title: Cell differentiation within a yeast colony: metabolic and regulatory parallels with a tumor-affected organism.
abstract: Nutrient sensing and metabolic reprogramming are crucial for metazoan cell aging and tumor growth. Here, we identify metabolic and regulatory parallels between a layered, multicellular yeast colony and a tumor-affected organism. During development, a yeast colony stratifies into U and L cells occupying the upper and lower colony regions, respectively. U cells activate a unique metabolism controlled by the glutamine-induced TOR pathway, amino acid-sensing systems (SPS and Gcn4p) and signaling from mitochondria with lowered respiration. These systems jointly modulate U cell physiology, which adapts to nutrient limitations and utilize the nutrients released from L cells. Stress-resistant U cells share metabolic pathways and other similar characteristics with tumor cells, including the ability to proliferate. L cells behave similarly to stressed and starving cells, which activate degradative mechanisms to provide nutrients to U cells. Our data suggest a nutrient flow between both cell types, resembling the Cori cycle and glutamine-NH(4)(+) shuttle between tumor and healthy metazoan cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cáp
authors.forename: Luděk
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stěpánek
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harant
authors.forename: Libuše
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Váchová
authors.forename: Zdena
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Palková
mesh_terms: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems / Q000235:genetics; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D002455:Cell Division; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems; D000596:Amino Acids; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins