Yeast translational response to high salinity: global analysis reveals regulation at multiple levels

The ribosome-associated chaperone Zuo1 controls translation upon TORC1 inhibition

Protein requirements of eukaryotic cells are ensured by proteostasis, which is mediated by tight control of TORC1 activity. Upon TORC1 inhibition, protein degradation is increased and protein synthesis is reduced through inhibition of translation initiation to maintain cell viability. Here, we show that the ribosome-associated complex (RAC)/Ssb chaperone system, composed of the HSP70 chaperone Ssb and its HSP40 co-chaperone Zuo1, is required to maintain proteostasis and cell viability under TORC1 inhibition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the absence of Zuo1, translation does not decrease in response to the loss of TORC1 activity. A functional interaction between Zuo1 and Ssb is required for proper translational control and proteostasis maintenance upon TORC1 inhibition. Furthermore, we have shown that the rapid degradation of eIF4G following TORC1 inhibition is mediated by autophagy and is prevented in zuo1Δ cells, contributing to decreased survival in these conditions. We found that autophagy is defective in zuo1Δ cells, which impedes eIF4G degradation upon TORC1 inhibition. Our findings identify an essential role for RAC/Ssb in regulating translation in response to changes in TORC1 signalling.

Contribution of the yeast bi-chaperone system in the restoration of the RNA helicase Ded1 and translational activity under severe ethanol stress

Preexposure to mild stress often improves cellular tolerance to subsequent severe stress. Severe ethanol stress (10% v/v) causes persistent and pronounced translation repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, it remains unclear whether preexposure to mild stress can mitigate translation repression in yeast cells under severe ethanol stress. We found that the translational activity of yeast cells pretreated with 6% (v/v) ethanol was initially significantly repressed under subsequent 10% ethanol but was then gradually restored even under severe ethanol stress. We also found that 10% ethanol caused the aggregation of Ded1, which plays a key role in translation initiation as a DEAD-box RNA helicase. Pretreatment with 6% ethanol led to the gradual disaggregation of Ded1 under subsequent 10% ethanol treatment in wild-type cells but not in fes1Δhsp104Δ cells, which are deficient in Hsp104 with significantly reduced capacity for Hsp70. Hsp104 and Hsp70 are key components of the bi-chaperone system that play a role in yeast protein quality control. fes1Δhsp104Δ cells did not restore translational activity under 10% ethanol, even after pretreatment with 6% ethanol. These results indicate that the regeneration of Ded1 through the bi-chaperone system leads to the gradual restoration of translational activity under continuous severe stress. This study provides new insights into the acquired tolerance of yeast cells to severe ethanol stress and the resilience of their translational activity.

Dung beetle-associated yeasts display multiple stress tolerance: a desirable trait of potential industrial strains

BACKGROUND

Stress-tolerant yeasts are highly desirable for cost-effective bioprocessing. Several strategies have been documented to develop robust yeasts, such as genetic and metabolic engineering, artificial selection, and natural selection strategies, among others. However, the significant drawbacks of such techniques have motivated the exploration of naturally occurring stress-tolerant yeasts. We previously explored the biodiversity of non-conventional dung beetle-associated yeasts from extremophilic and pristine environments in Botswana (Nwaefuna AE et.al., Yeast, 2023). Here, we assessed their tolerance to industrially relevant stressors individually, such as elevated concentrations of osmolytes, organic acids, ethanol, and oxidizing agents, as well as elevated temperatures.

RESULTS

Our findings suggest that these dung beetle-associated yeasts tolerate various stresses comparable to those of the robust bioethanol yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Ethanol Red™). Fifty-six percent of the yeast isolates were tolerant of temperatures up to 42 °C, 12.4% of them could tolerate ethanol concentrations up to 9% (v/v), 43.2% of them were tolerant to formic acid concentrations up to 20 mM, 22.7% were tolerant to acetic acid concentrations up to 45 mM, 34.0% of them could tolerate hydrogen peroxide up to 7 mM, and 44.3% of the yeasts could tolerate osmotic stress up to 1.5 M.

CONCLUSION

The ability to tolerate multiple stresses is a desirable trait in the selection of novel production strains for diverse biotechnological applications, such as bioethanol production. Our study shows that the exploration of natural diversity in the search for stress-tolerant yeasts is an appealing approach for the development of robust yeasts.

Post-transcriptional control of fungal cell wall synthesis

Pathogenic fungi hide from their hosts by camouflage, obscuring immunogenic cell wall components such as beta-glucan with innocuous coverings such as mannoproteins and alpha-glucan that are less readily recognised by the host. Attempts to understand how such processes are regulated have met with varying success. Typically studies focus on understanding the transcriptional response of fungi to either their reservoir environment or the host. However, such approaches do not fully address this research question, due to the layers of post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation that occur within a cell. Although in animals the impact of post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation has been well characterised, our knowledge of these processes in the fungal kingdom is more limited. Mutations in RNA-binding proteins, like Ssd1 and Candida albicans Slr1, affect cell wall composition and fungal virulence indicating that post-transcriptional regulation plays a key role in these processes. Here, we review the current state of knowledge of fungal post-transcriptional regulation, and link this to potential mechanisms of immune evasion by drawing on studies from model yeast and plant pathogenic fungi. We highlight several RNA-binding proteins that regulate cell wall synthesis and could be involved in local translation of cell wall components. Expanding our knowledge on post-transcriptional regulation in human fungal pathogens is essential to fully comprehend fungal virulence strategies and for the design of novel antifungal therapies.

RNA-controlled nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of mRNA decay factors regulates mRNA synthesis and a novel mRNA decay pathway

mRNA level is controlled by factors that mediate both mRNA synthesis and decay, including the 5' to 3' exonuclease Xrn1. Here we show that nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of several yeast mRNA decay factors plays a key role in determining both mRNA synthesis and decay. Shuttling is regulated by RNA-controlled binding of the karyopherin Kap120 to two nuclear localization sequences (NLSs) in Xrn1, location of one of which is conserved from yeast to human. The decaying RNA binds and masks NLS1, establishing a link between mRNA decay and Xrn1 shuttling. Preventing Xrn1 import, either by deleting KAP120 or mutating the two Xrn1 NLSs, compromises transcription and, unexpectedly, also cytoplasmic decay, uncovering a cytoplasmic decay pathway that initiates in the nucleus. Most mRNAs are degraded by both pathways - the ratio between them represents a full spectrum. Importantly, Xrn1 shuttling is required for proper responses to environmental changes, e.g., fluctuating temperatures, involving proper changes in mRNA abundance and in cell proliferation rate.

Post-transcriptional regulation during stress

To remain competitive, cells exposed to stress of varying duration, rapidity of onset, and intensity, have to balance their expenditure on growth and proliferation versus stress protection. To a large degree dependent on the time scale of stress exposure, the different levels of gene expression control: transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational, will be engaged in stress responses. The post-transcriptional level is appropriate for minute-scale responses to transient stress, and for recovery upon return to normal conditions. The turnover rate, translational activity, covalent modifications, and subcellular localisation of RNA species are regulated under stress by multiple cellular pathways. The interplay between these pathways is required to achieve the appropriate signalling intensity and prevent undue triggering of stress-activated pathways at low stress levels, avoid overshoot, and down-regulate the response in a timely fashion. As much of our understanding of post-transcriptional regulation has been gained in yeast, this review is written with a yeast bias, but attempts to generalise to other eukaryotes. It summarises aspects of how post-transcriptional events in eukaryotes mitigate short-term environmental stresses, and how different pathways interact to optimise the stress response under shifting external conditions.

Genome-Wide Identification of Cellular Pathways and Key Genes That Respond to Sodium Bicarbonate Stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) is an important inorganic salt. It is not only widely used in industrial production and daily life, but is also the main stress in alkaline saline soil. NaHCO₃ has a strong ability to inhibit the growth of fungi in both natural environment and daily application. However, the mechanism by which fungi respond to NaHCO₃ stress is not fully understood. To further clarify the toxic mechanisms of NaHCO₃ stress and identify the specific cellular genes and pathways involved in NaHCO₃ resistance, we performed genome-wide screening with NaHCO₃ using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion mutant library. A total of 33 deletion mutants with NaHCO₃ sensitivity were identified. Compared with wild-type strains, these mutants had significant growth defects in the medium containing NaHCO₃. Bioinformatics analysis found that the corresponding genes of these mutants are mainly enriched in the cell cycle, mitophagy, cell wall integrity, and signaling pathways. Further study using transcriptomic analysis showed that 309 upregulated and 233 downregulated genes were only responded to NaHCO₃ stress, when compared with yeast transcriptomic data under alkaline and saline stress. Upregulated genes were mainly concentrated in amino acid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and cell wall, while downregulated genes were enriched in various cellular metabolisms. In summary, we have identified the cellular pathways and key genes that respond to NaHCO₃ stress in the whole genome, providing resource and direction for understanding NaHCO₃ toxicity and cellular resistance mechanisms.

Changes in mRNA stability play an important role in the adaptation of yeast cells to iron deprivation

Eukaryotic cells rely on iron as an indispensable cofactor for multiple biological functions including mitochondrial respiration and protein synthesis. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae utilizes both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms to couple mRNA levels to the requirements of iron deprivation. Thus, in response to iron deficiency, transcription factors Aft1 and Aft2 activate the expression of genes implicated in iron acquisition and mobilization, whereas two mRNA-binding proteins, Cth1 and Cth2, posttranscriptionally control iron metabolism. By using a genome-wide approach, we describe here a global stabilization of mRNAs, including transcripts encoding ribosomal proteins (RPs), when iron bioavailability diminishes. mRNA decay assays indicate that the mRNA-binding protein Pub1 contributes to RP transcript stabilization during adaptation to iron limitation. In fact, Pub1 becomes critical for growth and translational repression in low-iron conditions. Remarkably, we observe that pub1Δ cells also exhibit an increase in the transcription of RP genes that evidences the crosstalk between transcription and degradation mechanisms to maintain the appropriate mRNA balance under iron deficiency conditions.

DebaryOmics: an integrative -omics study to understand the halophilic behaviour of Debaryomyces hansenii

Debaryomyces hansenii is a non-conventional yeast considered to be a well-suited option for a number of different industrial bioprocesses. It exhibits a set of beneficial traits (halotolerant, oleaginous, xerotolerant, inhibitory compounds resistant) which translates to a number of advantages for industrial fermentation setups when compared to traditional hosts. Although D. hansenii has been highly studied during the last three decades, especially in regards to its salt-tolerant character, the molecular mechanisms underlying this natural tolerance should be further investigated in order to broadly use this yeast in biotechnological processes. In this work, we performed a series of chemostat cultivations in controlled bioreactors where D. hansenii (CBS 767) was grown in the presence of either 1M NaCl or KCl and studied the transcriptomic and (phospho)proteomic profiles. Our results show that sodium and potassium trigger different responses at both expression and regulation of protein activity levels and also complemented previous reports pointing to specific cellular processes as key players in halotolerance, moreover providing novel information about the specific genes involved in each process. The phosphoproteomic analysis, the first of this kind ever reported in D. hansenii, also implicated a novel and yet uncharacterized cation transporter in the response to high sodium concentrations.

Phase transitions in biology: from bird flocks to population dynamics

Phase transitions are an important and extensively studied concept in physics. The insights derived from understanding phase transitions in physics have recently and successfully been applied to a number of different phenomena in biological systems. Here, we provide a brief review of phase transitions and their role in explaining biological processes ranging from collective behaviour in animal flocks to neuronal firing. We also highlight a new and exciting area where phase transition theory is particularly applicable: population collapse and extinction. We discuss how phase transition theory can give insight into a range of extinction events such as population decline due to climate change or microbial responses to stressors such as antibiotic treatment.

Salt-stress adaptation of yeast as a simple method to improve high-gravity fermentation in an industrial medium

While Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a popular organism to produce ethanol, its fermentation performance is affected at high sugar concentrations due to osmotic stress. We hypothesized that adaptation under ionic stress conditions will improve the fermentation performance at high sugar concentrations due to cross-stress adaptation. We, therefore, adapted a high-performance yeast strain, S. cerevisiae CEN.PK 122, to increasing salt concentrations in an industrial medium. Control cells were adapted in the medium without added salt. The cells adapted to 3.5% (w/v) salt concentration demonstrated a superior performance when fermenting 10-30% (w/v) glucose. When fermenting 30% (w/v) glucose, the ethanol yields of the adapted cells (0.49 ± 0.01 g g^-1) were about 30% higher than the control cells (0.37 ± 0.01 g g^-1) and are comparable with the best reported to date for any medium employed. Similar improvements were also observed when fermenting 10% (w/v) sucrose. However, little improvement in fermentation was observed at the higher temperature tested (40 °C), even though the growth of the adapted cells was greater when tested in YPD medium. The improvements in fermentation at 30 °C were primarily related to the faster growth of the adapted cells and not to an increase in specific intake rates. Additionally, a significantly reduced lag phase was also observed when fermenting 30% (w/v) glucose. Thus, our work shows the application of a simple strategy to significantly improve high-gravity fermentation (HGF) performance through adaptation. KEY POINTS: • Cell adapted on 3.5% NaCl made 28% more ethanol when fermenting 30% glucose. • The adapted cells had reduced lag phase, grew faster, and produced less glycerol. • The improvements were not related to increased specific rates of production.

Preferential Ribosome Loading on the Stress-Upregulated mRNA Pool Shapes the Selective Translation under Stress Conditions

The reprogramming of gene expression is one of the key responses to environmental stimuli, whereas changes in mRNA do not necessarily bring forth corresponding changes of the protein, which seems partially due to the stress-induced selective translation. To address this issue, we systematically compared the transcriptome and translatome using self-produced and publicly available datasets to decipher how and to what extent the coordination and discordance between transcription and translation came to be in response to wounding (self-produced), dark to light transition, heat, hypoxia, Pi starvation and the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (elf18) in Arabidopsis. We found that changes in total mRNAs (transcriptome) and ribosome-protected fragments (translatome) are highly correlated upon dark to light transition or heat stress. However, this close correlation was generally lost under other four stresses analyzed in this study, especially during immune response, which suggests that transcription and translation are differentially coordinated under distinct stress conditions. Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that typical stress responsive genes were upregulated at both transcriptional and translational levels, while non-stress-specific responsive genes were changed solely at either level or downregulated at both levels. Taking wounding responsive genes for example, typical stress responsive genes are generally involved in functional categories related to dealing with the deleterious effects caused by the imposed wounding stress, such as response to wounding, response to water deprivation and response to jasmonic acid, whereas non-stress-specific responsive genes are often enriched in functional categories like S-glycoside biosynthetic process, photosynthesis and DNA-templated transcription. Collectively, our results revealed the differential as well as targeted coordination between transcriptome and translatome in response to diverse stresses, thus suggesting a potential model wherein preferential ribosome loading onto the stress-upregulated mRNA pool could be a pacing factor for selective translation.

Recruitment of Xrn1 to stress-induced genes allows efficient transcription by controlling RNA polymerase II backtracking

A new paradigm has emerged proposing that the crosstalk between nuclear transcription and cytoplasmic mRNA stability keeps robust mRNA levels in cells under steady-state conditions. A key piece in this crosstalk is the highly conserved 5'-3' RNA exonuclease Xrn1, which degrades most cytoplasmic mRNAs but also associates with nuclear chromatin to activate transcription by not well-understood mechanisms. Here, we investigated the role of Xrn1 in the transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to osmotic stress. We show that a lack of Xrn1 results in much lower transcriptional induction of the upregulated genes but in similar high levels of their transcripts because of parallel mRNA stabilization. Unexpectedly, lower transcription in xrn1 occurs with a higher accumulation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) at stress-inducible genes, suggesting that this polymerase remains inactive backtracked. Xrn1 seems to be directly implicated in the formation of a competent elongation complex because Xrn1 is recruited to the osmotic stress-upregulated genes in parallel with the RNAPII complex, and both are dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinase Hog1. Our findings extend the role of Xrn1 in preventing the accumulation of inactive RNAPII at highly induced genes to other situations of rapid and strong transcriptional upregulation.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae ER membrane protein complex subunit 4 (EMC4) plays a crucial role in eIF2B-mediated translation regulation and survival under stress conditions

Background

Eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) initiates and regulates translation initiation in eukaryotes. eIF2B gene mutations cause leukoencephalopathy called vanishing white matter disease (VWM) in humans and slow growth (Slg⁻) and general control derepression (Gcd⁻) phenotypes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Results

To suppress eIF2B mutations, S. cerevisiae genomic DNA library was constructed in high-copy vector (YEp24) and transformed into eIF2B mutant S. cerevisiae strains. The library was screened for wild-type genes rescuing S. cerevisiae (Slg⁻) and (Gcd⁻) phenotypes. A genomic clone, Suppressor-I (Sup-I), rescued S. cerevisiae Slg⁻ and Gcd⁻ phenotypes (gcd7-201 gcn2∆). The YEp24/Sup-I construct contained truncated TAN1, full length EMC4, full length YGL230C, and truncated SAP4 genes. Full length EMC4 (chaperone protein) gene was sub-cloned into pEG (KG) yeast expression vector and overexpressed in gcd7-201 gcn2∆ strain which suppressed the Slg⁻ and Gcd⁻ phenotype. A GST-Emc4 fusion protein of 47 kDa was detected by western blotting using α-GST antibodies. Suppression was specific to gcd7-201 gcn2∆ mutation in eIF2Bβ and Gcd1-502 gcn2∆ in eIF2Bγ subunit. Emc4p overexpression also protected the wild type and mutant (gcd7-201 gcn2∆, GCD7 gcn2∆, and GCD7 GCN2∆) strains from H₂O₂, ethanol, and caffeine stress.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that Emc4p is involved in eIF2B-mediated translational regulation under stress and could provide an amenable tool to understand the eIF2B-mediated defects.

Regulation of ribosomal protein genes: An ordered anarchy

Ribosomal protein genes are among the most highly expressed genes in most cell types. Their products are generally essential for ribosome synthesis, which is the cornerstone for cell growth and proliferation. Many cellular resources are dedicated to producing ribosomal proteins and thus this process needs to be regulated in ways that carefully balance the supply of nascent ribosomal proteins with the demand for new ribosomes. Ribosomal protein genes have classically been viewed as a uniform interconnected regulon regulated in eukaryotic cells by target of rapamycin and protein kinase A pathway in response to changes in growth conditions and/or cellular status. However, recent literature depicts a more complex picture in which the amount of ribosomal proteins produced varies between genes in response to two overlapping regulatory circuits. The first includes the classical general ribosome‐producing program and the second is a gene‐specific feature responsible for fine‐tuning the amount of ribosomal proteins produced from each individual ribosomal gene. Unlike the general pathway that is mainly controlled at the level of transcription and translation, this specific regulation of ribosomal protein genes is largely achieved through changes in pre‐mRNA splicing efficiency and mRNA stability. By combining general and specific regulation, the cell can coordinate ribosome production, while allowing functional specialization and diversity. Here we review the many ways ribosomal protein genes are regulated, with special focus on the emerging role of posttranscriptional regulatory events in fine‐tuning the expression of ribosomal protein genes and its role in controlling the potential variation in ribosome functions.

This article is categorized under:

Translation > Ribosome Biogenesis

Translation > Ribosome Structure/Function

Translation > Translation Regulation

Phase transition behaviour in yeast and bacterial populations under stress

Non-equilibrium phase transitions from survival to extinction have recently been observed in computational models of evolutionary dynamics. Dynamical signatures predictive of population collapse have been observed in yeast populations under stress. We experimentally investigate the population response of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to biological stressors (temperature and salt concentration) in order to investigate the system's behaviour in the vicinity of population collapse. While both conditions lead to population decline, the dynamical characteristics of the population response differ significantly depending on the stressor. Under temperature stress, the population undergoes a sharp change with significant fluctuations within a critical temperature range, indicative of a continuous absorbing phase transition. In the case of salt stress, the response is more gradual. A similar range of response is observed with the application of various antibiotics to Escherichia coli, with a variety of patterns of decreased growth in response to antibiotic stress both within and across antibiotic classes and mechanisms of action. These findings have implications for the identification of critical tipping points for populations under environmental stress.

Global translational repression induced by iron deficiency in yeast depends on the Gcn2/eIF2α pathway

Iron is an essential element for all eukaryotic organisms because it participates as a redox active cofactor in a wide range of biological processes, including protein synthesis. Translation is probably the most energy consuming process in cells. Therefore, one of the initial responses of eukaryotic cells to stress or nutrient limitation is the arrest of mRNA translation. In first instance, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to iron deficiency by activating iron acquisition and remodeling cellular metabolism in order to prioritize essential over non-essential iron-dependent processes. We have determined that, despite a global decrease in transcription, mRNA translation is actively maintained during a short-term exposure to iron scarcity. However, a more severe iron deficiency condition induces a global repression of translation. Our results indicate that the Gcn2-eIF2α pathway limits general translation at its initiation step during iron deficiency. This bulk translational inhibition depends on the uncharged tRNA sensing Gcn1-Gcn20 complex. The involvement of the Gcn2-eIF2α pathway in the response to iron deficiency highlights its central role in the eukaryotic response to stress or nutritional deprivation, which is conserved from yeast to mammals.

Overlapping responses between salt and oxidative stress in Debaryomyces hansenii

Debaryomyces hansenii is a halotolerant yeast of importance in basic and applied research. Previous reports hinted about possible links between saline and oxidative stress responses in this yeast. The aim of this work was to study that hypothesis at different molecular levels, investigating after oxidative and saline stress: (i) transcription of seven genes related to oxidative and/or saline responses, (ii) activity of two main anti-oxidative enzymes, (iii) existence of common metabolic intermediates, and (iv) generation of damages to biomolecules as lipids and proteins. Our results showed how expression of genes related to oxidative stress was induced by exposure to NaCl and KCl, and, vice versa, transcription of some genes related to osmotic/salt stress responses was regulated by H₂O₂. Moreover, and contrary to S. cerevisiae, in D. hansenii HOG1 and MSN2 genes were modulated by stress at their transcriptional level. At the enzymatic level, saline stress also induced antioxidative enzymatic defenses as catalase and glutathione reductase. Furthermore, we demonstrated that both stresses are connected by the generation of intracellular ROS, and that hydrogen peroxide can affect the accumulation of in-cell sodium. On the other hand, no significant alterations in lipid oxidation or total glutathione content were observed upon exposure to both stresses tested. The results described in this work could help to understand the responses to both stressors, and to improve the biotechnological potential of D. hansenni.

Systems biology approach in the formulation of chemically defined media for recombinant protein overproduction

The cell culture medium is an intricate mixture of components which has a tremendous effect on cell growth and recombinant protein production. Regular cell culture medium includes various components, and the decision about which component should be included in the formulation and its optimum amount is an underlying issue in biotechnology industries. Applying conventional techniques to design an optimal medium for the production of a recombinant protein requires meticulous and immense research. Moreover, since the medium formulation for the production of one protein could not be the best choice for another protein, hence, the most suitable media should be determined for each recombinant cell line. Accordingly, medium formulation becomes a laborious, time-consuming, and costly process in biomanufacturing of recombinant protein, and finding alternative strategies for medium development seems to be crucial. In silico modeling is an attractive concept to be adapted for medium formulation due to its high potential to supersede laboratory examinations. By emerging the high-throughput datasets, scientists can disclose the knowledge about the effect of medium components on cell growth and metabolism, and via applying this information through systems biology approach, medium formulation optimization could be accomplished in silico with no need of significant amount of experimentation. This review demonstrates some of the applications of systems biology as a powerful tool for medium development and illustrates the effect of medium optimization with system-level analysis on the production of recombinant proteins in different host cells.

Functional genomics in sand fly-derived Leishmania promastigotes

Background

Leishmania development in the sand fly gut leads to highly infective forms called metacyclic promastigotes. This process can be routinely mimicked in culture. Gene expression–profiling studies by transcriptome analysis have been performed with the aim of studying promastigote forms in the sand fly gut, as well as differences between sand fly–and culture-derived promastigotes.

Findings

Transcriptome analysis has revealed the crucial role of the microenvironment in parasite development within the sand fly gut because substantial differences and moderate correlation between the transcriptomes of cultured and sand fly–derived promastigotes have been found. Sand fly–derived metacyclics are more infective than metacyclics in culture. Therefore, some caution should be exercised when using cultured promastigotes, depending on the experimental design. The most remarkable examples are the hydrophilic acidic surface protein/small endoplasmic reticulum protein (HASP/SHERP) cluster, the glycoprotein 63 (gp63), and autophagy genes, which are up-regulated in sand fly–derived promastigotes compared with cultured promastigotes. Because HASP/SHERP genes are up-regulated in nectomonad and metacyclic promastigotes in the sand fly, the encoded proteins are not metacyclic specific. Metacyclic promastigotes are distinguished by morphology and high infectivity. Isolating them from the sand fly gut is not exempt from technical difficulty, because other promastigote forms remain in the gut even 15 days after infection. Leishmania major procyclic promastigotes within the sand fly gut up-regulate genes involved in cell cycle regulation and glucose catabolism, whereas metacyclics increase transcript levels of fatty acid biosynthesis and ATP-coupled proton transport genes. Most parasite's signal transduction pathways remain uncharacterized. Future elucidation may improve understanding of parasite development, particularly signaling molecule-encoding genes in sand fly versus culture and between promastigote forms in the sand fly gut.

Conclusions

Transcriptome analysis has been demonstrated to be technically efficacious to study differential gene expression in sand fly gut promastigote forms. Transcript and protein levels are not well correlated in these organisms (approximately 25% quantitative coincidences), especially under stress situations and at differentiation processes. However, transcript and protein levels behave similarly in approximately 60% of cases from a qualitative point of view (increase, decrease, or no variation). Changes in translational efficiency observed in other trypanosomatids strongly suggest that the differences are due to translational regulation and regulation of the steady-state protein levels. The lack of low-input sample strategies does not allow translatome and proteome analysis of sand fly–derived promastigotes so far.

Multiplexing polysome profiling experiments to study translation in Escherichia coli

Polysome profiling is a widely used method to monitor the translation status of mRNAs. Although it is theoretically a simple technique, it is labor intensive. Repetitive polysome fractionation rapidly generates a large number of samples to be handled in the downstream processes of protein elimination, RNA extraction and quantification. Here, we propose a multiplex polysome profiling experiment in which distinct cellular extracts are pooled before loading on the sucrose gradient for fractionation. We used the multiplexing method to study translation in E. coli. Multiplexing polysome profiling experiments provided similar mRNA translation status to that obtained with the non-multiplex method with comparable distribution of mRNA copies between the polysome profiling fractions, similar ribosome occupancy and ribosome density. The multiplexing method was used for parallel characterization of gene translational responses to changing mRNA levels. When the mRNA level of two native genes, cysZ and lacZ was increased by transcription induction, their global translational response was similar, with a higher ribosome load leading to increased ribosome occupancy and ribosome densities. However the pattern and the magnitude of the translational response were gene specific. By reducing the number of polysome profiling experiments, the multiplexing method saved time and effort and reduced cost and technical bias. This method would be useful to study the translational effect of mRNA sequence-dependent parameters that often require testing multiple samples and conditions in parallel.

Measuring Single-Cell Phenotypic Growth Heterogeneity Using a Microfluidic Cell Volume Sensor

An imaging-integrated microfluidic cell volume sensor was used to evaluate the volumetric growth rate of single cells from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae population exhibiting two phenotypic expression states of the PDR5 gene. This gene grants multidrug resistance by transcribing a membrane transporter capable of pumping out cytotoxic compounds from the cell. Utilizing fluorescent markers, single cells were isolated and trapped, then their growth rates were measured in two on-chip environments: rich media and media dosed with the antibiotic cycloheximide. Approximating growth rates to first-order, we assessed the fitness of individual cells and found that those with low PDR5 expression had higher fitness in rich media whereas cells with high PDR5 expression had higher fitness in the presence of the drug. Moreover, the drug dramatically reduced the fitness of cells with low PDR5 expression but had comparatively minimal impact on the fitness of cells with high PDR5 expression. Our experiments show the utility of this imaging-integrated microfluidic cell volume sensor for high-resolution, single-cell analysis, as well as its potential application for studies that characterize and compare the fitness and morphology of individual cells from heterogeneous populations under different growth conditions.

Translational regulation in response to stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae must dynamically alter the composition of its proteome in order to respond to diverse stresses. The reprogramming of gene expression during stress typically involves initial global repression of protein synthesis, accompanied by the activation of stress‐responsive mRNAs through both translational and transcriptional responses. The ability of specific mRNAs to counter the global translational repression is therefore crucial to the overall response to stress. Here we summarize the major repressive mechanisms and discuss mechanisms of translational activation in response to different stresses in S. cerevisiae. Taken together, a wide range of studies indicate that multiple elements act in concert to bring about appropriate translational responses. These include regulatory elements within mRNAs, altered mRNA interactions with RNA‐binding proteins and the specialization of ribosomes that each contribute towards regulating protein expression to suit the changing environmental conditions.

Decoupling Yeast Cell Division and Stress Defense Implicates mRNA Repression in Translational Reallocation during Stress

Stress tolerance and rapid growth are often competing interests in cells. Upon severe environmental stress, many organisms activate defense systems concurrent with growth arrest. There has been debate as to whether aspects of the stress-activated transcriptome are regulated by stress or an indirect byproduct of reduced proliferation. For example, stressed Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells mount a common gene expression program called the environmental stress response (ESR) [1] comprised of ∼300 induced (iESR) transcripts involved in stress defense and ∼600 reduced (rESR) mRNAs encoding ribosomal proteins (RPs) and ribosome biogenesis factors (RiBi) important for division. Because ESR activation also correlates with reduced growth rate in nutrient-restricted chemostats and prolonged G1 in slow-growing mutants, an alternate proposal is that the ESR is simply a consequence of reduced division [2-5]. A major challenge is that past studies did not separate effects of division arrest and stress defense; thus, the true responsiveness of the ESR-and the purpose of stress-dependent rESR repression in particular-remains unclear. Here, we decoupled cell division from the stress response by following transcriptome, proteome, and polysome changes in arrested cells responding to acute stress. We show that the ESR cannot be explained by changes in growth rate or cell-cycle phase during stress acclimation. Instead, failure to repress rESR transcripts reduces polysome association of induced transcripts, delaying production of their proteins. Our results suggest that stressed cells alleviate competition for translation factors by removing mRNAs and ribosomes from the translating pool, directing translational capacity toward induced transcripts to accelerate protein production.

Network inference reveals novel connections in pathways regulating growth and defense in the yeast salt response

Cells respond to stressful conditions by coordinating a complex, multi-faceted response that spans many levels of physiology. Much of the response is coordinated by changes in protein phosphorylation. Although the regulators of transcriptome changes during stress are well characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the upstream regulatory network controlling protein phosphorylation is less well dissected. Here, we developed a computational approach to infer the signaling network that regulates phosphorylation changes in response to salt stress. We developed an approach to link predicted regulators to groups of likely co-regulated phospho-peptides responding to stress, thereby creating new edges in a background protein interaction network. We then use integer linear programming (ILP) to integrate wild type and mutant phospho-proteomic data and predict the network controlling stress-activated phospho-proteomic changes. The network we inferred predicted new regulatory connections between stress-activated and growth-regulating pathways and suggested mechanisms coordinating metabolism, cell-cycle progression, and growth during stress. We confirmed several network predictions with co-immunoprecipitations coupled with mass-spectrometry protein identification and mutant phospho-proteomic analysis. Results show that the cAMP-phosphodiesterase Pde2 physically interacts with many stress-regulated transcription factors targeted by PKA, and that reduced phosphorylation of those factors during stress requires the Rck2 kinase that we show physically interacts with Pde2. Together, our work shows how a high-quality computational network model can facilitate discovery of new pathway interactions during osmotic stress.

Cells sense and respond to stressful environments by utilizing complex signaling networks that integrate diverse signals to coordinate a multi-faceted physiological response. Much of this response is controlled by post-translational protein phosphorylation. Although many regulators that mediate changes in protein phosphorylation are known, how these regulators inter-connect in a single regulatory network that can transmit cellular signals is not known. It is also unclear how regulators that promote growth and regulators that activate the stress response interconnect to reorganize resource allocation during stress. Here, we developed an integrated experimental and computational workflow to infer the signaling network that regulates phosphorylation changes during osmotic stress in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The workflow integrates data measuring protein phosphorylation changes in response to osmotic stress with known physical interactions between yeast proteins from large-scale datasets, along with other information about how regulators recognize their targets. The resulting network suggested new signaling connections between regulators and pathways, including those involved in regulating growth and defense, and predicted new regulators involved in stress defense. Our work highlights the power of using network inference to deliver new insight on how cells coordinate a diverse adaptive strategy to stress.

Biotransformation using halotolerant yeast in seawater: a sustainable strategy to produce R-(-)-phenylacetylcarbinol

Acyloin condensation between benzaldehyde and decarboxylated pyruvate results in the production of R-(-)-phenylacetylcarbinol, a chiral precursor of the drug ephedrine. Huge research efforts have been made to improve the conditions of this reaction and to avoid the generation of by-products. Recently, we reported the advantages of using whole cells of the yeast Debaryomyces etchellsii as biocatalysts for this purpose. In this work, a new strategy, which fulfills green chemistry principles, is proposed and is based on using seawater as a gentle solvent. We demonstrate that, under these conditions, several improvements can be made compared to employing freshwater: (1) the conversion of the starting material in (R)-PAC is higher and with a minimum production of by-products; (2) it is possible to increase at least twofold the benzaldehyde load in the reaction medium; (3) cells can maintain their activity after several recycling rounds, which makes (R)-PAC production an easy and economical process.

Physiological and transcriptomic analysis of a salt-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant obtained by evolutionary engineering

Salt-resistant yeast strains are highly demanded by industry due to the exposure of yeast cells to high concentrations of salt, in various industrial bioprocesses. The aim of this study was to perform a physiological and transcriptomic analysis of a salt-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) mutant generated by evolutionary engineering. NaCl-resistant S. cerevisiae strains were obtained by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis followed by successive batch cultivations in the presence of gradually increasing NaCl concentrations, up to 8.5% w/v of NaCl (1.45 M). The most probable number (MPN) method, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and glucose oxidase/peroxidase method were used for physiological analysis, while Agilent yeast DNA microarray systems were used for transcriptome analysis. NaCl-resistant mutant strain T8 was highly cross-resistant to LiCl and highly sensitive to AlCl3. In the absence of NaCl stress, T8 strain had significantly higher trehalose and glycogen levels compared to the reference strain. Global transcriptome analysis by means of DNA microarrays showed that the genes related to stress response, carbohydrate transport, glycogen and trehalose biosynthesis, as well as biofilm formation, were upregulated. According to gene set enrichment analysis, 548 genes were upregulated and 22 downregulated in T8 strain, compared to the reference strain. Among the 548 upregulated genes, the highest upregulation was observed for the FLO11 (MUC1) gene (92-fold that of the reference strain). Overall, evolutionary engineering by chemical mutagenesis and increasing NaCl concentrations is a promising approach in developing industrial strains for biotechnological applications.

Biomarkers allow detection of nutrient limitations and respective supplementation for elimination in Pichia pastoris fed-batch cultures

BACKGROUND

Industrial processes for recombinant protein production challenge production hosts, such as the yeast Pichia pastoris, on multiple levels. During a common P. pastoris fed-batch process, cells experience strong adaptations to different metabolic states or suffer from environmental stresses due to high cell density cultivation. Additionally, recombinant protein production and nutrient limitations are challenging in these processes.

RESULTS

Pichia pastoris producing porcine carboxypeptidase B (CpB) was cultivated in glucose or methanol-limited fed-batch mode, and the cellular response was analyzed using microarrays. Thereby, strong transcriptional regulations in transport-, regulatory- and metabolic processes connected to sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen metabolism became obvious. The induction of these genes was observed in both glucose- and methanol- limited fed batch cultivations, but were stronger in the latter condition. As the transcriptional pattern was indicative for nutrient limitations, we performed fed-batch cultivations where we added the respective nutrients and compared them to non-supplemented cultures regarding cell growth, productivity and expression levels of selected biomarker genes. In the non-supplemented reference cultures we observed a strong increase in transcript levels of up to 89-fold for phosphorus limitation marker genes in the late fed-batch phase. Transcript levels of sulfur limitation marker genes were up to 35-fold increased. By addition of (NH4)2SO4 or (NH4)2HPO4, respectively, we were able to suppress the transcriptional response of the marker genes to levels initially observed at the start of the fed batch. Additionally, supplementation had also a positive impact on biomass generation and recombinant protein production. Supplementation with (NH4)2SO4 led to 5% increase in biomass and 52% higher CpB activity in the supernatant, compared to the non-supplemented reference cultivations. In (NH4)2HPO4 supplemented cultures 9% higher biomass concentrations and 60% more CpB activity were reached.

CONCLUSIONS

Transcriptional analysis of P. pastoris fed-batch cultivations led to the identification of nutrient limitations in the later phases, and respective biomarker genes for indication of limitations. Supplementation of the cultivation media with those nutrients eliminated the limitations on the transcriptional level, and was also shown to enhance productivity of a recombinant protein. The biomarker genes are versatily applicable to media and process optimization approaches, where tailor-made solutions are envisioned.

Role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TAN1 (tRNA acetyltransferase) in eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B)-mediated translation control and stress response

Eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) controls the first step of translation by catalyzing guanine nucleotide exchange on eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2). Mutations in the genes encoding eIF2B subunits inhibit the nucleotide exchange and eventually slow down the process of translation, causing vanishing white matter disease. We constructed a Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic DNA library in YEp24 vector and screened it for the identification of extragenic suppressors of eIF2B mutations, corresponding to human eIF2B mutations. We found a suppressor-II (Sup-II) genomic clone, as suppressor of eIF2Bβ (gcd7-201) mutation. Identification of Sup-II reveals the presence of truncated SEC15, full-length TAN1 (tRNA acetyltransferase), full-length EMC4, full-length YGL230C (putative protein) and truncated SAP4 genes. Full-length TAN1 (tRNA acetyltransferase) gene, subcloned into pEG(KG) vector and overexpressed in gcd7-201 gcn2∆ strain, suppresses the slow-growth (Slg^-) and general control derepression (Gcd^-) phenotype of gcd7-201 gcn2∆ mutation, but YGL230C did not show any effect. A GST-Tan1p fusion protein of 60 kDa was detected by western blotting using α-GST antibodies. Interestingly, Tan1p overexpression also suppresses the temperature-sensitive (Ts^-), Slg^- and Gcd^- phenotype of eIF2Bγ (gcd1-502) mutant. Role of Tan1p protein in eIF2B-mediated translation regulation was also studied. Results revealed that Tan1p overexpression confers resistance to GCD7 GCN2, gcd7-201 gcn2∆, GCD7 gcn2∆ growth defect under ethanol, H₂O₂ and caffeine stress. No resistance to DMSO-, NaCl- and DTT-mediated growth defect upon GCD7 gcn2∆, GCD7 GCN2, gcd7-201 gcn2∆ was observed by overexpression of TAN1. Hence, we proposed that Tan1p is involved directly or indirectly in regulating eIF2B-mediated translation.

Heat Shock Protein HSP101 Affects the Release of Ribosomal Protein mRNAs for Recovery after Heat Shock

Heat shock (HS) is known to have a profound impact on gene expression at different levels, such as inhibition of protein synthesis, in which HS blocks translation initiation and induces the sequestration of mRNAs into stress granules (SGs) or P-bodies for storage and/or decay. SGs prevent the degradation of the stored mRNAs, which can be reengaged into translation in the recovery period. However, little is known on the mRNAs stored during the stress, how these mRNAs are released from SGs afterward, and what the functional importance is of this process. In this work, we report that Arabidopsis HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN101 (HSP101) knockout mutant (hsp101) presented a defect in translation recovery and SG dissociation after HS Using RNA sequencing and RNA immunoprecipitation approaches, we show that mRNAs encoding ribosomal proteins (RPs) were preferentially stored during HS and that these mRNAs were released and translated in an HSP101-dependent manner during recovery. By ¹⁵N incorporation and polysome profile analyses, we observed that these released mRNAs contributed to the production of new ribosomes to enhance translation. We propose that, after HS, HSP101 is required for the efficient release of RP mRNAs from SGs resulting in a rapid restoration of the translation machinery by producing new RPs.

mRNA decay: an adaptation tool for the environmental fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Fungi are ubiquitous in the environment and humans constantly encounter them in the soil, air, water, and food. The vast majority of these interactions are inconsequential. However, in the context of immunodeficiency precipitated by HIV infection, hematologic malignancy, or transplantation, a small subset of fungi can cause devastating, systemic infection. The most deadly of the opportunistic environmental fungi, Cryptococcus neoformans, is estimated to cause hundreds of thousands of deaths per year, mostly in the context of HIV co-infection. The cellular processes that mediate adaptation to the host environment are of great interest as potential novel therapeutic targets. One such cellular process important for host adaptation is mRNA decay, which mediates the specific degradation of subsets of functionally related mRNAs in response to stressors relevant to pathogenesis, including human core body temperature, carbon limitation, and reactive oxygen stress. Thus, for C. neoformans, host adaptation requires mRNA decay to mediate rapid transcriptome remodeling in the face of stressors encountered in the host. Several nodes of stress-responsive signaling that govern the stress-responsive transcriptome also control the decay rate of mRNAs cleared from the ribosome during stress, suggesting an additional layer of coupling between mRNA synthesis and decay that allows C. neoformans to be a successful pathogen of humans. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1424. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1424 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.

An mRNA decapping mutant deficient in P body assembly limits mRNA stabilization in response to osmotic stress

Yeast is exposed to changing environmental conditions and must adapt its genetic program to provide a homeostatic intracellular environment. An important stress for yeast in the wild is high osmolarity. A key response to this stress is increased mRNA stability primarily by the inhibition of deadenylation. We previously demonstrated that mutations in decapping activators (edc3∆ lsm4∆C), which result in defects in P body assembly, can destabilize mRNA under unstressed conditions. We wished to examine whether mRNA would be destabilized in the edc3∆ lsm4∆C mutant as compared to the wild-type in response to osmotic stress, when P bodies are intense and numerous. Our results show that the edc3∆ lsm4∆C mutant limits the mRNA stability in response to osmotic stress, while the magnitude of stabilization was similar as compared to the wild-type. The reduced mRNA stability in the edc3∆ lsm4∆C mutant was correlated with a shorter PGK1 poly(A) tail. Similarly, the MFA2 mRNA was more rapidly deadenylated as well as significantly stabilized in the ccr4∆ deadenylation mutant in the edc3∆ lsm4∆C background. These results suggest a role for these decapping factors in stabilizing mRNA and may implicate P bodies as sites of reduced mRNA degradation.

Mechanism and Regulation of Protein Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this review, we provide an overview of protein synthesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae The mechanism of protein synthesis is well conserved between yeast and other eukaryotes, and molecular genetic studies in budding yeast have provided critical insights into the fundamental process of translation as well as its regulation. The review focuses on the initiation and elongation phases of protein synthesis with descriptions of the roles of translation initiation and elongation factors that assist the ribosome in binding the messenger RNA (mRNA), selecting the start codon, and synthesizing the polypeptide. We also examine mechanisms of translational control highlighting the mRNA cap-binding proteins and the regulation of GCN4 and CPA1 mRNAs.

Untargeted metabolomics unravels functionalities of phosphorylation sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Background

Coordinated through a complex network of kinases and phosphatases, protein phosphorylation regulates essentially all cellular processes in eukaryotes. Recent advances in proteomics enable detection of thousands of phosphorylation sites (phosphosites) in single experiments. However, functionality of the vast majority of these sites remains unclear and we lack suitable approaches to evaluate functional relevance at a pace that matches their detection.

Results

Here, we assess functionality of 26 phosphosites by introducing phosphodeletion and phosphomimic mutations in 25 metabolic enzymes and regulators from the TOR and HOG signaling pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by phenotypic analysis and untargeted metabolomics. We show that metabolomics largely outperforms growth analysis and recovers 10 out of the 13 previously characterized phosphosites and suggests functionality for several novel sites, including S79 on the TOR regulatory protein Tip41. We analyze metabolic profiles to identify consequences underlying regulatory phosphorylation events and detecting glycerol metabolism to have a so far unknown influence on arginine metabolism via phosphoregulation of the glycerol dehydrogenases. Further, we also find S508 in the MAPKK Pbs2 as a potential link for cross-talking between HOG signaling and the cell wall integrity pathway.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that metabolic profiles can be exploited for gaining insight into regulatory consequences and biological roles of phosphosites. Altogether, untargeted metabolomics is a fast, sensitive and informative approach appropriate for future large-scale functional analyses of phosphosites.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12918-016-0350-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Concomitant Production of Lipids and Carotenoids in Rhodosporidium toruloides under Osmotic Stress Using Response Surface Methodology

As a replacement to existing fossil fuels, biofuels, have proven their worth; however, their widespread use is limited due to inconsistent yields, higher costs and poor productivity. An oleaginous yeast, Rhodosporidium toruloides has been reported to accumulate substantial amounts of lipids (that can be converted to biofuels) and therefore, it was selected for study and optimization. Apart from lipids, R. toruloides is also reported to produce carotene that can be used as a therapeutic agent. In this study, the culture medium was statistically modeled and optimized for concomitant production of lipids and carotenoids and for improving and maximizing the productivity of lipids as well as carotenes. The two metabolites were expressed differentially in the growth cycle of the organism. Culture medium components were simultaneously varied at five different levels using statistical modeling employing response surface methodology (RSM). Osmotic stress was introduced in order to simulate saline conditions and optimize the carotenoid as well as lipid production process, to be used in conditions with high salt contents. We observed a 10% (w/v) increase in carotenoid production in initial experiments under osmotic stress due to high salt concentration, while the increase in lipid synthesis was not pronounced. In this study, we demonstrate 36.2% (w/v) lipid production and 27.2% (w/v) carotenoid production, under osmotic stress with high salt concentrations, for the first time.

Prioritized Expression of BTN2 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under Pronounced Translation Repression Induced by Severe Ethanol Stress

Severe ethanol stress (>9% ethanol, v/v) as well as glucose deprivation rapidly induces a pronounced repression of overall protein synthesis in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Therefore, transcriptional activation in yeast cells under severe ethanol stress does not always indicate the production of expected protein levels. Messenger RNAs of genes containing heat shock elements can be intensively translated under glucose deprivation, suggesting that some mRNAs are preferentially translated even under severe ethanol stress. In the present study, we tried to identify the mRNA that can be preferentially translated under severe ethanol stress. BTN2 encodes a v-SNARE binding protein, and its null mutant shows hypersensitivity to ethanol. We found that BTN2 mRNA was efficiently translated under severe ethanol stress but not under mild ethanol stress. Moreover, the increased Btn2 protein levels caused by severe ethanol stress were smoothly decreased with the elimination of ethanol stress. These findings suggested that severe ethanol stress extensively induced BTN2 expression. Further, the BTN2 promoter induced protein synthesis of non-native genes such as CUR1, GIC2, and YUR1 in the presence of high ethanol concentrations, indicating that this promoter overcame severe ethanol stress-induced translation repression. Thus, our findings provide an important clue about yeast response to severe ethanol stress and suggest that the BTN2 promoter can be used to improve the efficiency of ethanol production and stress tolerance of yeast cells by modifying gene expression in the presence of high ethanol concentration.

A New Method for Determining Structure Ensemble: Application to a RNA Binding Di-Domain Protein

Structure ensemble determination is the basis of understanding the structure-function relationship of a multidomain protein with weak domain-domain interactions. Paramagnetic relaxation enhancement has been proven a powerful tool in the study of structure ensembles, but there exist a number of challenges such as spin-label flexibility, domain dynamics, and overfitting. Here we propose a new (to our knowledge) method to describe structure ensembles using a minimal number of conformers. In this method, individual domains are considered rigid; the position of each spin-label conformer and the structure of each protein conformer are defined by three and six orthogonal parameters, respectively. First, the spin-label ensemble is determined by optimizing the positions and populations of spin-label conformers against intradomain paramagnetic relaxation enhancements with a genetic algorithm. Subsequently, the protein structure ensemble is optimized using a more efficient genetic algorithm-based approach and an overfitting indicator, both of which were established in this work. The method was validated using a reference ensemble with a set of conformers whose populations and structures are known. This method was also applied to study the structure ensemble of the tandem di-domain of a poly (U) binding protein. The determined ensemble was supported by small-angle x-ray scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation data. The ensemble obtained suggests an induced fit mechanism for recognition of target RNA by the protein.

Genome-Wide Transcriptional Response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Stress-Induced Perturbations

Cells respond to environmental and/or genetic perturbations in order to survive and proliferate. Characterization of the changes after various stimuli at different -omics levels is crucial to comprehend the adaptation of cells to the changing conditions. Genome-wide quantification and analysis of transcript levels, the genes affected by perturbations, extends our understanding of cellular metabolism by pointing out the mechanisms that play role in sensing the stress caused by those perturbations and related signaling pathways, and in this way guides us to achieve endeavors, such as rational engineering of cells or interpretation of disease mechanisms. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system has been studied in response to different perturbations and corresponding transcriptional profiles were followed either statically or/and dynamically, short and long term. This review focuses on response of yeast cells to diverse stress inducing perturbations, including nutritional changes, ionic stress, salt stress, oxidative stress, osmotic shock, and to genetic interventions such as deletion and overexpression of genes. It is aimed to conclude on common regulatory phenomena that allow yeast to organize its transcriptomic response after any perturbation under different external conditions.

IRES-dependent translated genes in fungi: computational prediction, phylogenetic conservation and functional association

Background

The initiation of translation via cellular internal ribosome entry sites plays an important role in the stress response and certain physiological conditions in which canonical cap-dependent translation initiation is compromised. Currently, only a limited number of these regulatory elements have been experimentally identified. Notably, cellular internal ribosome entry sites lack conservation of both the primary sequence and mRNA secondary structure, rendering their identification difficult. Despite their biological importance, the currently available computational strategies to predict them have had limited success. We developed a bioinformatic method based on a support vector machine for the prediction of internal ribosome entry sites in fungi using the 5’-UTR sequences of 20 non-redundant fungal organisms. Additionally, we performed a comparative analysis and characterization of the functional relationships among the gene products predicted to be translated by this cap-independent mechanism.

Results

Using our method, we predicted 6,532 internal ribosome entry sites in 20 non-redundant fungal organisms. Some orthologous groups were enriched with our positive predictions. This is the case of the HSP70 chaperone family, which remarkably has two verified internal ribosome entry sites, one in humans and the other in flies. A second example is the orthologous group of the eIF4G repression protein Sbp1p, which has two homologous genes known to be translated by this cap-independent mechanism, one in mice and the other in yeast. These examples emphasize the wide conservation of these regulatory elements as a result of selective pressure. In addition, we performed a protein-protein interaction network characterization of the gene products of our positive predictions using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model, which revealed a highly connected and modular topology, suggesting a functional association. A remarkable example of this functional association is our prediction of internal ribosome entry sites elements in three components of the RNA polymerase II mediator complex.

Conclusions

We developed a method for the prediction of cellular internal ribosome entry sites that may guide experimental and bioinformatic analyses to increase our understanding of protein translation regulation. Our analysis suggests that fungi show evolutionary conservation and functional association of proteins translated by this cap-independent mechanism.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2266-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Global Microarray Analysis of Alkaliphilic Halotolerant Bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 Salt Stress Adaptation

The alkaliphilic halotolerant bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 is often exposed to salt stress in its natural habitats. In this study, we used one-colour microarrays to investigate adaptive responses of Bacillus sp. N16-5 transcriptome to long-term growth at different salinity levels (0%, 2%, 8%, and 15% NaCl) and to a sudden salt increase from 0% to 8% NaCl. The common strategies used by bacteria to survive and grow at high salt conditions, such as K+ uptake, Na+ efflux, and the accumulation of organic compatible solutes (glycine betaine and ectoine), were observed in Bacillus sp. N16-5. The genes of SigB regulon involved in general stress responses and chaperone-encoding genes were also induced by high salt concentration. Moreover, the genes regulating swarming ability and the composition of the cytoplasmic membrane and cell wall were also differentially expressed. The genes involved in iron uptake were down-regulated, whereas the iron homeostasis regulator Fur was up-regulated, suggesting that Fur may play a role in the salt adaption of Bacillus sp. N16-5. In summary, we present a comprehensive gene expression profiling of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 cells exposed to high salt stress, which would help elucidate the mechanisms underlying alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. survival in and adaptation to salt stress.

Overexpression of eukaryotic initiation factor 5 rescues the translational defect of tpk1w in a manner that necessitates a novel phosphorylation site

Cells respond to changes in their environment through mechanisms that often necessitate reprogramming of the translation machinery. The fastest and strongest of all tested responses is the translation inhibition observed following abrupt depletion of glucose from the media of yeast cells. The speed of the response suggests a post-translational modification of a key component of the translation machinery. This translation factor is as yet unknown. A cAMP-dependent protein kinase mutant yeast strain (tpk1(w)) that does not respond properly to glucose depletion and maintains translation was described previously. We hypothesized that the inability of tpk1(w) to arrest translation results from abnormal expression of key translation mediators. Genome-wide analysis of steady-state mRNA levels in tpk1(w) revealed underexpression of several candidates. Elevating the cellular levels of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 5 by overexpression rescued the translational defect of tpk1(w). Restoring ribosomal dissociation by eIF5 necessitated an active GAP domain and multiple regions throughout this protein. Phosphoproteomics analysis of wild-type cells overexpressing eIF5 revealed increased phosphorylation in a novel site (Thr191) upon glucose depletion. Mutating this residue and introducing it into tpk1(w) abolished the ability of eIF5 to rescue the translational defect. Intriguingly, introducing this mutation into the wild-type strain did not hamper its translational response. We further show that Thr191 is phosphorylated in vitro by Casein Kinase II (CKII), and yeast cells with a mutated CKII have a reduced response to glucose depletion. These results implicate phosphorylation of eIF5 at Thr191 by CKII as one of the pathways for regulating translation upon glucose depletion.

Transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to potassium starvation

Background

Ion homeostasis is essential for every cell and aberrant cation homeostasis is related to diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. The mechanisms responsible for cation homeostasis are only partly understood. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an excellent organism to study fundamental aspects of cation homeostasis. In this study we investigated the transcriptional response of this yeast to potassium starvation by using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE)-tag sequencing.

Results

Comparison of transcript levels in cells grown for 60 min in media without potassium with those in cells grown under standard potassium concentrations showed that the mRNA levels of 105 genes were significantly (P < 0.01) up-regulated more than 2.0-fold during potassium starvation and the mRNA levels of 172 genes significantly down-regulated. These genes belong to several functional categories. Genes involved in stress response including HSP30, YRO2 and TPO2 and phosphate metabolism including PHO84, PHO5 and SPL2 were highly up-regulated. Analysis of the promoter of PHO84 encoding a high affinity phosphate transporter, revealed that increased PHO84 RNA levels are caused by both increased Pho4-dependent transcription and decreased RNA turnover. In the latter process antisense transcription may be involved. Many genes involved in cell cycle control, and to a lesser extent genes involved in amino acid transport, were strongly down-regulated.

Conclusions

Our study showed that yeast cells respond to potassium starvation in a complex way and reveals a direct link between potassium homeostasis and phosphate metabolism.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1040) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pathway connectivity and signaling coordination in the yeast stress-activated signaling network

Stressed cells coordinate a multi-faceted response spanning many levels of physiology. Yet knowledge of the complete stress-activated regulatory network as well as design principles for signal integration remains incomplete. We developed an experimental and computational approach to integrate available protein interaction data with gene fitness contributions, mutant transcriptome profiles, and phospho-proteome changes in cells responding to salt stress, to infer the salt-responsive signaling network in yeast. The inferred subnetwork presented many novel predictions by implicating new regulators, uncovering unrecognized crosstalk between known pathways, and pointing to previously unknown ‘hubs’ of signal integration. We exploited these predictions to show that Cdc14 phosphatase is a central hub in the network and that modification of RNA polymerase II coordinates induction of stress-defense genes with reduction of growth-related transcripts. We find that the orthologous human network is enriched for cancer-causing genes, underscoring the importance of the subnetwork's predictions in understanding stress biology.

Stress granule-defective mutants deregulate stress responsive transcripts

To reduce expression of gene products not required under stress conditions, eukaryotic cells form large and complex cytoplasmic aggregates of RNA and proteins (stress granules; SGs), where transcripts are kept translationally inert. The overall composition of SGs, as well as their assembly requirements and regulation through stress-activated signaling pathways remain largely unknown.

We have performed a genome-wide screen of S. cerevisiae gene deletion mutants for defects in SG formation upon glucose starvation stress. The screen revealed numerous genes not previously implicated in SG formation. Most mutants with strong phenotypes are equally SG defective when challenged with other stresses, but a considerable fraction is stress-specific. Proteins associated with SG defects are enriched in low-complexity regions, indicating that multiple weak macromolecule interactions are responsible for the structural integrity of SGs. Certain SG-defective mutants, but not all, display an enhanced heat-induced mutation rate. We found several mutations affecting the Ran GTPase, regulating nucleocytoplasmic transport of RNA and proteins, to confer SG defects. Unexpectedly, we found stress-regulated transcripts to reach more extreme levels in mutants unable to form SGs: stress-induced mRNAs accumulate to higher levels than in the wild-type, whereas stress-repressed mRNAs are reduced further in such mutants.

Our findings are consistent with the view that, not only are SGs being regulated by stress signaling pathways, but SGs also modulate the extent of stress responses. We speculate that nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of RNA-binding proteins is required for gene expression regulation during stress, and that SGs modulate this traffic. The absence of SGs thus leads the cell to excessive, and potentially deleterious, reactions to stress.

When cells encounter harsh conditions, they face an energy crisis since the stress will reduce their energy production, and at the same time cause extra demands on energy expenditure. To tackle this dilemma, cells under stress form giant agglomerates of RNA and protein, called stress granules. In these, mRNA molecules are kept silent, preventing waste of energy on producing proteins not needed under these conditions. A few mRNAs, encoding proteins required for the cell to survive, stay outside of stress granules and escape this silencing. This mechanism can protect plants and microbes against cold spells or heat shocks, and human cells exposed to oxidative damage or toxic drugs. We have investigated which genes are necessary to form stress granules, and their impact on the stress response. We discovered that mutant cells unable to form stress granules overreacted to stress, in that they produced much higher levels of the induced mRNAs. We think this means that gene regulatory proteins are sequestered inside stress granules, inhibiting their action. Stress granules may thus function as moderators that dampen the stress response, safeguarding the cell against excessive reactions.

Interrelations between translation and general mRNA degradation in yeast

Messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation is an important element of gene expression that can be modulated by alterations in translation, such as reductions in initiation or elongation rates. Reducing translation initiation strongly affects mRNA degradation by driving mRNA toward the assembly of a decapping complex, leading to decapping. While mRNA stability decreases as a consequence of translational inhibition, in apparent contradiction several external stresses both inhibit translation initiation and stabilize mRNA. A key difference in these processes is that stresses induce multiple responses, one of which stabilizes mRNAs at the initial and rate-limiting step of general mRNA decay. Because this increase in mRNA stability is directly induced by stress, it is independent of the translational effects of stress, which provide the cell with an opportunity to assess its response to changing environmental conditions. After assessment, the cell can store mRNAs, reinitiate their translation or, alternatively, embark on a program of enhanced mRNA decay en masse. Finally, recent results suggest that mRNA decay is not limited to non-translating messages and can occur when ribosomes are not initiating but are still elongating on mRNA. This review will discuss the models for the mechanisms of these processes and recent developments in understanding the relationship between translation and general mRNA degradation, with a focus on yeast as a model system.

How to cite this article: WIREs RNA 2014, 5:747–763. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1244

Quantifying the volume of single cells continuously using a microfluidic pressure-driven trap with media exchange

We demonstrate a microfluidic device capable of tracking the volume of individual cells by integrating an on-chip volume sensor with pressure-activated cell trapping capabilities. The device creates a dynamic trap by operating in feedback; a cell is periodically redirected back and forth through a microfluidic volume sensor (Coulter principle). Sieve valves are positioned on both ends of the sensing channel, creating a physical barrier which enables media to be quickly exchanged while keeping a cell firmly in place. The volume of individual Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was tracked over entire growth cycles, and the ability to quickly exchange media was demonstrated.