title: The Yak1 protein kinase lies at the center of a regulatory cascade affecting adhesive growth and stress resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
abstract: In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, adhesive growth on solid surfaces is mediated by the flocculin Flo11 to confer biofilm and filament formation. Expression of FLO11 is governed by a complex regulatory network that includes, e.g., the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway. In addition, numerous regulatory genes, which have not been integrated into regulatory networks, affect adhesive growth, including WHI3 encoding an RNA-binding protein and YAK1 coding for a dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated protein kinase. In this study, we present evidence that Whi3 and Yak1 form part of a signaling pathway that regulates FLO11-mediated surface adhesion and is involved in stress resistance. Our study further suggests that Whi3 controls YAK1 expression at the post-transcriptional level and that Yak1 targets the transcriptional regulators Sok2 and Phd1 to control FLO11. We also discovered that Yak1 regulates acidic stress resistance and adhesion via the transcription factor Haa1. Finally, we provide evidence that the catalytic PKA subunit Tpk1 inhibits Yak1 by targeting specific serine residues to suppress FLO11. In summary, our data suggest that Yak1 is at the center of a regulatory cascade for adhesive growth and stress resistance, which is under dual control of Whi3 and the PKA subunit Tpk1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malcher
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schladebeck
authors.forename: Hans-Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Mösch
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D054751:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunits / Q000235:genetics; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D012694:Serine / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C110690:FLO11 protein, S cerevisiae; C439059:Haa1 protein, S cerevisiae; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C085984:PHD1 protein, S cerevisiae; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C097076:SOK2 protein, S cerevisiae; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C440012:Whi3 protein, S cerevisiae; D012694:Serine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C062391:YAK1 protein, S cerevisiae; D054751:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunits; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; C080888:tau-protein kinase