Xbp1-mediated repression of CLB gene expression contributes to the modifications of yeast cell morphology and cell cycle seen during nitrogen-limited growth.
Yeast cells undergo morphological transformations in response to diverse environmental signals. One such event, called pseudohyphal differentiation, occurs when diploid yeast cells are partially starved for nitrogen on a solid agar medium. The nitrogen-starved cells elongate, and a small fraction form filaments that penetrate the agar surface. The molecular basis for the changes in cell morphology and cell cycle in response to nitrogen limitation are poorly defined, in part because the heterogeneous growth states of partially starved cells on agar media are not amenable to biochemical analysis. In this work, we used chemostat cultures to study the role of cell cycle regulators with respect to yeast differentiation in response to nitrogen limitation under controlled, homogeneous culture conditions. We found that Clb1, Clb2, and Clb5 cyclin levels are reduced in nitrogen-limited chemostat cultures compared to levels in rich-medium cultures, whereas the Xbp1 transcriptional repressor is highly induced under these conditions. Furthermore, the deletion of XBP1 prevents the drop in Clb2 levels and inhibits cellular elongation in nitrogen-limited chemostat cultures as well as inhibiting pseudohyphal growth on nitrogen-limited agar media. Deletion of the CLB2 gene restores an elongated morphology and filamentation to the xbp1Delta mutant in response to nitrogen limitation. Transcriptional activation of the XBP1 gene and the subsequent repression of CLB gene expression are thus key responses of yeast cells to nitrogen limitation.
Miled
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Institut Curie d'Orsay, Centre Universitaire, F-91405 Orsay, France.
Mann
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Faye
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D000362:Agar; D017489:CDC28 Protein Kinase, S cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000235:genetics*; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000095043:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Activating Kinase
C093749:CLB2 protein, S cerevisiae; D019926:Cyclin B; D016213:Cyclins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C108767:XBP1 protein, S cerevisiae; D000362:Agar; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D017489:CDC28 Protein Kinase, S cerevisiae; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D009584:Nitrogen; D000095043:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Activating Kinase