A downstream regulatory element located within the coding sequence mediates autoregulated expression of the yeast fatty acid synthase gene FAS2 by the FAS1 gene product

Optimization of a hybrid bacterial/Arabidopsis thaliana fatty acid synthase system II in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fatty acids are produced by eukaryotes like baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae mainly using a large multifunctional type I fatty acid synthase (FASI) where seven catalytic steps and a carrier domain are shared between one or two protein subunits. While this system may offer efficiency in catalysis, only a narrow range of fatty acids are produced. Prokaryotes, chloroplasts and mitochondria rely instead on a FAS type II (FASII) where each catalytic step is carried out by a monofunctional enzyme encoded by a separate gene. FASII is more flexible and capable of producing a wider range of fatty acid structures, such as the direct production of unsaturated fatty acids. An efficient FASII in the preferred industrial organism S. cerevisiae could provide a platform for developing sustainable production of specialized fatty acids. We functionally replaced either yeast FASI genes (FAS1 or FAS2) with a FASII consisting of nine genes from Escherichia coli (acpP, acpS and fab -A, -B, -D, -F, -G, -H, -Z) as well as three from Arabidopsis thaliana (MOD1, FATA1 and FATB). The genes were expressed from an autonomously replicating multicopy vector assembled using the Yeast Pathway Kit for in-vivo assembly in yeast. Two rounds of adaptation led to a strain with a maximum growth rate (μmax) of 0.19 h^-1 without exogenous fatty acids, twice the growth rate previously reported for a comparable strain. Additional copies of the MOD1 or fabH genes resulted in cultures with higher final cell densities and three times higher lipid content compared to the control.

Development of an efficient yeast platform for cannabigerolic acid biosynthesis

Cannabinoids are important therapeutical molecules for human ailments, cancer treatment, and SARS-CoV-2. The central cannabinoid, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), is generated from geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetolic acid by Cannabis sativa prenyltransferase (CsPT4). Despite efforts to engineer microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) for CBGA production, their titers remain suboptimal because of the low conversion of hexanoate into olivetolic acid and the limited activity and stability of the CsPT4. To address the low hexanoate conversion, we eliminated hexanoate consumption by the beta-oxidation pathway and reduced its incorporation into fatty acids. To address CsPT4 limitations, we expanded the endoplasmic reticulum and fused an auxiliary protein to CsPT4. Consequently, the engineered S. cerevisiae chassis showed a marked improvement of 78.64-fold in CBGA production, reaching a titer of 510.32 ± 10.70 mg l-1 from glucose and hexanoate.

Fine-tuning of p-coumaric acid synthesis to increase (2S)-naringenin production in yeast

(2S)-Naringenin is a key precursor for biosynthesis of various high-value flavonoids and possesses a variety of nutritional and pharmaceutical properties on human health. Systematic optimization approaches have been employed to improve (2S)-naringenin production in different microbial hosts. However, very few studies have focused on the spatiotemporal distribution of (2S)-naringenin and the related pathway intermediate p-coumaric acid, which is an important factor for efficient production. Here, we first optimized the (2S)-naringenin biosynthetic pathway by alleviating the bottleneck downstream of p-coumaric acid and increasing malonyl-CoA supply, which improved (2S)-naringenin production but significant accumulation of p-coumaric acid still existed extracellularly. We thus established a dual dynamic control system through combining a malonyl-CoA biosensor regulator and an RNAi strategy, to autonomously control the synthesis of p-coumaric acid with the supply of malonyl-CoA. Furthermore, screening potential transporters led to identification of Pdr12 for improved (2S)-naringenin production and reduced accumulation of p-coumaric acid. Finally, a titer of 2.05 g/L (2S)-naringenin with negligible accumulation of p-coumaric acid was achieved in a fed batch fermentation. Our work highlights the importance of systematic control of pathway intermediates for efficient microbial production of plant natural products.

Identification of triazenyl indoles as inhibitors of fungal fatty acid biosynthesis with broad-spectrum activity

Rising drug resistance among pathogenic fungi, paired with a limited antifungal arsenal, poses an increasing threat to human health. To identify antifungal compounds, we screened the RIKEN natural product depository against representative isolates of four major human fungal pathogens. This screen identified NPD6433, a triazenyl indole with broad-spectrum activity against all screening strains, as well as the filamentous mold Aspergillus fumigatus. Mechanistic studies indicated that NPD6433 targets the enoyl reductase domain of fatty acid synthase 1 (Fas1), covalently inhibiting its flavin mononucleotide-dependent NADPH-oxidation activity and arresting essential fatty acid biosynthesis. Robust Fas1 inhibition kills Candida albicans, while sublethal inhibition impairs diverse virulence traits. At well-tolerated exposures, NPD6433 extended the lifespan of nematodes infected with azole-resistant C. albicans. Overall, identification of NPD6433 provides a tool with which to explore lipid homeostasis as a therapeutic target in pathogenic fungi and reveals a mechanism by which Fas1 function can be inhibited.

Engineered Fungus Thermothelomyces thermophilus Producing Plant Storage Proteins

An efficient Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation based on the plant binary vector pPZP-RCS2 was carried out for the multiple heterologous protein production in filamentous fungus Thermothelomyces thermophilus F-859 (formerly Myceliophthora thermophila F-859). The engineered fungus Th. thermophilus was able to produce plant storage proteins of Zea mays (α-zein Z19) and Amaranthus hypochondriacus (albumin A1) to enrich fungal biomass by valuable nutritional proteins and improved amino acid content. The mRNA levels of z19 and a1 genes were significantly dependent on their driving promoters: the promoter of tryptophan synthase (PtrpC) was more efficient to express a1, while the promoter of translation elongation factor (Ptef) provided much higher levels of z19 transcript abundance. In general, the total recombinant proteins and amino acid contents were higher in the Ptef-containing clones. This work describes a new strategy to improve mycoprotein nutritive value by overexpression of plant storage proteins.

Translational control of lipogenesis links protein synthesis and phosphoinositide signaling with nuclear division in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Continuously dividing cells coordinate their growth and division. How fast cells grow in mass determines how fast they will multiply. Yet, there are few, if any, examples of a metabolic pathway that actively drives a cell cycle event instead of just being required for it. Here, we show that translational upregulation of lipogenic enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae increased the abundance of lipids and promoted nuclear elongation and division. Derepressing translation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase also suppressed cell cycle-related phenotypes, including delayed nuclear division, associated with Sec14p phosphatidylinositol transfer protein deficiencies, and the irregular nuclear morphologies of mutants defective in phosphatidylinositol 4-OH kinase activities. Our results show that increased lipogenesis drives a critical cell cycle landmark and report a phosphoinositide signaling axis in control of nuclear division. The broad conservation of these lipid metabolic and signaling pathways raises the possibility these activities similarly govern nuclear division in other eukaryotes.

Identification of Inhibitors of Fungal Fatty Acid Biosynthesis

Fungal fatty acid (FA) synthase and desaturase enzymes are essential for the growth and virulence of human fungal pathogens. These enzymes are structurally distinct from their mammalian counterparts, making them attractive targets for antifungal development. However, there has been little progress in identifying chemotypes that target fungal FA biosynthesis. To accomplish this, we applied a whole-cell-based method known as Target Abundance-based FItness Screening using Candida albicans. Strains with varying levels of FA synthase or desaturase expression were grown in competition to screen a custom small-molecule library. Hit compounds were defined as preferentially inhibiting the growth of the low target-expressing strains. Dose-response experiments confirmed that 16 hits (11 with an acyl hydrazide core) differentially inhibited the growth of strains with an altered desaturase expression, indicating a specific chemical-target interaction. Exogenous unsaturated FAs restored C. albicans growth in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of the most potent acyl hydrazides, further supporting the primary mechanism being inhibition of FA desaturase. A systematic analysis of the structure-activity relationship confirmed the acyl hydrazide core as essential for inhibitory activity. This collection demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against Candida auris and mucormycetes and retained the activity against azole-resistant candida isolates. Finally, a preliminary analysis of toxicity to mammalian cells identified potential lead compounds with desirable selectivities. Collectively, these results establish a scaffold that targets fungal FA biosynthesis with a potential for development into novel therapeutics.

De novo biosynthesis of bioactive isoflavonoids by engineered yeast cell factories

Isoflavonoids comprise a class of plant natural products with great nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and agricultural significance. Their low abundance in nature and structural complexity however hampers access to these phytochemicals through traditional crop-based manufacturing or chemical synthesis. Microbial bioproduction therefore represents an attractive alternative. Here, we engineer the metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to become a platform for efficient production of daidzein, a core chemical scaffold for isoflavonoid biosynthesis, and demonstrate its application towards producing bioactive glucosides from glucose, following the screening-reconstruction-application engineering framework. First, we rebuild daidzein biosynthesis in yeast and its production is then improved by 94-fold through screening biosynthetic enzymes, identifying rate-limiting steps, implementing dynamic control, engineering substrate trafficking and fine-tuning competing metabolic processes. The optimized strain produces up to 85.4 mg L^-1 of daidzein and introducing plant glycosyltransferases in this strain results in production of bioactive puerarin (72.8 mg L^-1) and daidzin (73.2 mg L^-1). Our work provides a promising step towards developing synthetic yeast cell factories for de novo biosynthesis of value-added isoflavonoids and the multi-phased framework may be extended to engineer pathways of complex natural products in other microbial hosts.

Biotechnological production of the European corn borer sex pheromone in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

The European corn borer (ECB) Ostrinia nubilalis is a widespread pest of cereals, particularly maize. Mating disruption with the sex pheromone is a potentially attractive method for managing this pest; however, chemical synthesis of pheromones requires expensive starting materials and catalysts and generates hazardous waste. The goal of this study was to develop a biotechnological method for the production of ECB sex pheromone. Our approach was to engineer the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica to produce (Z)-11-tetradecenol (Z11-14:OH), which can then be chemically acetylated to (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (Z11-14:OAc), the main pheromone component of the Z-race of O. nubilalis. First, a C14 platform strain with increased biosynthesis of myristoyl-CoA was obtained by introducing a point mutation into the α-subunit of fatty acid synthase, replacing isoleucine 1220 with phenylalanine (Fas2p^I1220F ). The intracellular accumulation of myristic acid increased 8.4-fold. Next, fatty acyl-CoA desaturases (FAD) and fatty acyl-CoA reductases (FAR) from nine different species of Lepidoptera were screened in the C14 platform strain, individually and in combinations. A titer of 29.2 ± 1.6 mg L^-1  Z11-14:OH was reached in small-scale cultivation with an optimal combination of a FAD (Lbo_PPTQ) from Lobesia botrana and FAR (HarFAR) from Helicoverpa armigera. When the second copies of FAD and FAR genes were introduced, the titer improved 2.1-fold. The native FAS1 gene's overexpression led to a further 1.5-fold titer increase, reaching 93.9 ± 11.7 mg L^-1  in small-scale cultivation. When the same engineered strain was cultivated in controlled 1 L bioreactors in fed-batch mode, 188.1 ± 13.4 mg L^-1  of Z11-14:OH was obtained. Fatty alcohols were extracted from the biomass and chemically acetylated to obtain Z11-14:OAc. Electroantennogram experiments showed that males of the Z-race of O. nubilalis were responsive to biologically-derived pheromone blend. Behavioral bioassays in a wind tunnel revealed attraction of male O. nubilalis, although full precopulatory behavior was observed less often than for the chemically synthesized pheromone blend. The study paves the way for the production of ECB pheromone by fermentation.

Biosynthesis of Fatty Alcohols in Engineered Microbial Cell Factories: Advances and Limitations

Concerns about climate change and environmental destruction have led to interest in technologies that can replace fossil fuels and petrochemicals with compounds derived from sustainable sources that have lower environmental impact. Fatty alcohols produced by chemical synthesis from ethylene or by chemical conversion of plant oils have a large range of industrial applications. These chemicals can be synthesized through biological routes but their free forms are produced in trace amounts naturally. This review focuses on how genetic engineering of endogenous fatty acid metabolism and heterologous expression of fatty alcohol producing enzymes have come together resulting in the current state of the field for production of fatty alcohols by microbial cell factories. We provide an overview of endogenous fatty acid synthesis, enzymatic methods of conversion to fatty alcohols and review the research to date on microbial fatty alcohol production. The primary focus is on work performed in the model microorganisms, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae but advances made with cyanobacteria and oleaginous yeasts are also considered. The limitations to production of fatty alcohols by microbial cell factories are detailed along with consideration to potential research directions that may aid in achieving viable commercial scale production of fatty alcohols from renewable feedstock.

Analysis of the co-translational assembly of the fungal fatty acid synthase (FAS)

The yeast fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a barrel-shaped 2.6 MDa complex. Upon barrel-formation, two multidomain subunits, each more than 200 kDa large, intertwine to form a heterododecameric complex that buries 170,000 Ų of protein surface. In spite of the rich knowledge about yeast FAS in structure and function, its assembly remained elusive until recently, when co-translational interaction of the β-subunit with the nascent α-subunit was found to initiate assembly. Here, we characterize the co-translational assembly of yeast FAS at a molecular level. We show that the co-translationally formed interface is sensitive to subtle perturbations, so that the exchange of two amino acids located in the emerging interface can prevent assembly. On the other hand, assembly can also be initiated via the co-translational interaction of the subunits at other sites, which implies that this process is not strictly site or sequence specific. We further highlight additional steps in the biogenesis of yeast FAS, as the formation of a dimeric subunit that orchestrates complex formation and acts as platform for post-translational phosphopantetheinylation. The presented data supports the understanding of the recently discovered prevalence of eukaryotic complexes for co-translational assembly, and is valuable for further harnessing FAS in the biotechnological production of aliphatic compounds.

Understanding lipogenesis by dynamically profiling transcriptional activity of lipogenic promoters in Yarrowia lipolytica

Lipogenesis is a complicated process involving global transcriptional reprogramming of lipogenic pathways. It is commonly believed that nitrogen starvation triggers a metabolic shift that reroutes carbon flux from Krebs cycles to lipogenesis. In this study, we systematically surveyed and dynamically profiled the transcriptional activity of 22 lipogenic promoters aiming to delineate a picture how nitrogen starvation regulates lipogenesis in Y. lipolytica. These lipogenic promoters drive the expression of critical pathways that are responsible for the generation of reducing equivalents (NADPH), carbon backbones (acetyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, DHAP, etc.), synthesis and degradation of fatty acids. Specifically, our investigated promoters span across an array of metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, Krebs cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, mannitol cycle, glutamine-GABA cycle, fatty acid and lipid synthesis, glyoxylate, β-oxidation, and POM (pyruvate-oxaloacetate-malate) cycle. Our work provides evidences that mannitol cycle, glutamine-GABA cycle and amino acid degradation, pyruvate oxidation, and acetate assimilation pathways are lipogenesis-related steps involved in generating cytosolic NADPH and acetyl-CoA precursors. This systematic investigation and dynamic profiling of lipogenic promoters may help us better understand lipogenesis, facilitate the formulation of structure-based kinetic models, as well as develop efficient cell factories for fuels and chemical production in oleaginous species.

Recessive MYF5 Mutations Cause External Ophthalmoplegia, Rib, and Vertebral Anomalies

MYF5 is member of the Myc-like basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor family and, in cooperation with other myogenic regulatory factors MYOD and MYF5, is a key regulator of early stages of myogenesis. Here, we report three consanguineous families with biallelic homozygous loss-of-function mutations in MYF5 who define a clinical disorder characterized by congenital ophthalmoplegia with scoliosis and vertebral and rib anomalies. The clinical phenotype overlaps strikingly with that reported in several Myf5 knockout mouse models. Affected members of two families share a haploidentical region that contains a homozygous 10 bp frameshift mutation in exon 1 of MYF5 (c.23_32delAGTTCTCACC [p.Gln8Leufs^∗86]) predicted to undergo nonsense-mediated decay. Affected members of the third family harbor a homozygous missense change in exon 1 of MYF5 (c.283C>T [p.Arg95Cys]). Using in vitro assays, we show that this missense mutation acts as a loss-of-function allele by impairing MYF5 DNA binding and nuclear localization. We performed whole-genome sequencing in one affected individual with the frameshift mutation and did not identify additional rare variants in the haploidentical region that might account for differences in severity among the families. These data support the direct role of MYF5 in rib, spine, and extraocular muscle formation in humans.

QTL mapping of volatile compound production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during alcoholic fermentation

Background

The volatile metabolites produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae during alcoholic fermentation, which are mainly esters, higher alcohols and organic acids, play a vital role in the quality and perception of fermented beverages, such as wine. Although the metabolic pathways and genes behind yeast fermentative aroma formation are well described, little is known about the genetic mechanisms underlying variations between strains in the production of these aroma compounds.

To increase our knowledge about the links between genetic variation and volatile production, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping using 130 F2-meiotic segregants from two S. cerevisiae wine strains. The segregants were individually genotyped by next-generation sequencing and separately phenotyped during wine fermentation.

Results

Using different QTL mapping strategies, we were able to identify 65 QTLs in the genome, including 55 that influence the formation of 30 volatile secondary metabolites, 14 with an effect on sugar consumption and central carbon metabolite production, and 7 influencing fermentation parameters. For ethyl lactate, ethyl octanoate and propanol formation, we discovered 2 interacting QTLs each. Within 9 of the detected regions, we validated the contribution of 13 genes in the observed phenotypic variation by reciprocal hemizygosity analysis. These genes are involved in nitrogen uptake and metabolism (AGP1, ALP1, ILV6, LEU9), central carbon metabolism (HXT3, MAE1), fatty acid synthesis (FAS1) and regulation (AGP2, IXR1, NRG1, RGS2, RGT1, SIR2) and explain variations in the production of characteristic sensorial esters (e.g., 2-phenylethyl acetate, 2-metyhlpropyl acetate and ethyl hexanoate), higher alcohols and fatty acids.

Conclusions

The detection of QTLs and their interactions emphasizes the complexity of yeast fermentative aroma formation. The validation of underlying allelic variants increases knowledge about genetic variation impacting metabolic pathways that lead to the synthesis of sensorial important compounds. As a result, this work lays the foundation for tailoring S. cerevisiae strains with optimized volatile metabolite production for fermented beverages and other biotechnological applications.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4562-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Adaptive Roles of SSY1 and SIR3 During Cycles of Growth and Starvation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Populations Enriched for Quiescent or Nonquiescent Cells

Over its evolutionary history, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has evolved to be well-adapted to fluctuating nutrient availability. In the presence of sufficient nutrients, yeast cells continue to proliferate, but upon starvation haploid yeast cells enter stationary phase and differentiate into nonquiescent (NQ) and quiescent (Q) cells. Q cells survive stress better than NQ cells and show greater viability when nutrient-rich conditions are restored. To investigate the genes that may be involved in the differentiation of Q and NQ cells, we serially propagated yeast populations that were enriched for either only Q or only NQ cell types over many repeated growth–starvation cycles. After 30 cycles (equivalent to 300 generations), each enriched population produced a higher proportion of the enriched cell type compared to the starting population, suggestive of adaptive change. We also observed differences in each population’s fitness suggesting possible tradeoffs: clones from NQ lines were better adapted to logarithmic growth, while clones from Q lines were better adapted to starvation. Whole-genome sequencing of clones from Q- and NQ-enriched lines revealed mutations in genes involved in the stress response and survival in limiting nutrients (ECM21, RSP5, MSN1, SIR4, and IRA2) in both Q and NQ lines, but also differences between the two lines: NQ line clones had recurrent independent mutations affecting the Ssy1p-Ptr3p-Ssy5p (SPS) amino acid sensing pathway, while Q line clones had recurrent, independent mutations in SIR3 and FAS1. Our results suggest that both sets of enriched-cell type lines responded to common, as well as distinct, selective pressures.

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for production of very long chain fatty acid-derived chemicals

Production of chemicals and biofuels through microbial fermentation is an economical and sustainable alternative for traditional chemical synthesis. Here we present the construction of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae platform strain for high-level production of very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA)-derived chemicals. Through rewiring the native fatty acid elongation system and implementing a heterologous Mycobacteria FAS I system, we establish an increased biosynthesis of VLCFAs in S. cerevisiae. VLCFAs can be selectively modified towards the fatty alcohol docosanol (C₂₂H₄₆O) by expressing a specific fatty acid reductase. Expression of this enzyme is shown to impair cell growth due to consumption of VLCFA-CoAs. We therefore implement a dynamic control strategy for separating cell growth from docosanol production. We successfully establish high-level and selective docosanol production of 83.5 mg l⁻¹ in yeast. This approach will provide a universal strategy towards the production of similar high value chemicals in a more scalable, stable and sustainable manner.

Production of chemicals by microbial fermentation is an economical alternative to chemical synthesis. Here the authors re-engineer the yeast S. cerevisiae to produce the very long chain fatty alcohol docosanol by expressing a heterologous Mycobacteria fatty acid synthase and a specific fatty acid reductase.

Flux Control at the Malonyl-CoA Node through Hierarchical Dynamic Pathway Regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The establishment of a heterologous pathway in a microbial host for the production of industrially relevant chemicals at high titers and yields requires efficient adjustment of the central carbon metabolism to ensure that flux is directed toward the product of interest. This can be achieved through regulation at key branch points in the metabolic networks, and here we present a novel approach for dynamic modulation of pathway flux and enzyme expression levels. The approach is based on a hierarchical dynamic control system around the key pathway intermediate malonyl-CoA. The upper level of the control system ensures downregulation of endogenous use of malonyl-CoA for fatty acid biosynthesis, which results in accumulation of this pathway intermediate. The lower level of the control system is based on use of a novel biosensor for malonyl-CoA to activate expression of a heterologous pathway using this metabolite for production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP). The malonyl-CoA sensor was developed based on the FapR transcription factor of Bacillus subtilis, and it demonstrates one of the first applications of a bacterial metabolite sensor in yeast. Introduction of the dual pathway control increased the production of 3-HP by 10-fold and can also be applied for production of other malonyl-CoA-derived products.

Physiological and transcriptional characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae engineered for production of fatty acid ethyl esters

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has previously been engineered to become a cell factory for the production of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), molecules suitable for crude diesel replacement. To find new metabolic engineering targets for the improvement of FAEE cell factories, three different FAEE-producing strains of S. cerevisiae, constructed previously, were compared and characterized by quantification of key fluxes and genome-wide transcription analysis. From both the physiological and the transcriptional data, it was indicated that strain CB2I20, with high expression of a heterologous wax ester synthase gene (ws2) and strain BdJ15, containing disruptions of genes DGA1, LRO1, ARE1, ARE2 and POX1, which prevent the conversion of acyl-CoA to sterol esters, triacylglycerides and the degradation to acetyl-CoA, triggered oxidative stress that consequently influenced cellular growth. In the latter strain, stress was possibly triggered by disabling the buffering capacity of lipid droplets in encapsulating toxic fatty acids such as oleic acid. Additionally, it was indicated that there was an increased demand for NADPH required for the reduction steps in fatty acid biosynthesis. In conclusion, our analysis clearly shows that engineering of fatty acid biosynthesis results in transcriptional reprogramming and has a significant effect on overall cellular metabolism.

Metabolism and regulation of glycerolipids in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Due to its genetic tractability and increasing wealth of accessible data, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a model system of choice for the study of the genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology of eukaryotic lipid metabolism. Glycerolipids (e.g., phospholipids and triacylglycerol) and their precursors are synthesized and metabolized by enzymes associated with the cytosol and membranous organelles, including endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. Genetic and biochemical analyses have revealed that glycerolipids play important roles in cell signaling, membrane trafficking, and anchoring of membrane proteins in addition to membrane structure. The expression of glycerolipid enzymes is controlled by a variety of conditions including growth stage and nutrient availability. Much of this regulation occurs at the transcriptional level and involves the Ino2–Ino4 activation complex and the Opi1 repressor, which interacts with Ino2 to attenuate transcriptional activation of UAS_INO-containing glycerolipid biosynthetic genes. Cellular levels of phosphatidic acid, precursor to all membrane phospholipids and the storage lipid triacylglycerol, regulates transcription of UAS_INO-containing genes by tethering Opi1 to the nuclear/endoplasmic reticulum membrane and controlling its translocation into the nucleus, a mechanism largely controlled by inositol availability. The transcriptional activator Zap1 controls the expression of some phospholipid synthesis genes in response to zinc availability. Regulatory mechanisms also include control of catalytic activity of glycerolipid enzymes by water-soluble precursors, products and lipids, and covalent modification of phosphorylation, while in vivo function of some enzymes is governed by their subcellular location. Genome-wide genetic analysis indicates coordinate regulation between glycerolipid metabolism and a broad spectrum of metabolic pathways.

Universal function-specificity of codon usage

Synonymous codon usage has long been known as a factor that affects average expression level of proteins in fast-growing microorganisms, but neither its role in dynamic changes of expression in response to environmental changes nor selective factors shaping it in the genomes of higher eukaryotes have been fully understood. Here, we propose that codon usage is ubiquitously selected to synchronize the translation efficiency with the dynamic alteration of protein expression in response to environmental and physiological changes. Our analysis reveals that codon usage is universally correlated with gene function, suggesting its potential contribution to synchronized regulation of genes with similar functions. We directly show that coexpressed genes have similar synonymous codon usages within the genomes of human, yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli. We also demonstrate that perturbing the codon usage directly affects the level or even direction of changes in protein expression in response to environmental stimuli. Perturbing tRNA composition also has tangible phenotypic effects on the cell. By showing that codon usage is universally function-specific, our results expand, to almost all organisms, the notion that cells may need to dynamically alter their intracellular tRNA composition in order to adapt to their new environment or physiological role.

Chemical genetic profiling and characterization of small-molecule compounds that affect the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in Candida albicans

The balance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids plays a crucial role in determining the membrane fluidity. In the diploid fungal pathogen Candida albicans, the gene for fatty acid Delta9 desaturase, OLE1, is essential for viability. Using a reverse genetic approach, termed the fitness test, we identified a group of structurally related synthetic compounds that induce specific hypersensitivity of the OLE1(+/-) strain. Genetic repression of OLE1 and chemical inhibition by two selected compounds, ECC145 and ECC188, resulted in a marked decrease in the total unsaturated fatty acids and impaired hyphal development. The resulting auxotroph of both was suppressed by the exogenous monounsaturated fatty acids (16:1Delta9 and 18:1Delta9). These correlations suggest that both compounds affect the level of unsaturated fatty acids, likely by impairing Ole1p directly or indirectly. However, the residual levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) resulted from chemical inhibition were significantly higher than OLE1 repression, indicating even partial inhibition of MUFAs is sufficient to stop cellular proliferation. Although the essentiality of OLE1 was suppressed by MUFAs in vitro, we demonstrated that it was required for virulence in a murine model of systemic candidiasis even when the animals were supplemented with a high fat diet. Thus, the fungal fatty acid desaturase is an attractive antifungal drug target. Taking advantage of the inhibitors and the relevant conditional shut-off strains, we validated several chemical genetic interactions observed in the fitness test profiles that reveal novel genetic interactions between OLE1/unsaturated fatty acids and other cellular processes.

The impact of the nucleosome code on protein-coding sequence evolution in yeast

Coding sequence evolution was once thought to be the result of selection on optimal protein function alone. Selection can, however, also act at the RNA level, for example, to facilitate rapid translation or ensure correct splicing. Here, we ask whether the way DNA works also imposes constraints on coding sequence evolution. We identify nucleosome positioning as a likely candidate to set up such a DNA-level selective regime and use high-resolution microarray data in yeast to compare the evolution of coding sequence bound to or free from nucleosomes. Controlling for gene expression and intra-gene location, we find a nucleosome-free "linker" sequence to evolve on average 5-6% slower at synonymous sites. A reduced rate of evolution in linker is especially evident at the 5' end of genes, where the effect extends to non-synonymous substitution rates. This is consistent with regular nucleosome architecture in this region being important in the context of gene expression control. As predicted, codons likely to generate a sequence unfavourable to nucleosome formation are enriched in linker sequence. Amino acid content is likewise skewed as a function of nucleosome occupancy. We conclude that selection operating on DNA to maintain correct positioning of nucleosomes impacts codon choice, amino acid choice, and synonymous and non-synonymous rates of evolution in coding sequence. The results support the exclusion model for nucleosome positioning and provide an alternative interpretation for runs of rare codons. As the intimate association of histones and DNA is a universal characteristic of genic sequence in eukaryotes, selection on coding sequence composition imposed by nucleosome positioning should be phylogenetically widespread.

Characteristic differences between the promoters of intron-containing and intronless ribosomal protein genes in yeast

Background

More than two thirds of the highly expressed ribosomal protein (RP) genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae contain introns, which is in sharp contrast to the genome-wide five percent intron-containing genes. It is well established that introns carry regulatory sequences and that the transcription of RP genes is extensively and coordinately regulated. Here we test the hypotheses that introns are innately associated with heavily transcribed genes and that introns of RP genes contribute regulatory TF binding sequences. Moreover, we investigate whether promoter features are significantly different between intron-containing and intronless RP genes.

Results

We find that directly measured transcription rates tend to be lower for intron-containing compared to intronless RP genes. We do not observe any specifically enriched sequence motifs in the introns of RP genes other than those of the branch point and the two splice sites. Comparing the promoters of intron-containing and intronless RP genes, we detect differences in number and position of Rap1-binding and IFHL motifs. Moreover, the analysis of the length distribution and the folding free energies suggest that, at least in a sub-population of RP genes, the 5' untranslated sequences are optimized for regulatory function.

Conclusion

Our results argue against the direct involvement of introns in the regulation of transcription of highly expressed genes. Moreover, systematic differences in motif distributions suggest that RP transcription factors may act differently on intron-containing and intronless gene promoters. Thus, our findings contribute to the decoding of the RP promoter architecture and may fuel the discussion on the evolution of introns.

Inhibition of the fungal fatty acid synthase type I multienzyme complex

Fatty acids are among the major building blocks of living cells, making lipid biosynthesis a potent target for compounds with antibiotic or antineoplastic properties. We present the crystal structure of the 2.6-MDa Saccharomyces cerevisiae fatty acid synthase (FAS) multienzyme in complex with the antibiotic cerulenin, representing, to our knowledge, the first structure of an inhibited fatty acid megasynthase. Cerulenin attacks the FAS ketoacyl synthase (KS) domain, forming a covalent bond to the active site cysteine C1305. The inhibitor binding causes two significant conformational changes of the enzyme. First, phenylalanine F1646, shielding the active site, flips and allows access to the nucleophilic cysteine. Second, methionine M1251, placed in the center of the acyl-binding tunnel, rotates and unlocks the inner part of the fatty acid binding cavity. The importance of the rotational movement of the gatekeeping M1251 side chain is reflected by the cerulenin resistance and the changed product spectrum reported for S. cerevisiae strains mutated in the adjacent glycine G1250. Platensimycin and thiolactomycin are two other potent inhibitors of KSs. However, in contrast to cerulenin, they show selectivity toward the prokaryotic FAS system. Because the flipped F1646 characterizes the catalytic state accessible for platensimycin and thiolactomycin binding, we superimposed structures of inhibited bacterial enzymes onto the S. cerevisiae FAS model. Although almost all side chains involved in inhibitor binding are conserved in the FAS multienzyme, a different conformation of the loop K1413-K1423 of the KS domain might explain the observed low antifungal properties of platensimycin and thiolactomycin.

Transcriptional regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis is linked to fatty acid metabolism by an acyl-CoA-binding-protein-dependent mechanism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the present study, we have used DNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR analysis to examine the transcriptional changes that occur in response to cellular depletion of the yeast acyl-CoA-binding protein, Acb1p. Depletion of Acb1p resulted in the differential expression of genes encoding proteins involved in fatty acid and phospholipid synthesis (e.g. FAS1, FAS2, ACC1, OLE1, INO1 and OPI3), glycolysis and glycerol metabolism (e.g. GPD1 and TDH1), ion transport and uptake (e.g. ITR1 and HNM1) and stress response (e.g. HSP12, DDR2 and CTT1). In the present study, we show that transcription of the INO1 gene, which encodes inositol-3-phosphate synthase, cannot be fully repressed by inositol and choline, and UAS(INO1) (inositol-sensitive upstream activating sequence)-driven transcription is enhanced in Acb1p-depleted cells. In addition, the reduction in inositol-mediated repression of INO1 transcription observed after depletion of Acb1p appeared to be independent of the transcriptional repressor, Opi1p. We also demonstrated that INO1 and OPI3 expression can be normalized in Acb1p-depleted cells by the addition of high concentrations of exogenous fatty acids, or by the overexpression of FAS1 or ACC1. Together, these findings revealed an Acb1p-dependent connection between fatty acid metabolism and transcriptional regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis in yeast. Finally, expression of an Acb1p mutant which is unable to bind acyl-CoA esters could not normalize the transcriptional changes caused by Acb1p depletion. This strongly implied that gene expression is modulated either by the Acb1p-acyl-CoA ester complex directly or by its ability to donate acyl-CoA esters to utilizing systems.

SFH2 regulates fatty acid synthase activity in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is critical to prevent saturated fatty acid accumulation in response to haem and oleic acid depletion

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a facultative anaerobic organism. Under anaerobiosis, sustained growth relies on the presence of exogenously supplied unsaturated fatty acids and ergosterol that yeast is unable to synthesize in the absence of oxygen or upon haem depletion. In the absence of exogenous supplementation with unsaturated fatty acid, a net accumulation of SFA (saturated fatty acid) is observed that induces significant modification of phospholipid profile [Ferreira, Régnacq, Alimardani, Moreau-Vauzelle and Bergès (2004) Biochem. J. 378, 899–908]. In the present paper, we focus on the role of SFH2/CSR1, a hypoxic gene related to SEC14 and its involvement in lipid metabolism upon haem depletion in the absence of oleic acid supplementation. We observed that inactivation of SFH2 results in enhanced accumulation of SFA and phospholipid metabolism alterations. It results in premature growth arrest and leads to an exacerbated sensitivity to exogenous SFA. This phenotype is suppressed in the presence of exogenous oleic acid, or by a controlled expression of FAS1, one of the two genes encoding FAS. We present several lines of evidence to suggest that Sfh2p and oleic acid regulate SFA synthase in yeast at different levels: whereas oleic acid acts on FAS2 at the transcriptional level, we show that Sfh2p inhibits fatty acid synthase activity in response to haem depletion.

Genome-wide fitness test and mechanism-of-action studies of inhibitory compounds in Candida albicans

Candida albicans is a prevalent fungal pathogen amongst the immunocompromised population, causing both superficial and life-threatening infections. Since C. albicans is diploid, classical transmission genetics can not be performed to study specific aspects of its biology and pathogenesis. Here, we exploit the diploid status of C. albicans by constructing a library of 2,868 heterozygous deletion mutants and screening this collection using 35 known or novel compounds to survey chemically induced haploinsufficiency in the pathogen. In this reverse genetic assay termed the fitness test, genes related to the mechanism of action of the probe compounds are clearly identified, supporting their functional roles and genetic interactions. In this report, chemical-genetic relationships are provided for multiple FDA-approved antifungal drugs (fluconazole, voriconazole, caspofungin, 5-fluorocytosine, and amphotericin B) as well as additional compounds targeting ergosterol, fatty acid and sphingolipid biosynthesis, microtubules, actin, secretion, rRNA processing, translation, glycosylation, and protein folding mechanisms. We also demonstrate how chemically induced haploinsufficiency profiles can be used to identify the mechanism of action of novel antifungal agents, thereby illustrating the potential utility of this approach to antifungal drug discovery.

Fatty acid synthesis and elongation in yeast

Fatty acids are essential compounds in the cell. Since the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not feed typically on fatty acids, cellular function and growth relies on endogenous synthesis. Since all cellular organelles are involved in--or dependent on--fatty acid synthesis, multiple levels of control may exist to ensure proper fatty acid composition and homeostasis. In this review, we summarize what is currently known about enzymes involved in cellular fatty acid synthesis and elongation, and discuss potential links between fatty acid metabolism, physiology and cellular regulation.

The novel ATP-binding cassette protein ARB1 is a shuttling factor that stimulates 40S and 60S ribosome biogenesis

ARB1 is an essential yeast protein closely related to members of a subclass of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of proteins that are known to interact with ribosomes and function in protein synthesis or ribosome biogenesis. We show that depletion of ARB1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells leads to a deficit in 18S rRNA and 40S subunits that can be attributed to slower cleavage at the A0, A1, and A2 processing sites in 35S pre-rRNA, delayed processing of 20S rRNA to mature 18S rRNA, and a possible defect in nuclear export of pre-40S subunits. Depletion of ARB1 also delays rRNA processing events in the 60S biogenesis pathway. We further demonstrate that ARB1 shuttles from nucleus to cytoplasm, cosediments with 40S, 60S, and 80S/90S ribosomal species, and is physically associated in vivo with TIF6, LSG1, and other proteins implicated previously in different aspects of 60S or 40S biogenesis. Mutations of conserved ARB1 residues expected to function in ATP hydrolysis were lethal. We propose that ARB1 functions as a mechanochemical ATPase to stimulate multiple steps in the 40S and 60S ribosomal biogenesis pathways.

Microbial type I fatty acid synthases (FAS): major players in a network of cellular FAS systems

The present review focuses on microbial type I fatty acid synthases (FASs), demonstrating their structural and functional diversity. Depending on their origin and biochemical function, multifunctional type I FAS proteins form dimers or hexamers with characteristic organization of their catalytic domains. A single polypeptide may contain one or more sets of the eight FAS component functions. Alternatively, these functions may split up into two different and mutually complementing subunits. Targeted inactivation of the individual yeast FAS acylation sites allowed us to define their roles during the overall catalytic process. In particular, their pronounced negative cooperativity is presumed to coordinate the FAS initiation and chain elongation reactions. Expression of the unlinked genes, FAS1 and FAS2, is in part constitutive and in part subject to repression by the phospholipid precursors inositol and choline. The interplay of the involved regulatory proteins, Rap1, Reb1, Abf1, Ino2/Ino4, Opi1, Sin3 and TFIIB, has been elucidated in considerable detail. Balanced levels of subunits alpha and beta are ensured by an autoregulatory effect of FAS1 on FAS2 expression and by posttranslational degradation of excess FAS subunits. The functional specificity of type I FAS multienzymes usually requires the presence of multiple FAS systems within the same cell. De novo synthesis of long-chain fatty acids, mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis, acylation of certain secondary metabolites and coenzymes, fatty acid elongation, and the vast diversity of mycobacterial lipids each result from specific FAS activities. The microcompartmentalization of FAS activities in type I multienzymes may thus allow for both the controlled and concerted action of multiple FAS systems within the same cell.

Analysis of the alternative oxidase promoters from soybean

Alternative oxidase (Aox) is a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein. In soybean (Glycine max), the three members of the gene family have been shown to be differentially expressed during normal plant development and in response to stresses. To examine the function of the Aox promoters, genomic fragments were obtained for all three soybean genes: Aox1, Aox2a, and Aox2b. The regions of these fragments immediately upstream of the coding regions were used to drive beta-glucuronidase (GUS) expression during transient transformation of soybean suspension culture cells and stable transformation of Arabidopsis. The expression patterns of the GUS reporter genes in soybean cells were in agreement with the presence or absence of the various endogenous Aox proteins, determined by immunoblotting. Deletion of different portions of the upstream regions identified sequences responsible for both positive and negative regulation of Aox gene expression in soybean cells. Reporter gene analysis in Arabidopsis plants showed differential tissue expression patterns driven by the three upstream regions, similar to those reported for the endogenous proteins in soybean. The expression profiles of all five members of the Arabidopsis Aox gene family were examined also, to compare with GUS expression driven by the soybean upstream fragments. Even though the promoter activity of the upstream fragments from soybean Aox2a and Aox2b displayed the same tissue specificity in Arabidopsis as they do in soybean, the most prominently expressed endogenous genes in all tissues of Arabidopsis were of the Aox1 type. Thus although regulation of Aox expression generally appears to involve the same signals in different species, different orthologs of Aox may respond variously to these signals. A comparison of upstream sequences between soybean Aox genes and similarly expressed Arabidopsis Aox genes identified common motifs.

New insights in the regulation of the afp gene encoding the antifungal protein of Aspergillus giganteus

The antifungal protein (AFP) secreted by the mould Aspergillus giganteus is a small, highly basic polypeptide with antifungal activity. Previous work has shown that transcription of the corresponding afp gene is regulated by ambient pH, being suppressed under acidic and strongly induced under alkaline conditions. This observation suggested that the afp gene is regulated by the wide-domain transcriptional factor PacC. Here, we show that two putative PacC binding sites within the afp promoter, denoted afpP1 and afpP2, are efficiently recognised in vitro by a PacC fusion protein of A. nidulans. In addition, we found that phosphate, which was used as a buffering agent during cultivation, plays an important role in regulating afp expression. AFP production was nearly completely inhibited in the presence of external phosphate. The results of Northern analysis indicate that the inhibitory effect of phosphate is mediated at the transcriptional level.