosynthesis. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2021; 8:10. [PMID: 34656184 PMCID: PMC8520639 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-021-00117-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In most fungi, quinone-dependent Class-II dihydroorotate dehydrogenases (DHODs) are essential for pyrimidine biosynthesis. Coupling of these Class-II DHODHs to mitochondrial respiration makes their in vivo activity dependent on oxygen availability. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and closely related yeast species harbor a cytosolic Class-I DHOD (Ura1) that uses fumarate as electron acceptor and thereby enables anaerobic pyrimidine synthesis. Here, we investigate DHODs from three fungi (the Neocallimastigomycete Anaeromyces robustus and the yeasts Schizosaccharomyces japonicus and Dekkera bruxellensis) that can grow anaerobically but, based on genome analysis, only harbor a Class-II DHOD. Results Heterologous expression of putative Class-II DHOD-encoding genes from fungi capable of anaerobic, pyrimidine-prototrophic growth (Arura9, SjURA9, DbURA9) in an S. cerevisiae ura1Δ strain supported aerobic as well as anaerobic pyrimidine prototrophy. A strain expressing DbURA9 showed delayed anaerobic growth without pyrimidine supplementation. Adapted faster growing DbURA9-expressing strains showed mutations in FUM1, which encodes fumarase. GFP-tagged SjUra9 and DbUra9 were localized to S. cerevisiae mitochondria, while ArUra9, whose sequence lacked a mitochondrial targeting sequence, was localized to the yeast cytosol. Experiments with cell extracts showed that ArUra9 used free FAD and FMN as electron acceptors. Expression of SjURA9 in S. cerevisiae reproducibly led to loss of respiratory competence and mitochondrial DNA. A cysteine residue (C265 in SjUra9) in the active sites of all three anaerobically active Ura9 orthologs was shown to be essential for anaerobic activity of SjUra9 but not of ArUra9. Conclusions Activity of fungal Class-II DHODs was long thought to be dependent on an active respiratory chain, which in most fungi requires the presence of oxygen. By heterologous expression experiments in S. cerevisiae, this study shows that phylogenetically distant fungi independently evolved Class-II dihydroorotate dehydrogenases that enable anaerobic pyrimidine biosynthesis. Further structure–function studies are required to understand the mechanistic basis for the anaerobic activity of Class-II DHODs and an observed loss of respiratory competence in S. cerevisiae strains expressing an anaerobically active DHOD from Sch. japonicus. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40694-021-00117-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Bouwknegt
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte C Koster
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Aurin M Vos
- Wageningen Plant Research, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Raúl A Ortiz-Merino
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mats Wassink
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Marijke A H Luttik
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel van den Broek
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Peter L Hagedoorn
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jack T Pronk
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands.
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11
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A squalene-hopene cyclase in Schizosaccharomyces japonicus represents a eukaryotic adaptation to sterol-limited anaerobic environments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105225118. [PMID: 34353908 PMCID: PMC8364164 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105225118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Biosynthesis of sterols requires oxygen. This study identifies a previously unknown evolutionary adaptation in a eukaryote, which enables anaerobic growth in absence of exogenous sterols. A squalene–hopene cyclase, proposed to have been acquired by horizontal gene transfer from an acetic acid bacterium, is implicated in a unique ability of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus to synthesize hopanoids and grow in anaerobic, sterol-free media. Expression of this cyclase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae confirmed that at least one of its hopanoid products acts as sterol surrogate. These observations provide leads for research into the structure and function of eukaryotic membranes and into the development of sterol-independent yeast cell factories for application in anaerobic processes. Biosynthesis of sterols, which are key constituents of canonical eukaryotic membranes, requires molecular oxygen. Anaerobic protists and deep-branching anaerobic fungi are the only eukaryotes in which a mechanism for sterol-independent growth has been elucidated. In these organisms, tetrahymanol, formed through oxygen-independent cyclization of squalene by a squalene–tetrahymanol cyclase, acts as a sterol surrogate. This study confirms an early report [C. J. E. A. Bulder, Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 37, 353–358 (1971)] that Schizosaccharomyces japonicus is exceptional among yeasts in growing anaerobically on synthetic media lacking sterols and unsaturated fatty acids. Mass spectrometry of lipid fractions of anaerobically grown Sch. japonicus showed the presence of hopanoids, a class of cyclic triterpenoids not previously detected in yeasts, including hop-22(29)-ene, hop-17(21)-ene, hop-21(22)-ene, and hopan-22-ol. A putative gene in Sch. japonicus showed high similarity to bacterial squalene–hopene cyclase (SHC) genes and in particular to those of Acetobacter species. No orthologs of the putative Sch. japonicus SHC were found in other yeast species. Expression of the Sch. japonicus SHC gene (Sjshc1) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae enabled hopanoid synthesis and stimulated anaerobic growth in sterol-free media, thus indicating that one or more of the hopanoids produced by SjShc1 could at least partially replace sterols. Use of hopanoids as sterol surrogates represents a previously unknown adaptation of eukaryotic cells to anaerobic growth. The fast anaerobic growth of Sch. japonicus in sterol-free media is an interesting trait for developing robust fungal cell factories for application in anaerobic industrial processes.
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12
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Gómez-Gil E, Franco A, Vázquez-Marín B, Prieto-Ruiz F, Pérez-Díaz A, Vicente-Soler J, Madrid M, Soto T, Cansado J. Specific Functional Features of the Cell Integrity MAP Kinase Pathway in the Dimorphic Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7060482. [PMID: 34198697 PMCID: PMC8232204 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways execute essential functions in eukaryotic organisms by transducing extracellular stimuli into adaptive cellular responses. In the fission yeast model Schizosaccharomyces pombe the cell integrity pathway (CIP) and its core effector, MAPK Pmk1, play a key role during regulation of cell integrity, cytokinesis, and ionic homeostasis. Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, another fission yeast species, shows remarkable differences with respect to S. pombe, including a robust yeast to hyphae dimorphism in response to environmental changes. We show that the CIP MAPK module architecture and its upstream regulators, PKC orthologs Pck1 and Pck2, are conserved in both fission yeast species. However, some of S. pombe's CIP-related functions, such as cytokinetic control and response to glucose availability, are regulated differently in S. japonicus. Moreover, Pck1 and Pck2 antagonistically regulate S. japonicus hyphal differentiation through fine-tuning of Pmk1 activity. Chimeric MAPK-swapping experiments revealed that S. japonicus Pmk1 is fully functional in S. pombe, whereas S. pombe Pmk1 shows a limited ability to execute CIP functions and promote S. japonicus mycelial development. Our findings also suggest that a modified N-lobe domain secondary structure within S. japonicus Pmk1 has a major influence on the CIP signaling features of this evolutionarily diverged fission yeast.
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13
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Seike T, Sakata N, Matsuda F, Furusawa C. Elevated Sporulation Efficiency in Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus Strains Isolated from Drosophila. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7050350. [PMID: 33947067 PMCID: PMC8146891 DOI: 10.3390/jof7050350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, comprising S. japonicus var. japonicus and S. japonicus var. versatilis varieties, has unique characteristics such as striking hyphal growth not seen in other Schizosaccharomyces species; however, information on its diversity and evolution, in particular mating and sporulation, remains limited. Here we compared the growth and mating phenotypes of 17 wild strains of S. japonicus, including eight S. japonicus var. japonicus strains newly isolated from an insect (Drosophila). Unlike existing wild strains isolated from fruits/plants, the strains isolated from Drosophila sporulated at high frequency even under nitrogen-abundant conditions. In addition, one of the strains from Drosophila was stained by iodine vapor, although the type strain of S. japonicus var. japonicus is not stained. Sequence analysis further showed that the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of pheromone-related genes have diversified among the eight strains from Drosophila, suggesting crossing between S. japonicus cells of different genetic backgrounds occurs frequently in this insect. Much of yeast ecology remains unclear, but our findings suggest that insects such as Drosophila might be a good niche for mating and sporulation, and will provide a basis for the understanding of sporulation mechanisms via signal transduction, as well as the ecology and evolution of yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisuke Seike
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan; (N.S.); (C.F.)
- Department of Bioinformatic Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-6-6879-7433
| | - Natsue Sakata
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan; (N.S.); (C.F.)
| | - Fumio Matsuda
- Department of Bioinformatic Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Chikara Furusawa
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan; (N.S.); (C.F.)
- Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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14
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Smith P, Owen DM, Lorenz CD, Makarova M. Asymmetric glycerophospholipids impart distinctive biophysical properties to lipid bilayers. Biophys J 2021; 120:1746-1754. [PMID: 33705758 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Phospholipids are a diverse group of biomolecules consisting of a hydrophilic headgroup and two hydrophobic acyl tails. The nature of the head and length and saturation of the acyl tails are important for defining the biophysical properties of lipid bilayers. It has recently been shown that the membranes of certain yeast species contain high levels of unusual asymmetric phospholipids consisting of one long and one medium-chain acyl moiety, a configuration not common in mammalian cells or other well-studied model yeast species. This raises the possibility that structurally asymmetric glycerophospholipids impart distinctive biophysical properties to the yeast membranes. Previously, it has been shown that lipids with asymmetric length tails form a mixed interdigitated gel phase and exhibit unusual endotherm behavior upon heating and cooling. Here, however, we address physiologically relevant temperature conditions and, using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and environmentally sensitive fluorescent membrane probes, characterize key biophysical parameters (such as lipid packing, diffusion coefficient, membrane thickness, and area per lipid) in membranes composed of both length-asymmetric glycerophospholipids and ergosterol. Interestingly, we show that saturated but asymmetric glycerophospholipids maintain membrane lipid order across a wide range of temperatures. We also show that these asymmetric lipids can substiture of unsaturated symmetric lipids in the phase behaviour of ternary lipid bilayers. This may allow cells to maintain membrane fluidity, even in environments that lack oxygen, which is required for the synthesis of unsaturated lipids and sterols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Smith
- Department of Physics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dylan M Owen
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences and School of Mathematics, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Maria Makarova
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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15
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Nishida I, Yanai R, Matsuo Y, Kaino T, Kawamukai M. Benzoic acid inhibits Coenzyme Q biosynthesis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242616. [PMID: 33232355 PMCID: PMC7685456 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Coenzyme Q (CoQ, ubiquinone) is an essential component of the electron transport system in aerobic organisms. Human type CoQ10, which has 10 units of isoprene in its quinone structure, is especially valuable as a food supplement. Therefore, studying the biosynthesis of CoQ10 is important not only for increasing metabolic knowledge, but also for improving biotechnological production. Herein, we show that Schizosaccharomyces pombe utilizes p-aminobenzoate (PABA) in addition to p-hydroxybenzoate (PHB) as a precursor for CoQ10 synthesis. We explored compounds that affect the synthesis of CoQ10 and found benzoic acid (Bz) at >5 μg/mL inhibited CoQ biosynthesis without accumulation of apparent CoQ intermediates. This inhibition was counteracted by incubation with a 10-fold lower amount of PABA or PHB. Overexpression of PHB-polyprenyl transferase encoded by ppt1 (coq2) also overcame the inhibition of CoQ biosynthesis by Bz. Inhibition by Bz was efficient in S. pombe and Schizosaccharomyces japonicus, but less so in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aureobasidium pullulans, and Escherichia coli. Bz also inhibited a S. pombe ppt1 (coq2) deletion strain expressing human COQ2, and this strain also utilized PABA as a precursor of CoQ10. Thus, Bz is likely to inhibit prenylation reactions involving PHB or PABA catalyzed by Coq2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuhisa Nishida
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Ryota Yanai
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Matsuo
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
- Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Academic Assembly, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Kaino
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
- Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Academic Assembly, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Makoto Kawamukai
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
- Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Academic Assembly, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
- * E-mail:
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16
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Fukunaga T, Tanaka N, Furumoto T, Nakakita S, Ohashi T, Higuchi Y, Maekawa H, Takegawa K. Characterization of N- and O-linked galactosylated oligosaccharides from fission yeast species. J Biosci Bioeng 2020; 130:128-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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17
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Makarova M, Peter M, Balogh G, Glatz A, MacRae JI, Lopez Mora N, Booth P, Makeyev E, Vigh L, Oliferenko S. Delineating the Rules for Structural Adaptation of Membrane-Associated Proteins to Evolutionary Changes in Membrane Lipidome. Curr Biol 2020; 30:367-380.e8. [PMID: 31956022 PMCID: PMC6997885 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Membrane function is fundamental to life. Each species explores membrane lipid diversity within a genetically predefined range of possibilities. How membrane lipid composition in turn defines the functional space available for evolution of membrane-centered processes remains largely unknown. We address this fundamental question using related fission yeasts Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. We show that, unlike S. pombe that generates membranes where both glycerophospholipid acyl tails are predominantly 16-18 carbons long, S. japonicus synthesizes unusual "asymmetrical" glycerophospholipids where the tails differ in length by 6-8 carbons. This results in stiffer bilayers with distinct lipid packing properties. Retroengineered S. pombe synthesizing the S.-japonicus-type phospholipids exhibits unfolded protein response and downregulates secretion. Importantly, our protein sequence comparisons and domain swap experiments support the hypothesis that transmembrane helices co-evolve with membranes, suggesting that, on the evolutionary scale, changes in membrane lipid composition may necessitate extensive adaptation of the membrane-associated proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Makarova
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Maria Peter
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Gabor Balogh
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Attila Glatz
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - James I MacRae
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Nestor Lopez Mora
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Paula Booth
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Eugene Makeyev
- MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Laszlo Vigh
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Snezhana Oliferenko
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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18
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Abstract
A new study compares two sister species of fission yeast that use very different fatty acids to make membrane lipids and reveals an adaptation in transmembrane helix lengths that maintains membrane protein functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Harayama
- Department of Biochemistry and National Centre of Competence in Research in Chemical Biology, University of Geneva, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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19
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Gómez-Gil E, Franco A, Madrid M, Vázquez-Marín B, Gacto M, Fernández-Breis J, Vicente-Soler J, Soto T, Cansado J. Quorum sensing and stress-activated MAPK signaling repress yeast to hypha transition in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008192. [PMID: 31150379 PMCID: PMC6561576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS), a mechanism of microbial communication dependent on cell density, governs developmental decisions in many bacteria and in some pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi including yeasts. In these simple eukaryotes this response is mediated by the release into the growth medium of quorum-sensing molecules (QSMs) whose concentration increases proportionally to the population density. To date the occurrence of QS is restricted to a few yeast species. We show that a QS mediated by the aromatic alcohols phenylethanol and tryptophol represses the dimorphic yeast to hypha differentiation in the fission yeast S. japonicus in response to an increased population density. In addition, the stress activated MAPK pathway (SAPK), which controls cell cycle progression and adaptation to environmental changes in this organism, constitutively represses yeast to hypha differentiation both at transcriptional and post-translational levels. Moreover, deletion of its main effectors Sty1 MAPK and Atf1 transcription factor partially suppressed the QS-dependent block of hyphal development under inducing conditions. RNAseq analysis showed that the expression of nrg1+, which encodes a putative ortholog of the transcription factor Nrg1 that represses yeast to hypha dimorphism in C. albicans, is downregulated both by QS and the SAPK pathway. Remarkably, Nrg1 may act in S. japonicus as an activator of hyphal differentiation instead of being a repressor. S. japonicus emerges as an attractive and amenable model organism to explore the QS mechanisms that regulate cellular differentiation in fungi. Quorum sensing is a relevant mechanism of communication dependent on population density that controls cell development and pathogenesis in microorganisms including fungi. We describe a quorum sensing mediated by the release of aromatic alcohols in the growth medium that blocks hyphal development in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces japonicus. This is the first description of such a mechanism in the fission yeast lineage, and confirms its expansion along Ascomycota fungi. The stress-responsive pathway (SAPK), which regulates fungal growth and differentiation, limits hyphal growth in S. japonicus in a constitutive fashion, and nonfunctional SAPK mutants are partially insensitive to quorum sensing and able to form hyphae in high cell density cultures. Nrg1, an important factor that blocks hyphal development in the pathogen Candida albicans, activates hyphal growth in S. japonicus, and its expression is counteracted by both quorum sensing and the SAPK pathway. Nrg1 function may thus have diverged evolutionary in this organism from being a repressor to an activator of hyphal development. S. japonicus emerges as a suitable model organism to explore the intricate mechanisms regulating fungal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Gómez-Gil
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Alejandro Franco
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marisa Madrid
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Beatriz Vázquez-Marín
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Mariano Gacto
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jesualdo Fernández-Breis
- Departamento de Informática y Sistemas, Facultad de Informática. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jero Vicente-Soler
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Teresa Soto
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- * E-mail: (TS); (JC)
| | - José Cansado
- Yeast Physiology Group, Departmento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología. Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- * E-mail: (TS); (JC)
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