Sulfur metabolism actively promotes initiation of cell division in yeast.
BACKGROUND
Sulfur metabolism is required for initiation of cell division, but whether or not it can actively promote cell division remains unknown.


RESULTS
Here we show that yeast cells with more mtDNA have an expanded reductive phase of their metabolic cycle and an increased sulfur metabolic flux. We also show that in wild type cells manipulations of sulfur metabolic flux phenocopy the enhanced growth rate of cells with more mtDNA. Furthermore, introduction of a hyperactive cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) allele in wild type cells accelerates initiation of DNA replication.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results reveal a novel connection between a key sulfur metabolic enzyme, CBS, and the cell cycle. Since the analogous hyperactive CBS allele in human CBS suppresses other disease-causing CBS mutations, our findings may be relevant for human pathology. Taken together, our results demonstrate the importance of sulfur metabolism in actively promoting initiation of cell division.
Blank
Heidi M
HM
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
Gajjar
Shefali
S
Belyanin
Andrey
A
Polymenis
Michael
M
D000483:Alleles; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division; D048429:Cell Size; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011003:Ploidies; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D013455:Sulfur; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase