Project description:When grown on solid substrates, different microorganisms often form colonies with very specific morphologies. Whereas the pioneers of microbiology often used colony morphology to discriminate between species and strains, the phenomenon has not received much recent attention. In this study, we use a genome-wide assay in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to identify all genes that affect colony morphology. We show that several major signaling cascades, including the MAPK, TORC, SNF1 and RIM101 pathways play a role, indicating that morphological changes are a reaction to changing environments. Other genes that affect colony morphology are involved in protein sorting and epigenetic regulation. Interestingly, the screen reveals only few genes that are likely to play a direct role in establishing colony morphology, one notable exception being FLO11, a gene encoding a cell-surface adhesin that has already been implicated in colony morphology, biofilm formation, and invasive and pseudohyphal growth. Using a series of modified promoters to tune FLO11 expression, we confirm the central role of Flo11 and show that differences in FLO11 expression result in distinct colony morphologies. Together, our results provide a first comprehensive looks at the complex genetic network that underlies the diversity in the morphologies of yeast colonies.
Project description:When grown on solid substrates, different microorganisms often form colonies with very specific morphologies. Whereas the pioneers of microbiology often used colony morphology to discriminate between species and strains, the phenomenon has not received much recent attention. In this study, we use a genome-wide assay in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to identify all genes that affect colony morphology. We show that several major signaling cascades, including the MAPK, TORC, SNF1 and RIM101 pathways play a role, indicating that morphological changes are a reaction to changing environments. Other genes that affect colony morphology are involved in protein sorting and epigenetic regulation. Interestingly, the screen reveals only few genes that are likely to play a direct role in establishing colony morphology, one notable exception being FLO11, a gene encoding a cell-surface adhesin that has already been implicated in colony morphology, biofilm formation, and invasive and pseudohyphal growth. Using a series of modified promoters to tune FLO11 expression, we confirm the central role of Flo11 and show that differences in FLO11 expression result in distinct colony morphologies. Together, our results provide a first comprehensive looks at the complex genetic network that underlies the diversity in the morphologies of yeast colonies. Microarrays were used to measure gene expression between WT and FLO11 mutants in both liquid and solid medium to assess which genes induce altered colony morphology through FLO11.
Project description:Aneuploidy and aging are correlated; however, a causal link between these two phenomena has remained elusive. Here we show that yeast disomic for a single native yeast chromosome generally have a decreased replicative lifespan. In addition, the extent of this lifespan deficit correlates with the size of the extra chromosome. We identified a mutation in BUL1 that rescues both the lifespan deficit and a protein trafficking defect in yeast disomic for chromosome 5. Bul1 is an E4 ubiquitin ligase adaptor involved in a protein quality-control pathway that targets membrane proteins for endocytosis and destruction in the lysosomal vacuole thereby maintaining protein homeostasis. Concurrent suppression of the aging and trafficking phenotypes suggests that disrupted membrane protein homeostasis in aneuploid yeast may contribute to their accelerated aging. The data reported here demonstrate that aneuploidy can impair protein homeostasis, shorten lifespan, and may contribute to age-associated phenotypes.
Project description:Effect of FLO8 or MSS11 deletion and -overexpression on yeast transcript profiles compared to wild type in laboratory yeast strains Σ1278b and S288c.
Project description:Telomere chromatin structure is pivotal for maintaining genome stability by regulating the binding of telomere-associated proteins and inhibition of a DNA damage response. In yeast, the silent information regulator (Sir) proteins bind to terminal telomeric repeats and to subtelomeric X-elements resulting in histone deacetylation and transcriptional silencing. Herein, we show that sir2 mutant strains display a very specific loss of a nucleosome residing in the X-element. Most yeast telomeres contain an X-element and the nucleosome occupancy defect in sir2 mutants is remarkably consistent between different telomeres.