title: L-histidine inhibits biofilm formation and FLO11-associated phenotypes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae flor yeasts.
abstract: Flor yeasts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have an innate diversity of Flo11p which codes for a highly hydrophobic and anionic cell-wall glycoprotein with a fundamental role in biofilm formation. In this study, 380 nitrogen compounds were administered to three S. cerevisiae flor strains handling Flo11p alleles with different expression levels. S. cerevisiae strain S288c was used as the reference strain as it cannot produce Flo11p. The flor strains generally metabolized amino acids and dipeptides as the sole nitrogen source, although with some exceptions regarding L-histidine and histidine containing dipeptides. L-histidine completely inhibited growth and its effect on viability was inversely related to Flo11p expression. Accordingly, L-histidine did not affect the viability of the Δflo11 and S288c strains. Also, L-histidine dramatically decreased air-liquid biofilm formation and adhesion to polystyrene of the flor yeasts with no effect on the transcription level of the Flo11p gene. Moreover, L-histidine modified the chitin and glycans content on the cell-wall of flor yeasts. These findings reveal a novel biological activity of L-histidine in controlling the multicellular behavior of yeasts [corrected].
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bou Zeidan
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zara
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell'Ambiente, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell'Ambiente, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Decorosi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mannazzu
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Budroni
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell'Ambiente, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giovannetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Severino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zara
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D006639:Histidine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C110690:FLO11 protein, S cerevisiae; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D006639:Histidine