title: Nutrient Sensing at the Plasma Membrane of Fungal Cells.
abstract: To respond to the changing environment, cells must be able to sense external conditions. This is important for many processes including growth, mating, the expression of virulence factors, and several other regulatory effects. Nutrient sensing at the plasma membrane is mediated by different classes of membrane proteins that activate downstream signaling pathways: nontransporting receptors, transceptors, classical and nonclassical G-protein-coupled receptors, and the newly defined extracellular mucin receptors. Nontransporting receptors have the same structure as transport proteins, but have lost the capacity to transport while gaining a receptor function. Transceptors are transporters that also function as a receptor, because they can rapidly activate downstream signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on these four types of fungal membrane proteins. We mainly discuss the sensing mechanisms relating to sugars, ammonium, and amino acids. Mechanisms for other nutrients, such as phosphate and sulfate, are discussed briefly. Because the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been the most studied, especially regarding these nutrient-sensing systems, each subsection will commence with what is known in this species.
authors.affiliation: VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Dijck
authors.affiliation: Plant Biology and Crop Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Neil Andrew
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.affiliation: Public Health Research Institute, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ 07103.
authors.forename: Chaoyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Griet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Zeebroeck
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005502:Food; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins