A tps1Δ persister-like state in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated by MKT1.

Trehalose metabolism in yeast has been linked to a variety of phenotypes, including heat resistance, desiccation tolerance, carbon-source utilization, and sporulation. The relationships among the several phenotypes of mutants unable to synthesize trehalose are not understood, even though the pathway is highly conserved. One of these phenotypes is that tps1Δ strains cannot reportedly grow on media containing glucose or fructose, even when another carbon source they can use (e.g. galactose) is present. Here we corroborate the recent observation that a small fraction of yeast tps1Δ cells do grow on glucose, unlike the majority of the population. This is not due to a genetic alteration, but instead resembles the persister phenotype documented in many microorganisms and cancer cells undergoing lethal stress. We extend these observations to show that this phenomenon is glucose-specific, as it does not occur on another highly fermented carbon source, fructose. We further demonstrate that this phenomenon appears to be related to mitochondrial complex III function, but unrelated to inorganic phosphate levels in the cell, as had previously been suggested. Finally, we found that this phenomenon is specific to S288C-derived strains, and is the consequence of a variant in the MKT1 gene.

Unraveling the message: insights into comparative genomics of the naked mole-rat.

Animals have evolved to survive, and even thrive, in different environments. Genetic adaptations may have indirectly created phenotypes that also resulted in a longer lifespan. One example of this phenomenon is the preternaturally long-lived naked mole-rat. This strictly subterranean rodent tolerates hypoxia, hypercapnia, and soil-based toxins. Naked mole-rats also exhibit pronounced resistance to cancer and an attenuated decline of many physiological characteristics that often decline as mammals age. Elucidating mechanisms that give rise to their unique phenotypes will lead to better understanding of subterranean ecophysiology and biology of aging. Comparative genomics could be a useful tool in this regard. Since the publication of a naked mole-rat genome assembly in 2011, analyses of genomic and transcriptomic data have enabled a clearer understanding of mole-rat evolutionary history and suggested molecular pathways (e.g., NRF2-signaling activation and DNA damage repair mechanisms) that may explain the extraordinarily longevity and unique health traits of this species. However, careful scrutiny and re-analysis suggest that some identified features result from incorrect or imprecise annotation and assembly of the naked mole-rat genome: in addition, some of these conclusions (e.g., genes involved in cancer resistance and hairlessness) are rejected when the analysis includes additional, more closely related species. We describe how the combination of better study design, improved genomic sequencing techniques, and new bioinformatic and data analytical tools will improve comparative genomics and ultimately bridge the gap between traditional model and nonmodel organisms.

From yeast to human: exploring the comparative biology of methionine restriction in extending eukaryotic life span.

Methionine restriction is a widely reported intervention for increasing life span in several model organisms. Low circulating levels of methionine are evident in the long-lived naked mole-rat, suggesting that it naturally presents with a life-extending phenotype akin to that observed in methionine-restricted animals. Similarly, long-lived dwarf mice also appear to have altered methionine metabolism. The mechanisms underlying methionine-restriction effects on life-span extension, however, remain unknown, as do their potential connections with caloric restriction, another well-established intervention for prolonging life span. Paradoxically, methionine is enriched in proteins expressed in mitochondria and may itself serve an important role in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species and may thereby contribute to delayed aging. Collectively, we highlight the evidence that modulation of the methionine metabolic network can extend life span-from yeast to humans-and explore the evidence that sulfur amino acids and the concomitant transsulfuration pathway play a privileged role in this regard. However, systematic studies in single organisms (particularly those that exhibit extreme longevity) are still required to distinguish the fundamental principles concerning the role of methionine and other amino acids in regulating life span.

Synthetic biology tools for programming gene expression without nutritional perturbations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A conditional gene expression system that is fast-acting, is tunable and achieves single-gene specificity was recently developed for yeast. A gene placed directly downstream of a modified GAL1 promoter containing six Zif268 binding sequences (with single nucleotide spacing) was shown to be selectively inducible in the presence of ß-estradiol, so long as cells express the artificial transcription factor, Z3EV (a fusion of the Zif268 DNA binding domain, the ligand binding domain of the human estrogen receptor and viral protein 16). We show the strength of Z3EV-responsive promoters can be modified using straightforward design principles. By moving Zif268 binding sites toward the transcription start site, expression output can be nearly doubled. Despite the reported requirement of estrogen receptor dimerization for hormone-dependent activation, a single binding site suffices for target gene activation. Target gene expression levels correlate with promoter binding site copy number and we engineer a set of inducible promoter chassis with different input-output characteristics. Finally, the coupling between inducer identity and gene activation is flexible: the ligand specificity of Z3EV can be re-programmed to respond to a non-hormone small molecule with only five amino acid substitutions in the human estrogen receptor domain, which may prove useful for industrial applications.

Rapid synthesis and screening of chemically activated transcription factors with GFP-based reporters.

Synthetic biology aims to rationally design and build synthetic circuits with desired quantitative properties, as well as provide tools to interrogate the structure of native control circuits. In both cases, the ability to program gene expression in a rapid and tunable fashion, with no off-target effects, can be useful. We have constructed yeast strains containing the ACT1 promoter upstream of a URA3 cassette followed by the ligand-binding domain of the human estrogen receptor and VP16. By transforming this strain with a linear PCR product containing a DNA binding domain and selecting against the presence of URA3, a constitutively expressed artificial transcription factor (ATF) can be generated by homologous recombination. ATFs engineered in this fashion can activate a unique target gene in the presence of inducer, thereby eliminating both the off-target activation and nonphysiological growth conditions found with commonly used conditional gene expression systems. A simple method for the rapid construction of GFP reporter plasmids that respond specifically to a native or artificial transcription factor of interest is also provided.

Synthetic gene expression perturbation systems with rapid, tunable, single-gene specificity in yeast.

A general method for the dynamic control of single gene expression in eukaryotes, with no off-target effects, is a long-sought tool for molecular and systems biologists. We engineered two artificial transcription factors (ATFs) that contain Cys(2)His(2) zinc-finger DNA-binding domains of either the mouse transcription factor Zif268 (9 bp of specificity) or a rationally designed array of four zinc fingers (12 bp of specificity). These domains were expressed as fusions to the human estrogen receptor and VP16 activation domain. The ATFs can rapidly induce a single gene driven by a synthetic promoter in response to introduction of an otherwise inert hormone with no detectable off-target effects. In the absence of inducer, the synthetic promoter is inactive and the regulated gene product is not detected. Following addition of inducer, transcripts are induced >50-fold within 15 min. We present a quantitative characterization of these ATFs and provide constructs for making their implementation straightforward. These new tools allow for the elucidation of regulatory network elements dynamically, which we demonstrate with a major metabolic regulator, Gcn4p.

Fast-acting and nearly gratuitous induction of gene expression and protein depletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We describe the development and characterization of a system that allows the rapid and specific induction of individual genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae without changes in nutrients or temperature. The system is based on the chimeric transcriptional activator Gal4dbd.ER.VP16 (GEV). Upon addition of the hormone ß-estradiol, cytoplasmic GEV localizes to the nucleus and binds to promoters containing Gal4p consensus binding sequences to activate transcription. With galactokinase Gal1p and transcriptional activator Gal4p absent, the system is fast-acting, resulting in readily detectable transcription within 5 min after addition of the inducer. ß-Estradiol is nearly a gratuitous inducer, as indicated by genome-wide profiling that shows unintended induction (by GEV) of only a few dozen genes. Response to inducer is graded: intermediate concentrations of inducer result in production of intermediate levels of product protein in all cells. We present data illustrating several applications of this system, including a modification of the regulated degron method, which allows rapid and specific degradation of a specific protein upon addition of ß-estradiol. These gene induction and protein degradation systems provide important tools for studying the dynamics and functional relationships of genes and their respective regulatory networks.

Coordinated regulation of sulfur and phospholipid metabolism reflects the importance of methylation in the growth of yeast.

A yeast strain lacking Met4p, the primary transcriptional regulator of the sulfur assimilation pathway, cannot synthesize methionine. This apparently simple auxotroph did not grow well in rich media containing excess methionine, forming small colonies on yeast extract/peptone/dextrose plates. Faster-growing large colonies were abundant when overnight cultures were plated, suggesting that spontaneous suppressors of the growth defect arise with high frequency. To identify the suppressor mutations, we used genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism and standard genetic analyses. The most common suppressors were loss-of-function mutations in OPI1, encoding a transcriptional repressor of phospholipid metabolism. Using a new system that allows rapid and specific degradation of Met4p, we could study the dynamic expression of all genes following loss of Met4p. Experiments using this system with and without Opi1p showed that Met4 activates and Opi1p represses genes that maintain levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the substrate for most methyltransferase reactions. Cells lacking Met4p grow normally when either SAM is added to the media or one of the SAM synthetase genes is overexpressed. SAM is used as a methyl donor in three Opi1p-regulated reactions to create the abundant membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine. Our results show that rapidly growing cells require significant methylation, likely for the biosynthesis of phospholipids.