title: Why yeast cells can undergo apoptosis: death in times of peace, love, and war.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Büttner
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herker
authors.forename: Didac
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carmona-Gutierrez
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Madeo
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D017209:Apoptosis; D005502:Food; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species