Isolation and characterization of high-osmolarity-sensitive mutants of fission yeast

Protective roles of osmotic stress-resistant Hos3 against oxidative, nitrosative and nutritional stresses in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Hos3 is involved in cellular growth under osmotic stress in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The recombinant plasmid pYFHos3 harboring the structural gene encoding Hos3 was constructed. The S. pombe cells harboring pYFHos3 contained the increased hos3 (+) mRNA content and exhibited an enhanced growth in high osmotic conditions, such as 1.5 M KCl and 2.5 M D-glucose, compared with the vector control cells. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion-generating menadione (MD) and nitric oxide (NO)-generating sodium nitroprusside (SNP), they could grow better than the vector control cells. In the presence of H2O2, MD and SNP and in the absence of a nitrogen source, the S. pombe cells harboring pYFHos3 contained less elevated NO and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels than the vector control cells. Collectively, the S. pombe Hos3 also participate in the cellular defense against oxidative, nitrosative and nutritional stresses through down-regulating ROS and NO levels.

Fission yeast TOR signaling is essential for the down-regulation of a hyperactivated stress-response MAP kinase under salt stress

TOR (target of rapamycin) signaling regulates cell growth and division in response to environmental stimuli such as the availability of nutrients and various forms of stress. The vegetative growth of fission yeast cells, unlike other eukaryotic cells, is not inhibited by treatment with rapamycin. We found that certain mutations including pmc1Δ (Ca(2+)-ATPase), cps9-193 (small GTPase, Ryh1) and cps1-12 (1,3-β-D-glucan synthase, Bgs1) confer a rapamycin-sensitive phenotype to cells under salt stress with potassium chloride (>0.5 M). Cytometric analysis revealed that the mutant cells were unable to enter the mitotic cell cycle when treated with the drug under salt stress. Gene cloning and overexpression experiments revealed that the sensitivity to rapamycin was suppressed by the ectopic expression of tyrosine phosphatases, Pyp1 and Pyp2, which are negative regulators of Spc1/Sty1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The level of tyrosine phosphorylation on Spc1 was higher and sustained substantially longer in these mutants than in the wild type under salt stress. The hyperphosphorylation was significantly suppressed by overexpression of pyp1 (+) with concomitant resumption of the mutant cells' growth. In fission yeast, TOR signaling has been thought to stimulate the stress-response pathway, because mutations of TORC2 components such as Tor1, Sin1 and Ste20 result in similar sensitive phenotypes to environmental stress. The present study, however, strongly suggests that TOR signaling is required for the down-regulation of a hyperactivated Spc1 for reentry into the mitotic cell cycle. This finding may shed light on our understanding of a new stress-responsive mechanism in TOR signaling in higher organisms.

Mutation of a degS homologue in Enterobacter cloacae decreases colonization and biological control of damping-off on cucumber

We have been using mutagenesis to determine how biocontrol bacteria such as Enterobacter cloacae 501R3 deal with complex nutritional environments found in association with plants. E. cloacae C10, a mutant of 501R3 with a transposon insertion in degS, was diminished in growth on synthetic cucumber root exudate (SRE), colonization of cucumber seed and roots, and control of damping-off of cucumber caused by Pythium ultimum. DegS, a periplasmic serine protease in the closely related bacterium Escherichia coli K12, is required for the RpoE-mediated stress response. C10 containing wild-type degS from 501R3 or from E. coli K12 on pBeloBAC11 was significantly increased in growth on SRE, colonization of cucumber roots, and control of P. ultimum relative to C10 containing pBeloBAC11 alone. C10 and 501R3 were similar in sensitivity to acidic conditions, plant-derived phenolic compounds, oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide, dessication, and high osmoticum; stress conditions potentially associated with plants. This study demonstrates a role for degS in the spermosphere and rhizosphere during colonization and disease control by Enterobacter cloacae. This study implicates, for the first time, the involvement of DegS and, by extension, the RpoE-mediated stress response, in reducing stress on E. cloacae resulting from the complex nutritional environments in the spermosphere and rhizosphere.

Rab-family GTPase regulates TOR complex 2 signaling in fission yeast

BACKGROUND

From yeast to human, TOR (target of rapamycin) kinase plays pivotal roles in coupling extracellular stimuli to cell growth and metabolism. TOR kinase functions in two distinct protein complexes, TOR complex 1 (TORC1) and 2 (TORC2), which phosphorylate and activate different AGC-family protein kinases. TORC1 is controlled by the small GTPase Rheb, but little is known about TORC2 regulators.

RESULTS

We have identified the Ryh1 GTPase, a human Rab6 ortholog, as an activator of TORC2 signaling in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Mutational inactivation of Ryh1 or its guanine nucleotide exchange factor compromises the TORC2-dependent phosphorylation of the AGC-family Gad8 kinase. In addition, the effector domain of Ryh1 is important for its physical interaction with TORC2 and for stimulation of TORC2 signaling. Thus, GTP-bound Ryh1 is likely to be the active form stimulatory to TORC2-Gad8 signaling. Consistently, expression of the GTP-locked mutant Ryh1 is sufficient to promote interaction between TORC2 and Gad8 and to induce Gad8 hyperphosphorylation. The loss of functional Ryh1, TORC2, or Gad8 brings about similar vacuolar fragmentation and stress sensitivity, further corroborating their involvement in a common cellular process. Human Rab6 can substitute Ryh1 in S. pombe, and therefore Rab6 may be a potential activator of TORC2 in mammals.

CONCLUSIONS

In its GTP-bound form, Ryh1, an evolutionarily conserved Rab GTPase, activates TORC2 signaling to the AGC kinase Gad8. The Ryh1 GTPase and the TORC2-Gad8 pathway are required for vacuolar integrity and cellular stress resistance in S. pombe.

Identification of Ecl family genes that extend chronological lifespan in fission yeast

In fission yeast, we identified two genes, named ecl2+ and ecl3+, that are paralogous to ecl1+, which extends the chronological lifespan. Both ecl2+ and ecl3+ extend the chronological lifespan when overexpressed as ecl1+. ecl2+ and ecl3+ encode 84- and 89-amino acid polypeptides respectively that are not annotated in the current database. The Ecl2 protein is localized mainly in the nucleus, as Ecl1. These results suggest that ecl1+, ecl2+, and ecl3+ have overlapping functions in the regulation of chronological lifespan.

A novel gene, ecl1(+), extends the chronological lifespan in fission yeast

We have identified a novel gene from Schizosaccharomyces pombe that we have named ecl1(+) (extender of the chronological lifespan). When ecl1(+) is provided on a high-copy number plasmid, it extends the viability of both the Deltasty1 MAP kinase mutant and the wild-type cells after entry into the stationary phase. ecl1(+) encodes an 80-amino acid polypeptide that had not been annotated in the current database. The ecl1(+)-mRNA increases transiently when the growth phase is changed from the log phase to the stationary phase. The Ecl1 protein is localized in the nucleus. Calorie restriction extends the chronological lifespan of wild-type and Deltaecl1 cells but not ecl1(+)-overproducing cells. The Deltapka1 mutant shows little, if any, additional extension of viability when Ecl1 is overproduced. The ste11(+) gene that is negatively controlled by Pka1 is up regulated when Ecl1 is overproduced. From these results we propose that the effect of Ecl1 overproduction may be mainly linked to and negatively affects the Pka1-dependent pathway.

Mutation in cyaA in Enterobacter cloacae decreases cucumber root colonization

Strains of Enterobacter cloacae show promise as biological control agents for Pythium ultimum-induced damping-off on cucumber and other crops. Enterobacter cloacae M59 is a mini-Tn5 Km transposon mutant of strain 501R3. Populations of M59 were significantly lower on cucumber roots and decreased much more rapidly than those of strain 501R3 with increasing distance from the soil line. Strain M59 was decreased or deficient in growth and chemotaxis on most individual compounds detected in cucumber root exudate and on a synthetic cucumber root exudate medium. Strain M59 was also slightly less acid resistant than strain 501R3. Molecular characterization of strain M59 demonstrated that mini-Tn5 Km was inserted in cyaA, which encodes adenylate cyclase. Adenylate cyclase catalyzes the formation of cAMP and cAMP levels in cell lysates from strain M59 were approximately 2% those of strain 501R3. Addition of exogenous, nonphysiological concentrations of cAMP to strain M59 restored growth (1 mM) and chemotaxis (5 mM) on synthetic cucumber root exudate and increased cucumber seedling colonization (5 mM) by this strain without serving as a source of reduced carbon, nitrogen, or phosphorous. These results demonstrate a role for cyaA in colonization of cucumber roots by Enterobacter cloacae.

Analysis of aldosterone-induced differential receptor-independent protein patterns using 2D-electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

In the human body the mineralocorticoid aldosterone is responsible for maintaining water and electrolyte homeostasis and therefore controlling blood pressure. In addition, aldosterone has recently been associated with severe heart failure. Besides receptor-dependent action, the damaging effects of aldosterone may also be partly mediated through non-genomic mechanisms. The present study focuses on the mineralocorticoid receptor-independent action of aldosterone at the protein level. We chose the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model organism, since this yeast does not contain nuclear steroid receptors, but many genes and regulatory mechanisms that are close to those of mammals. Using 2D-electrophoresis we identified for the first time protein spots affected by aldosterone in a nuclear receptor-free system. Mass spectrometry analysis using MALDI-TOF MS and nanoLC-MS/MS approaches allowed the unambiguous identification of 11 proteins that showed increased or decreased levels, which may represent newly identified players and pathways of aldosterone-induced action. Two proteins with a connection to osmotic regulation (NAD-dependent malic enzyme and glycerol-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase), as well as two proteins involved in the overall organization of the cytoskeleton, vip1 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which was also found to be specifically affected by aldosterone in human HCT116 cells, are discussed.

Genetic and functional interaction between Ryh1 and Ypt3: two Rab GTPases that function in S. pombe secretory pathway

We have previously isolated ypt3-i5 mutant and showed that Ypt3 GTPase functions in the fission yeast secretory pathway. Here, the same genetic screen led to the isolation of ryh1-i6, a mutant allele of the ryh1+ gene encoding a homolog of Rab6. The ryh1-i6 mutant showed phenotypes that support its role in retrograde traffic from endosome to the Golgi. Interestingly, ryh1+ gene deletion was synthetically lethal with ypt3-i5 mutation. Consistently, the over-expression of the GDP-conformational mutant, Ryh1T25 N, inhibited the growth of ypt3-i5 mutant but had no effect on that of wild-type cells. Furthermore, the over-expression of the Ryh1T25N mutant inhibited the acid phosphatase glycosylation and exacerbated the cell wall integrity of ypt3-i5 mutant, but had no effect on those of wild-type cells. GFP-Ryh1 and GFP-Ypt3 both localized at the Golgi/endosome, but showed distinct subcellular localizations. The localization of GFP-Ryh1 in ypt3-i5 mutant and that of GFP-Ypt3 in ryh1-i6 mutant were distinct from those in wild-type cells. In addition, Ryh1 as well as Ypt3 were shown to be involved in acid phosphatase secretion. These results suggest that Ryh1 is involved in the secretory pathway and may have a potential overlapping function with Ypt3 in addition to its role in recycling.

Heat-inducible degron and the making of conditional mutants

Conditional mutants retain the function of a specific gene under one set of conditions, called permissive, and lack that function under a different set of conditions, called nonpermissive; the latter must be still permissive for the wild-type allele of a gene. Such mutants make possible the analysis of physiological changes that follow controlled inactivation of a gene or gene product and can be used to address the function of any gene. Temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants, first used in functional studies more than half a century ago, remain a mainstay of genetic analyses. One limitation of the classical ts approach is the uncertainty as to whether a given gene can be mutated to yield a ts product. Another problem with conventional ts mutations is that they are often too leaky to be useful. In 1994, we described a new method, based on a heat-activated degradation signal (degron) that is targeted by the N-end-rule pathway in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The corresponding mutants were termed td (temperature-activated degron) to distinguish them from conventional ts mutants. The td method requires neither a missense mutation in a gene of interest nor an alteration in its expression patterns. Arg-DHFR(ts), a ts variant of dihydrofolate reductase-bearing N-terminal Arg residue (a destabilizing residue in the N-end rule) was shown to function as a portable, heat-activated degron, in that Arg-DHFR(ts) was long-lived at 23 degrees but became short-lived at 37 degrees , owing to activation of its previously cryptic degron. Linking, in a linear fusion, this portable ts-degron to a protein of interest results in destruction of the latter at 37 degrees , thereby yielding a ts (td) mutant of a corresponding gene. Since the introduction of the td method in 1994, numerous studies have successfully used td alleles of specific genes in functional analyses.

Glycerol: a neglected variable in metabolic processes?

Glycerol is a small and simple molecule produced in the breakdown of glucose, proteins, pyruvate, triacylglycerols and other glycerolipid, as well as release from dietary fats. An increasing number of observations show that glycerol is probably involved in a surprising variety of physiopathologic mechanisms. Glycerol has long been known to play fundamental roles in several vital physiological processes, in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and is an important intermediate of energy metabolism. Despite some differences in the details of their operation, many of these mechanisms have been preserved throughout evolution, demonstrating their fundamental importance. In particular, glycerol can control osmotic activity and crystal formation and then act as a cryoprotective agent. Furthermore, its properties make it useful in numerous industrial, therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Few studies have focussed directly on glycerol, however, and while its metabolism is increasingly well documented, much of the details remain unknown. Considering the importance of glycerol in multiple vital physiological processes, its study could help unlock important physiopathological mechanisms.

Identification and characterization of a novel gene, hos3+, the function of which is necessary for growth under high osmotic stress in fission yeast

hos3 mutants of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe showed the phenotype of high osmolarity sensitivity for growth. An S. pombe strain carrying the hos3-M26 allele cannot form colonies on agar plates containing 2 M glucose, but the parental strain can do so very well, as demonstrated previously. The hos3+ gene was cloned and identified as one that encodes a small protein of 94 amino acids, which shows no sequence similarity to any other proteins in the current databases. A hos3delta strain, which we then constructed, had the phenotype of high osmolarity sensitivity, as in the case of the original hos3-M26 mutant. More interestingly, when these hos- cells were grown in the non-permissive growth condition in the presence of 2 M glucose, we found that unusually many septated cells were accumulated after a prolonged incubation. A multicopy suppressor gene for hos- mutations was also isolated and identified as the dsk1+ gene encoding a protein kinase, which was previously suggested to be implicated in a process of the mitotic regulation of S. pombe. The function of the hos3+ gene is discussed from these results.

The cta3+ gene that encodes a cation-transporting P-type ATPase is induced by salt stress under control of the Wis1-Sty1 MAPKK-MAPK cascade in fission yeast

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the Wis1-Sty1 MAP (mitogen-activated protein) kinase signaling cascade is known to play a major role in cellular adaptation to adverse external stimuli, including osmotic stress, oxidative stress, nutrient deprivation, DNA-damaging agents, and heat stress. Nonetheless, it is not known whether or not this particular MAPK cascade is also involved in response to the most common stress, salinity. In this study, we provide evidence that the Wis1-Sty1 MAP cascade is implicated in salt stress response through regulating expression of a salinity-inducible gene. The downstream target gene thus identified is the cta3+ gene, which encodes a cation-transporting P-type ATPase. The salt stress-responsive nature of cta3+ expression was characterized extensively. It was found that not only the Sty1 MAP kinase but also the Atf1 transcription factor is crucial for the inducible expression of cta3+. As far as we know, this is the first instance that the stress-activated Wis1-Sty1 MAPK cascade plays a role in salt stress response in S. pombe.