Amino acid sensing by Ssy1.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae senses extracellular amino acids using two members of the family of amino acid transporters, Gap1 or Ssy1; aspects of the latter are reviewed here. Despite resemblance with bona fide transporters, Ssy1 appears unable to facilitate transport. Exposure of yeast to amino acids results in Ssy1-dependent transcriptional induction of several genes, in particular some encoding amino acid transporters. Amino acids differ strongly in their potency, leucine being the most potent one known. Using a selection system in which potassium uptake was made dependent on amino acid signalling, our laboratory has obtained and described gain-of-function mutations in SSY1. Some alleles conferred inducer-independent signalling; others increased apparent affinity for inducers. These results revealed that amino acid transport is not required for signalling and support the notion that sensing by Ssy1 occurs via its direct interaction with extracellular amino acids. Current work includes development of quantitative assays of sensing. We use the finding by Per Ljungdahl's laboratory that the signal transduction from Ssy1 involves proteolytic removal of an inhibitory part of the transcriptional activator Stp1. Protein-A Z-domain fused to the C-terminus of Stp1 and Western analysis using antibody against horseradish peroxidase allow quantification of sensing.

Amino acid residues important for substrate specificity of the amino acid permeases Can1p and Gnp1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Deletion of the general amino acid permease gene GAP1 abolishes uptake of L-citrulline in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, resulting in the inability to grow on L-citrulline as sole nitrogen source. Selection for suppressor mutants that restored growth on L-citrulline led to isolation of 21 mutations in the arginine permease gene CAN1. One similar mutation was found in the glutamine-asparagine permease gene GNP1. L-[(14)C]citrulline uptake measurements confirmed that suppressor mutations in CAN1 conferred uptake of this amino acid, while none of the mutant permeases had lost the ability to transport L-[(14)C]arginine. Substrate specificity seemed to remain narrow in most cases, and broad substrate specificity was only observed in the cases where mutations affect two proline residues (P148 and P313) that are both conserved in the amino acid-polyamine-choline (APC) transporter superfamily. We found mutations affecting six predicted domains (helices III and X, and loops 1, 2, 6 and 7) of the permeases. Helix III and loop 7 are candidates for domains in direct contact with thetransported amino acid. Helix III was affected in both CAN1 (Y173H, Y173D) and GNP1 (W239C) mutants and has previously been found to be important for substrate preference in other members of the family. Furthermore, the mutations affecting loop 7 (residue T354, S355, Y356) are close to a glutamate side chain (E367) potentially interacting with the positively charged substrate, a notion supported by conservation of the side chain in permeases for cationic substrates.

Transcriptional regulation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae amino acid permease gene BAP2.

Uptake of branched-chain amino acids by Saccharomyces cerevisiae from media containing a preferred nitrogen source is mediated by the permeases encoded by BAP2, BAP3, and VAP1/TAT1. The transcriptional activity of the BAP2 promoter is affected by a number of genes, including SSY1, which encodes an amino acid permease homologue that is necessary for transcription of BAP2. Other genes that control BAP2 encode known (Leu3p, Tup1p) and putative (Stp1p, Stp2p) transcription factors. We present evidence that the zinc-finger proteins Stp1p and Stp2p bind directly to the BAP2 promoter. Binding of Stplp to the BAP2 promoter in vivo and in vitro indicates that the STP gene family indeed encodes transcription factors. The presence of a Leu3p binding site in the BAP2 promoter is required for full promoter activity on synthetic complete medium. The capacity of Leu3p to activate BAP2 transcription correlates with conditions that affect the level of alpha-isopropyl malate. The effect of a tup1 deletion on BAP2 transcription depends on SSY1. In an ssy1 strain, the phenotype of tup1 conforms to the well-established role of Tup1p as part of a repressor complex, but in the SSY1 strain deletion of TUP1 causes a decrease in transcription, indicating that Tup1p may also have an activating role at the BAP2 promoter. Our results thus suggest a complex interplay between several transcription factors in the expression of BAP2.

Expression of a cytoplasmic transhydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae results in formation of 2-oxoglutarate due to depletion of the NADPH pool.

The intracellular redox state of a cell is to a large extent defined by the concentration ratios of the two pyridine nucleotide systems NADH/NAD(+) and NADPH/NADP(+) and has a significant influence on product formation in microorganisms. The enzyme pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase, which can catalyse transfer of reducing equivalents between the two nucleotide systems, occurs in several organisms, but not in yeasts. The purpose of this work was to analyse how metabolism during anaerobic growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae might be altered when transfer of reducing equivalents between the two systems is made possible by expression of a cytoplasmic transhydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii. We therefore cloned sth, encoding this enzyme, and expressed it under the control of a S. cerevisiae promoter in a strain derived from the industrial model strain S. cerevisiae CBS8066. Anaerobic batch cultivations in high-performance bioreactors were carried out in order to allow quantitative analysis of the effect of transhydrogenase expression on product formation and on the intracellular concentrations of NADH, NAD(+), NADPH and NADP(+). A specific transhydrogenase activity of 4.53 U/mg protein was measured in the extracts from the strain expressing the sth gene from A. vinelandii, while no transhydrogenase activity could be detected in control strains without the gene. Production of the transhydrogenase caused a significant increase in formation of glycerol and 2-oxoglutarate. Since NADPH is used to convert 2-oxoglutarate to glutamate while glycerol formation increases when excess NADH is formed, this suggested that transhydrogenase converted NADH and NADP(+) to NAD(+) and NADPH. This was further supported by measurements of the intracellular nucleotide concentrations. Thus, the (NADPH/NADP(+)):(NADH/NAD(+)) ratio was reduced from 35 to 17 by the transhydrogenase. The increased formation of 2-oxoglutarate was accompanied by a two-fold decrease in the maximal specific growth rate. Also the biomass and ethanol yields were significantly lowered by the transhydrogenase.

GUP1 and its close homologue GUP2, encoding multimembrane-spanning proteins involved in active glycerol uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Many yeast species can utilize glycerol, both as a sole carbon source and as an osmolyte. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, physiological studies have previously shown the presence of an active uptake system driven by electrogenic proton symport. We have used transposon mutagenesis to isolate mutants affected in the transport of glycerol into the cell. Here we present the identification of YGL084c, encoding a multimembrane-spanning protein, as being essential for proton symport of glycerol into S. cerevisiae. The gene is named GUP1 (glycerol uptake) and, for growth on glycerol, is important as a carbon and energy source. In addition, in strains deficient in glycerol production it also provides osmotic protection by the addition of glycerol. Another open reading frame (ORF), YPL189w, presenting a high degree of homology to YGL084c, similarly appears to be involved in active glycerol uptake in salt-containing glucose-based media in strains deficient in glycerol production. Analogously, this gene is named GUP2. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a gene product involved in active transport of glycerol in yeasts. Mutations with the same phenotypes occurred in two other ORFs of previously unknown function, YDL074c and YPL180w.

Optimization of ethanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by metabolic engineering of the ammonium assimilation.

Ethanol is still one of the most important products originating from the biotechnological industry with respect to both value and amount. In addition to ethanol, a number of byproducts are formed during an anaerobic fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One of the most important of these compounds, glycerol, is produced by yeast to reoxidize NADH, formed in synthesis of biomass and secondary fermentation products, to NAD+. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a reduced formation of surplus NADH and an increased consumption of ATP in biosynthesis would result in a decreased glycerol yield and an increased ethanol yield in anaerobic cultivations of S. cerevisiae. A yeast strain was constructed in which GLN1, encoding glutamine synthetase, and GLT1, encoding glutamate synthase, were overexpressed, and GDH1, encoding the NADPH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, was deleted. Hereby the normal NADPH-consuming synthesis of glutamate from ammonium and 2-oxoglutarate was substituted by a new pathway in which ATP and NADH were consumed. The resulting strain TN19 (gdh1-A1 PGK1p-GLT1 PGK1p-GLN1) had a 10% higher ethanol yield and a 38% lower glycerol yield compared to the wild type in anaerobic batch fermentations. The maximum specific growth rate of strain TN19 was slightly lower than the wild-type value, but earlier results suggest that this can be circumvented by increasing the specific activities of Gln1p and Glt1p even more. Thus, the results verify the proposed concept of increasing the ethanol yield in S. cerevisiae by metabolic engineering of pathways involved in biomass synthesis.

Anaerobic and aerobic batch cultivations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants impaired in glycerol synthesis.

Glycerol is formed as a by-product in production of ethanol and baker's yeast during fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions, respectively. One physiological role of glycerol formation by yeast is to reoxidize NADH, formed in synthesis of biomass and secondary fermentation products, to NAD(+). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether introduction of a new pathway for reoxidation of NADH, in a yeast strain where glycerol synthesis had been impaired, would result in elimination of glycerol production and lead to increased yields of ethanol and biomass under anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions, respectively. This was done by deletion of GPD1 and GPD2, encoding two isoenzymes of glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and expression of a cytoplasmic transhydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii, encoded by cth. In anaerobic batch fermentations of strain TN5 (gpd2-Delta1), formation of glycerol was significantly impaired, which resulted in reduction of the maximum specific growth rate from 0.41/h in the wild-type to 0.08/h. Deletion of GPD2 also resulted in a reduced biomass yield, but did not affect formation of the remaining products. The modest effect of the GPD1 deletion under anaerobic conditions on the maximum specific growth rate and product yields clearly showed that Gdh2p is the important factor in glycerol formation during anaerobic growth. Strain TN6 (gpd1-Delta1 gpd2-Delta1) was unable to grow under anaerobic conditions due to the inability of the strain to reoxidize NADH to NAD(+) by synthesis of glycerol. Also, strain TN23 (gpd1-Delta1 gpd2-Delta1 YEp24-PGKp-cth-PGKt) was unable to grow anaerobically, leading to the conclusion that the NAD(+) pool became limiting in biomass synthesis before the nucleotide levels favoured a transhydrogenase reaction that could convert NADH and NADP(+) to NADPH and NAD(+). Deletion of either GPD1 or GPD2 in the wild-type resulted in a dramatic reduction of the glycerol yields in the aerobic batch cultivations of strains TN4 (gpd1-Delta1) and TN5 (gpd2-Delta1) without serious effects on the maximum specific growth rates or the biomass yields. Deletion of both GPD1 and GPD2 in strain TN6 (gpd1-Delta1 gpd2-Delta1) resulted in a dramatic reduction in the maximum specific growth rate and in biomass formation. Expression of the cytoplasmic transhydrogenase in the double mutant, resulting in TN23, gave a further decrease in micromax from 0.17/h in strain TN6 to 0.09/h in strain TN23, since the transhydrogenase reaction was in the direction from NADPH and NADP(+) to NADH and NADP(+). Thus, it was not possible to introduce an alternative pathway for reoxidation of NADH in the cytoplasm by expression of the transhydrogenase from A. vinelandii in a S. cerevisiae strain with a double deletion in GPD1 and GPD2.

Cysteine uptake by Saccharomyces cerevisiae is accomplished by multiple permeases.

Uptake by Saccharomyces cerevisiae of the sulphur-containing amino acid L-cysteine was found to be non-saturable under various conditions, and uptake kinetics suggested the existence of two or more transport systems in addition to the general amino-acid permease, Gap1p. Overexpression studies identified BAP2, BAP3, AGP1 and GNP1 as genes encoding transporters of cysteine. Uptake studies with disruption mutants confirmed this, and identified two additional genes for transporters of cysteine, TAT1 and TAT2, both very homologous to BAP2, BAP3, AGP1 and GNP1. While Gap1p and Agp1p appear to be the main cysteine transporters on the non-repressing nitrogen source proline, Bap2p, Bap3p, Tat1p, Tat2p, Agp1p and Gnp1p are all important for cysteine uptake on ammonium-based medium. Furthermore, whereas Bap2p, Bap3p, Tat1p and Tat2p seem most important under amino acid-rich conditions, Agp1p contributes significantly when only ammonium is present, and Gnp1p only contributes under the latter condition.

Expression of the Escherichia coli pntA and pntB genes, encoding nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its effect on product formation during anaerobic glucose fermentation.

We studied the physiological effect of the interconversion between the NAD(H) and NADP(H) coenzyme systems in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing the membrane-bound transhydrogenase from Escherichia coli. Our objective was to determine if the membrane-bound transhydrogenase could work in reoxidation of NADH to NAD+ in S. cerevisiae and thereby reduce glycerol formation during anaerobic fermentation. Membranes isolated from the recombinant strains exhibited reduction of 3-acetylpyridine-NAD+ by NADPH and by NADH in the presence of NADP+, which demonstrated that an active enzyme was present. Unlike the situation in E. coli, however, most of the transhydrogenase activity was not present in the yeast plasma membrane; rather, the enzyme appeared to remain localized in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. During anaerobic glucose fermentation we observed an increase in the formation of 2-oxoglutarate, glycerol, and acetic acid in a strain expressing a high level of transhydrogenase, which indicated that increased NADPH consumption and NADH production occurred. The intracellular concentrations of NADH, NAD+, NADPH, and NADP+ were measured in cells expressing transhydrogenase. The reduction of the NADPH pool indicated that the transhydrogenase transferred reducing equivalents from NADPH to NAD+.

Substrate specificity and gene expression of the amino-acid permeases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

All known amino-acid permeases (AAPs) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae belong to a single family of homologous proteins. Genes of 15 AAPs were overexpressed in different strains, and the ability to take up one or more of the 20 common L-alpha-amino acids was studied in order to obtain a complete picture of the substrate specificity for these permeases. Radiolabelled amino-acid uptake measurements showed that Agp1p is a general permease for most uncharged amino acids (Ala, Gly, Ser, Thr, Cys, Met, Phe, Tyr, Ile, Leu, Val, Gln and Asn). Gnp1p, which is closely related to Agp1p, has a somewhat less-broad specificity, transporting Leu, Ser, Thr, Cys, Met, Gln and Asn, while Bap2p and Bap3p, which are also closely related to Agp1p, are able to transport Ile, Leu, Val, Cys, Met, Phe, Tyr and Trp. All four permeases are transcriptionally induced by an extracellular amino acid, but differ in expression with respect to the nitrogen source. On a non-repressive nitrogen source, AGP1 is induced, while GLN1, BAP2 and BAP3 are not. Except for Dip5p, which is a transporter for Glu, Asp, Gln, Asn, Ser, Ala and Gly, the rest of the permeases exhibit narrow specificity. Tat2p can take up Phe, Trp and Tyr; Put4p can transport Ala, Gly and Pro; while Can1p, Lyp1p and the previously uncharacterized Alp1p are specific for the cationic amino acids. These findings modify the prevalent view that S. cerevisiae only contains one general amino-acid permease, Gap1p, and a number of permeases that are specific for a single or a few amino acids.

A novel esterase from Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, a possible function for the yeast TIP1 gene.

An extracellular esterase was isolated from the brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis. Inhibition by diisopropyl fluorophosphate shows that the enzyme has a serine active site. By mass spectrometry, the molecular weight of the enzyme was 16.9 kDa. The optimal pH for activity was in the range of four to five. Esterase activity was found in beer before pasteurization, and a low level of activity was still present after pasteurization. Caprylic acid, which is present in beer, competitively inhibited the esterase. The substrate preference towards esters of p-nitrophenol indicated that the enzyme prefers esters of fatty acids from four to 16 carbon atoms. The esterase has lipolytical activity; olive oil (C-18:1), which is a classical substrate for lipase, was hydrolysed. N-terminal sequence analysis of the esterase yielded a sequence which was identical to the deduced amino acid sequence of the S. cerevisiae TIP1 gene. The esterase preparation did not appear to contain significant amounts of other proteins than Tip1p, indicating that the TIP1 gene is the structural gene for the esterase.

Datin, a yeast poly(dA:dT)-binding protein, behaves as an activator of the wild-type ILV1 promoter and interacts synergistically with Reb1p.

A cis-acting element required for GCN4-independent basal-level transcription of ILV1 was previously identified in our laboratories as a binding site for the REB1 protein (Reb1p). Further deletion analysis of the ILV1 promoter region identified a second element also required for GCN4-independent basal-level ILV1 expression. This second element is an A.T-rich tract (26 As out of 32 nucleotides) situated 15 bp downstream of the Reb1p-binding site. Deletion of both the Reblp site and the poly(dA:dT) element totally eliminates basal activity of the ILV1 promoter. We show that the two elements act synergistically to control ILV1 expression and that the synergistic effect is distance dependent. We demonstrate that (i) datin (Dat1p), the only known poly (dA:dT)-binding protein in yeast, specifically binds to the ILV1 poly(dA:dT) element in vitro; (ii) Dat1p functions as a trans-activating factor in the ILV1 context; and (iii) the synergistic activation observed in vivo between the Reb1p site and the poly(dA:dT) element depends on the presence of the structural gene for Dat1p, DAT1.

Dip5p mediates high-affinity and high-capacity transport of L-glutamate and L-aspartate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genes encoding homologues of known amino-acid permeases were deleted in a strain also deficient in the general amino-acid permease. The uptake capacity of the mutants was investigated for several L-alpha-amino acids. Deletion of a gene denoted DIP5 results in the loss of L-aspartate and L-glutamate uptake. The dip5 mutation caused a several hundred-fold reduction of uptake of the two amino acids, both in cells grown on proline as a nitrogen source and in cells grown on ammonium. DIP5-dependent uptake of L-aspartate and L-glutamate was somewhat lower in ammonium-grown cells than in proline-grown cells. Transcriptional regulation is at least partially responsible for this difference, as shown by assaying the DIP5 promoter fused to lacZ. This suggests that the promoter is subject to nitrogen catabolite repression. Transport of a few other amino acids was moderately affected by dip5 but was not competed by L-aspartate in the DIP5 parental strain; transport of these amino acids is therefore unlikely to be mediated by Dip5p. Our results suggest that DIP5 encodes an amino-acid permease with a high transport capacity and a high affinity for L-glutamate and L-aspartate, with a Kt of about 50 microM for both.

A high-affinity inhibitor of yeast carboxypeptidase Y is encoded by TFS1 and shows homology to a family of lipid binding proteins.

A 25-kDa inhibitor of the vacuolar enzyme carboxypeptidase Y from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been characterized. The inhibitor, Ic, binds tightly with an apparent Ki of 0.1 nM. Consistent with a cytoplasmic localization, Ic is soluble and contains no sequences which could serve as potential signals for transport into the endoplasmic reticulum. Surprisingly, Ic is encoded by TFS1, which has previously been isolated as a high-copy suppressor of cdc25-1. CDC25 encodes the putative GTP exchange factor for Ras1p/Ras2p in yeast. In an attempt to rationalize this finding, we looked for a physiological relationship by deleting or overexpressing the gene for carboxypeptidase Y in a cdc25-1 strain. However, this did not change the phenotype of this mutant strain. Ic is the first member of a new family of protease inhibitors. The inhibitor is not hydrolyzed on binding to CPY. It has fairly high degree of specificity, showing a 200-fold higher Ki toward a carboxypeptidase from Candida albicans which is highly homologous to carboxypeptidase Y. The TFS1 gene product shows extensive similarity to a class of proteins termed "21-23-kDa lipid binding proteins", members of which are found in several higher eukaryotes, including man. These proteins are highly abundant in some tissues (e.g., brain) and have in general been found to bind lipids. Considering their homology to Ic, it is tempting to speculate that they may also be inhibitors of serine carboxypeptidases.

The permease homologue Ssy1p controls the expression of amino acid and peptide transporter genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Amino acid transporters of the yeast plasma membrane (permeases) belong to a family of integral membrane proteins with pronounced structural similarity. We present evidence that a member of this family, encoded by the open reading frame (ORF) YDR160w (SSY1), is required for the expression of a set of transporter genes. Thus, deletion of the SSY1 gene causes loss of leucine-inducible transcription of the amino acid permease genes BAP2, TAT1 and BAP3 (ORF YDR046c) and the peptide transporter, PTR2. D-leucine can generate the signal without entering the cell. We propose that Ssy1p is situated in the plasma membrane and is involved in sensing leucine in the medium.

Mutations in five loci affecting GAP1-independent uptake of neutral amino acids in yeast.

In order to identify genes involved in uptake of isoleucine, leucine and valine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae we isolated mutants that, on a complex medium, were sensitive to an inhibitor of the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids. Mutants that in a secondary screen showed reduced uptake of isoleucine, leucine and valine when growing in synthetic complete medium were further characterized. Genetic analysis identified five loci, named ssy1 through ssy5. ssy2 corresponds to the previously characterized bap1 mutation, which we recently have found to be allelic to stp1. ssy1, ssy3 and ssy5 exhibit a reduced uptake of phenylalanine, methionine and threonine, as well. Furthermore, they are resistant to several neutral amino acid analogs. ssy4 only affects uptake of few neutral amino acids and is as sensitive as the wild type to the amino acid analogs tested. It was previously found that a C-terminal truncation of 29 codons of BAP2, which encodes a branched-chain amino acid permease, results in increased uptake of the branched-chain amino acids. We find epistasis of the C-terminally truncated BAP2 gene over the ssy4 mutation, while the other ssy mutations are epistatic over the truncated BAP2 gene. SSY1, SSY3 and SSY5 were cloned from a low-copy genomic library by complementation of the mutants. The SSY3 gene and the SSY5 gene show no significant homology to any sequence in the databases. SSY1 is a member of the major family of genes encoding amino acid permeases in yeast. We discuss possible roles of Ssy1p in amino acid uptake.

Homologous recombination partly restores the secretion defect of underglycosylated acid phosphatase in yeast.

The majority of secreted acid phosphatase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is encoded by the PH05 gene. The secretion level of this acid phosphatase is directly determined by its level of glycosylation. Consequently, PHO5-11-encoded acid phosphatase which lacks 11 of 12 glycosylation sites is only poorly secreted. We have isolated and characterized both UV- and EMS-induced variants, which are partly able to restore the secretion of acid phosphatase. Our data indicate that the improved secretion is caused by mitotic intrachromosomal recombination between the PHO5-11 allele and the homologous tandemly repeated PHO3 sequences, resulting in the restoration of glycosylation sites in PHO5-11. Two different recombination mechanisms, unequal sister-chromatid exchange and sister-chromatid gene conversion, are responsible for these alterations of the PHO5-11 locus. Thus, recombination between mutant and wild-type sequences are able to restore the ability of mutant yeast cells to secrete acid phosphatase.

Mechanism and ion-dependence of in vitro autoactivation of yeast proteinase A: possible implications for compartmentalized activation in vivo.

Yeast proteinase A is synthesized as a zymogen which transits through the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi complex and the endosome to the vacuole. On arrival in the vacuole, activation takes place. It has previously been found that proteinase A can activate autocatalytically; however, the propeptide of proteinase A shows essentially no similarity to other known aspartic proteinase propeptides. To understand why proteinase A activation occurs rapidly in the vacuole but not at all in earlier compartments, we have purified the zymogen and investigated the conditions that trigger autoactivation and the mechanism of autoactivation. Autoactivation was triggered by acidic pH and its rate increased with increasing ionic strength. Kinetic evidence indicates that autoactivation mainly occurs via a bimolecular product-catalysed mechanism in which an active proteinase A molecule activates a zymogen molecule. Both the pH- and ionic-strength-dependence and the predominance of a product-catalysed mechanism are well adapted to the situation in vivo, since slow activation in the absence of active proteinase A helps to prevent activation in prevacuolar compartments, whereas, on delivery to the vacuole, lower pH, higher ionic strength and the presence of already active proteinases ensure rapid activation. Product-catalysed autoactivation may be a general mechanism by which cells ensure autoactivation of intracellular enzymes to be both rapid and compartmentalized.

STP1, a gene involved in pre-tRNA processing in yeast, is important for amino-acid uptake and transcription of the permease gene BAP2.

The bap1 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was previously isolated by its reduced uptake of branched-chain amino acids. In the present study, the corresponding wild-type gene was cloned and partial sequencing and subsequent genetic analysis revealed identity to STP1, a gene involved in tRNA maturation. The decrease in amino-acid uptake caused by stp1 mutations is independent of GCN4. It was previously found that the BAP2 promoter can be activated by the presence of amino acids, notably leucine, in the medium. We found that this activation depends on STP1. As a simple hypothesis we propose that Stp1p is a transcription factor which activates BAP2, and probably other amino-acid permease genes.

Inactivation of MET10 in brewer's yeast specifically increases SO2 formation during beer production.

Sulfite is widely used as an antioxidant in food production. In beer brewing, sulfite has the additional role of stabilizing the flavor by forming adducts with aldehydes. Inadequate amounts of sulfite are sometimes produced by brewer's yeasts, so means of controlling the sulfite production are desired. In Saccharomyces yeasts, MET10 encodes a subunit of sulfite reductase. Partial or full elimination of MET10 gene activity in a brewer's yeast resulted in increased sulfite accumulation. Beer produced with such yeasts was quite satisfactory and showed increased flavor stability.