Ethanol-induced death in yeast exhibits features of apoptosis mediated by mitochondrial fission pathway.
Cell death in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) involves several apoptotic processes. Here, we report the first evidence of the following processes, which are also characteristic of apoptosis, in ethanol-induced cell death in yeast: chromatin condensation and fragmentation, DNA cleavage, and a requirement for de novo protein synthesis. Mitochondrial fission protein, Fis1, appears to mediate ethanol-induced apoptosis and ethanol-induced mitochondrial fragmentation. However, mitochondrial fragmentation in response to elevated ethanol levels was not correlated with cell death. Further, in the presence of ethanol, generation of reactive oxygen species was elevated in mutant fis1Delta cells. Our characterization of ethanol-induced cell death in yeast as being Fis1-mediated apoptosis is likely to pave the way to overcoming limitations in large-scale fermentation processes, such as those employed in the production of alcoholic beverages and ethanol-based biofuels.
Kitagaki
Hiroshi
H
National Research Institute of Brewing, 3-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima City, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan. kitagaki@nrib.go.jp <kitagaki@nrib.go.jp>
Araki
Yoshio
Y
Funato
Kouichi
K
Shimoi
Hitoshi
H
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
C464859:FIS1 protein, S cerevisiae; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D000431:Ethanol