Why yeast cells can undergo apoptosis: death in times of peace, love, and war.
The purpose of apoptosis in multicellular organisms is obvious: single cells die for the benefit of the whole organism (for example, during tissue development or embryogenesis). Although apoptosis has also been shown in various microorganisms, the reason for this cell death program has remained unexplained. Recently published studies have now described yeast apoptosis during aging, mating, or exposure to killer toxins (Fabrizio, P., L. Battistella, R. Vardavas, C. Gattazzo, L.L. Liou, A. Diaspro, J.W. Dossen, E.B. Gralla, and V.D. Longo. 2004. J. Cell Biol. 166:1055-1067; Herker, E., H. Jungwirth, K.A. Lehmann, C. Maldener, K.U. Frohlich, S. Wissing, S. Buttner, M. Fehr, S. Sigrist, and F. Madeo. 2004. J. Cell Biol. 164:501-507, underscoring the evolutionary benefit of a cell suicide program in yeast and, thus, giving a unicellular organism causes to die for.
Büttner
Sabrina
S
Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Eisenberg
Tobias
T
Herker
Eva
E
Carmona-Gutierrez
Didac
D
Kroemer
Guido
G
Madeo
Frank
F
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D017209:Apoptosis; D005502:Food; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
D009183:Mycotoxins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species