Project description:The Endoplasmic Reticulum–Mitochondria Encounter Structure (ERMES) is a protein complex that tethers the two organelles and creates the physical basis for communication between them. ERMES functions in lipid and calcium exchange between the ER and mitochondria, mitochondrial protein import and maintenance of mitochondrial morphology and genome. Here we report that ERMES is also required for iron homeostasis. Loss of ERMES components activates an Aft1-dependent iron deficiency response even in iron-replete conditions, leading to accumulation of excess iron inside the cell. This function is independent of ERMES known roles in calcium regulation, phospholipid biosynthesis or mitochondrial biology. A mutation in the vacuolar protein sorting 13 (VPS13) gene that rescues the glycolytic phenotype of ERMES mutants suppresses the iron deficiency response and iron accumulation. Our study reveals that proper communication between the ER and mitochondria is required for appropriate maintenance of cellular iron levels.
Project description:Arsenic metalloid is a double-edge sword. On the one hand it is a very toxic and powerful carcinogen, and on the other it has been successfully used in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. In order to prevent the deleterious effects caused by arsenic compounds, almost all living organisms have developed mechanisms to eliminate it. In this study genome-wide response of S. cerevisiae to arsenic shows that this metal interferes with genes involved in the iron homeostasis including those encoding proteins that function in iron uptake, incorporation into Fe–S clusters, and more. In addition our data indicate that Yap1 transcriptionally controls the iron homeostasis regulator AFT2 as well as its direct target, MRS4. Most importantly in response to arsenate exposure Yap1 strongly regulates the expression of several genes involved in the Fe-S proteins biosynthesis, namely NBP35 and YFH1. Interestingly mRNA levels encoding Fet3, Ferro-O2-oxidoreductase required for high-affinity iron uptake, are drastically destabilized upon arsenic exposure. Such destabilization is due to the 5’ to 3’ exonuclease Xrn1 localized in the P Bodies. Moreover FET3 mRNA decay is not mediated by Cth2 and is independent on the formation of ROS responsible for the toxic effects of arsenic compounds. Strikingly, in presence of arsenate fet3 mutant shows resistance over the wild-type which leads us to suggest that Fet3 has a role in arsenic toxicity. Unexpectedly arsenic treatment seems to activate the non-reductive iron uptake in order to maintain the cellular iron homeostasis. Furthermore our genetic, biochemical, and physiological analysis demonstrate that aft1 mutant is sensitive to arsenic compounds and such phenotype is reversible upon addition of iron. We also show that arsenic exposure induces iron deficiency in aft1 mutant. In conclusion this work shows for the first time that arsenic, a chemotherapy drug used to treat a specific type of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), disrupts iron homeostasis and our results suggest that this disruption is independent on ROS generation. Finally we provide preliminary data confirming that such disruption also takes place in mammalian cells, an observation that can be very relevant in term of clinical applications.
Project description:Arsenic metalloid is a double-edge sword. On the one hand it is a very toxic and powerful carcinogen, and on the other it has been successfully used in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. In order to prevent the deleterious effects caused by arsenic compounds, almost all living organisms have developed mechanisms to eliminate it. In this study genome-wide response of S. cerevisiae to arsenic shows that this metal interferes with genes involved in the iron homeostasis including those encoding proteins that function in iron uptake, incorporation into Fe–S clusters, and more. In addition our data indicate that Yap1 transcriptionally controls the iron homeostasis regulator AFT2 as well as its direct target, MRS4. Most importantly in response to arsenate exposure Yap1 strongly regulates the expression of several genes involved in the Fe-S proteins biosynthesis, namely NBP35 and YFH1. Interestingly mRNA levels encoding Fet3, Ferro-O2-oxidoreductase required for high-affinity iron uptake, are drastically destabilized upon arsenic exposure. Such destabilization is due to the 5’ to 3’ exonuclease Xrn1 localized in the P Bodies. Moreover FET3 mRNA decay is not mediated by Cth2 and is independent on the formation of ROS responsible for the toxic effects of arsenic compounds. Strikingly, in presence of arsenate fet3 mutant shows resistance over the wild-type which leads us to suggest that Fet3 has a role in arsenic toxicity. Unexpectedly arsenic treatment seems to activate the non-reductive iron uptake in order to maintain the cellular iron homeostasis. Furthermore our genetic, biochemical, and physiological analysis demonstrate that aft1 mutant is sensitive to arsenic compounds and such phenotype is reversible upon addition of iron. We also show that arsenic exposure induces iron deficiency in aft1 mutant. In conclusion this work shows for the first time that arsenic, a chemotherapy drug used to treat a specific type of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), disrupts iron homeostasis and our results suggest that this disruption is independent on ROS generation. Finally we provide preliminary data confirming that such disruption also takes place in mammalian cells, an observation that can be very relevant in term of clinical applications. yap1yap8 mutant cells independently transformed with pRS416 and YcpLac111, YcpLac111-YAP1, or pRS416-YAP8 were grown in triplicates in SC-URA-LEU containing 2mM of AsV until exponential growth phase, and RNA was extracted, labeled, and hybridized to Affymetrix Yeast Genome S98 arrays.
Project description:In this study we focus on two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with varying production of heterologous α-amylase and we compare the metabolic fluxes and transcriptional regulation at aerobic and anaerobic conditions, in particular with the objective to identify the final electron acceptor for protein folding. We found that anaerobic conditions showed high amount of amylase productions when comparing to aerobic conditions and the genome-scale transcriptional analysis suggested that genes related to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lipid synthesis and stress responses were generally up-regulated at anaerobic conditions. Moreover, we proposed a model for the electron transfer from ER to the final electron acceptor, fumarate under anaerobic conditions.
Project description:Eupolauridine and liriodenine are plant-derived aporphinoid alkaloids that exhibit potent inhibitory activity against the opportunistic fungal pathogens Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. However, the molecular mechanism of this antifungal activity is unknown. In this study, we show that eupolauridine 9591 (E9591), a synthetic analog of eupolauridine, and liriodenine methiodide (LMT), a methiodide salt of liriodenine, mediate their antifungal activities by disrupting mitochondrial iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster synthesis. Several lines of evidence supported this conclusion. First, both E9591 and LMT elicited a transcriptional response indicative of iron imbalance, causing the induction of genes that are required for iron uptake and for the maintenance of cellular iron homeostasis. Second, a genome-wide fitness profile analysis showed that yeast mutants with deletions in iron homeostasis–related genes were hypersensitive to E9591 and LMT. Third, treatment of wild-type yeast cells with E9591 or LMT generated cellular defects that mimicked deficiencies in mitochondrial Fe-S cluster synthesis, including an increase in mitochondrial iron levels, a decrease in the activities of Fe-S cluster enzymes, a decrease in respiratory function, and an increase in oxidative stress. Collectively, our results demonstrate that E9591 and LMT perturb mitochondrial Fe-S cluster biosynthesis; thus, these two compounds target a cellular pathway that is distinct from the pathways commonly targeted by clinically used antifungal drugs. Therefore, the identification of this pathway as a target for antifungal compounds has potential applications in the development of new antifungal therapies.
Project description:In this study we focus on two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with varying production of heterologous M-NM-1-amylase and we compare the metabolic fluxes and transcriptional regulation at aerobic and anaerobic conditions, in particular with the objective to identify the final electron acceptor for protein folding. We found that anaerobic conditions showed high amount of amylase productions when comparing to aerobic conditions and the genome-scale transcriptional analysis suggested that genes related to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lipid synthesis and stress responses were generally up-regulated at anaerobic conditions. Moreover, we proposed a model for the electron transfer from ER to the final electron acceptor, fumarate under anaerobic conditions. Three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with varied amylase productions were selected at early glucose phase in batch fermentations for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. Biological triplicates were applied, and strains with empty plasmid (no amylase productions) were used as control strain.
Project description:In this study we focus on two Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CEN. PK series) strains producing either insulin precursor or amylase and we compare the transcriptional regulation at different dilution rates, in particular with the objective to identify the relationship between cell metabolism and recombinant protein production. We found that anaerobic conditions showed high amount of amylase productions when comparing to aerobic conditions and the genome-scale transcriptional analysis suggested that genes related to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lipid synthesis and stress responses were generally up-regulated at anaerobic conditions. Moreover, we proposed a model for the electron transfer from ER to the final electron acceptor, fumarate under anaerobic conditions.
Project description:Global analysis of transcriptional changes in adult flies genetically modified to express an artificial linker that brings the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum together. Whole flies were analysed in this study. RNA was prepared from 3-day-old and thirty-day-old flies.
Project description:Defects in mitochondrial metabolism have been increasingly linked with age-onset protein misfolding diseases such as Alzheimerâs, Parkinsonâs, and Huntingtonâs. In response to protein folding stress, compartment-specific unfolded protein responses (UPRs) within the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and cytosol work in parallel to ensure cellular protein homeostasis. While perturbation of individual compartments can make other compartments more susceptible to protein stress, the cellular conditions that trigger cross-communication between the individual UPRs remain poorly understood. We have uncovered a conserved, robust mechanism linking mitochondrial protein homeostasis and the cytosolic folding environment through changes in lipid homeostasis. Metabolic restructuring caused by mitochondrial stress or small molecule activators trigger changes in gene expression coordinated uniquely by both the mitochondrial and cytosolic UPRs, protecting the cell from disease-associated proteins. Our data suggest an intricate and unique system of communication between UPRs in response to metabolic changes that could unveil new targets for diseases of protein misfolding. Because the induction of the MCSR due to hsp-6 RNAi required both hsf-1 and dve-1, key transcription factors required for the HSR and UPRmt, respectively, we asked which gene sets are coordinately regulated by both factors. We performed microarray analyses to determine which genes have their expression altered by hsp-6 RNAi and whether these genes are regulated either by hsf-1, dve-1 or both