Yeast populations can undergo diversification during their growth and ageing, leading to the formation of different cell-types. Differentiation into two major subpopulations, differing in cell size ...and density and exhibiting distinct physiological and metabolic properties, was described in planktonic liquid cultures and in populations of colonies growing on semisolid surfaces. Here, we compare stress resistance, metabolism and expression of marker genes in seven differentiated cell subpopulations emerging during cultivation in liquid fermentative or respiratory media and during colony development on the same type of solid media. The results show that the more-dense cell subpopulations are more stress resistant than the less-dense subpopulations under all cultivation conditions tested. On the other hand, respiratory capacity, enzymatic activities and marker gene expression differed more between subpopulations. These characteristics are more influenced by the lifestyle of the population (colony vs. planktonic cultivation) and the medium composition. Only in the population growing in liquid respiratory medium, two subpopulations do not form as in the other conditions tested, but all cells exhibit a range of characteristics of the more-dense subpopulations. This suggests that signals for cell differentiation may be triggered by prior metabolic reprogramming or by an unknown signal from the structured environment in the colony.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Yeasts, like other microorganisms, create numerous types of multicellular communities, which differ in their complexity, cell differentiation and in the occupation of different niches. Some of the ...communities, such as colonies and some types of biofilms, develop by division and subsequent differentiation of cells growing on semisolid or solid surfaces to which they are attached or which they can penetrate. Aggregation of individual cells is important for formation of other community types, such as multicellular flocs, which sediment to the bottom or float to the surface of liquid cultures forming flor biofilms, organized at the border between liquid and air under specific circumstances. These examples together with the existence of more obscure communities, such as stalks, demonstrate that multicellularity is widespread in yeast. Despite this fact, identification of mechanisms and regulations involved in complex multicellular behavior still remains one of the challenges of microbiology. Here, we briefly discuss metabolic differences between particular yeast communities as well as the presence and functions of various differentiated cells and provide examples of the ability of these cells to develop different ways to cope with stress during community development and aging.
Yeasts, historically considered to be single-cell organisms, are able to activate different differentiation processes. Individual yeast cells can change their life-styles by processes of phenotypic ...switching such as the switch from yeast-shaped cells to filamentous cells (pseudohyphae or true hyphae) and the transition among opaque, white and gray cell-types. Yeasts can also create organized multicellular structures such as colonies and biofilms, and the latter are often observed as contaminants on surfaces in industry and medical care and are formed during infections of the human body. Multicellular structures are formed mostly of stationary-phase or slow-growing cells that diversify into specific cell subpopulations that have unique metabolic properties and can fulfill specific tasks. In addition to the development of multiple protective mechanisms, processes of metabolic reprogramming that reflect a changed environment help differentiated individual cells and/or community cell constituents to survive harmful environmental attacks and/or to escape the host immune system. This review aims to provide an overview of differentiation processes so far identified in individual yeast cells as well as in multicellular communities of yeast pathogens of the Candida and Cryptococcus spp. and the Candida albicans close relative, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molecular mechanisms and extracellular signals potentially involved in differentiation processes are also briefly mentioned.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Contamination of water by heavy metals represents a potential risk for both aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including humans. Heavy metals in water resources can come from various industrial ...activities, and drinking water can be ex-post contaminated by heavy metals such as Cu2+ from house fittings (e.g., water reservoirs) and pipes. Here, we present a new copper biosensor capable of detecting copper ions at concentrations of 1–100μM. This biosensor is based on cells of a specifically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain immobilized in alginate beads. Depending on the concentration of copper, the biosensor beads change color from white, when copper is present in concentrations below the detection limit, to pink or red based on the increase in copper concentration. The biosensor was successfully tested in the determination of copper concentrations in real samples of water contaminated with copper ions. In contrast to analytical methods or other biosensors based on fluorescent proteins, the newly designed biosensor does not require specific equipment and allows the quick detection of copper in many parallel samples.
•We present newly designed biosensor for detecting copper concentration in water.•The biosensor is based on immobilized yeast and turns red in the presence of copper.•The biosensor allows quantification of Cu2+ concentration in many parallel samples.•Cu2+ level in wastewater can be quantified with no need of specialized equipment.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The existence of programmed cell death (PCD) in yeast and its significance to simple unicellular organisms is still questioned. However, such doubts usually do not reflect the fact that ...microorganisms in nature exist predominantly within structured, multicellular communities capable of differentiation, in which a profit of individual cells is subordinated to a profit of populations. In this study, we show that some PCD features naturally appear during the development of multicellular Saccharomyces cerevisiae colonies. An ammonia signal emitted by aging colonies triggers metabolic changes that localize yeast death only in the colony center. The remaining population can exploit the released nutrients and survives. In colonies defective in Sok2p transcription factor that are unable to produce ammonia (Váchová, L., F. Devaux, H. Kucerova, M. Ricicova, C. Jacq, and Z. Palková. 2004. J. Biol. Chem. 279:37973-37981), death is spread throughout the whole population, thus decreasing the lifetime of the colony. The absence of Mca1p metacaspase or Aif1p orthologue of mammalian apoptosis-inducing factor does not prevent regulated death in yeast colonies.
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Cells must change their properties in order to adapt to a constantly changing environment. Most of the cellular sensing and regulatory mechanisms described so far are based on proteins that serve as ...sensors, signal transducers, and effectors of signalling pathways, resulting in altered cell physiology. In recent years, however, remarkable examples of the critical role of non-coding RNAs in some of these regulatory pathways have been described in various organisms. In this review, we focus on all classes of non-coding RNAs that play regulatory roles during stress response, starvation, and ageing in different yeast species as well as in structured yeast populations. Such regulation can occur, for example, by modulating the amount and functional state of tRNAs, rRNAs, or snRNAs that are directly involved in the processes of translation and splicing. In addition, long non-coding RNAs and microRNA-like molecules are bona fide regulators of the expression of their target genes. Non-coding RNAs thus represent an additional level of cellular regulation that is gradually being uncovered.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Single-celled yeasts form spatially structured populations - colonies and biofilms, either alone (single-species biofilms) or in cooperation with other microorganisms (mixed-species biofilms). Within ...populations, yeast cells develop in a coordinated manner, interact with each other and differentiate into specialized cell subpopulations that can better adapt to changing conditions (e.g. by reprogramming metabolism during nutrient deficiency) or protect the overall population from external influences (e.g. via extracellular matrix). Various omics tools together with specialized techniques for separating differentiated cells and in situ microscopy have revealed important processes and cell interactions in these structures, which are summarized here. Nevertheless, current knowledge is still only a small part of the mosaic of complexity and diversity of the multicellular structures that yeasts form in different environments. Future challenges include the use of integrated multi-omics approaches and a greater emphasis on the analysis of differentiated cell subpopulations with specific functions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Our present in‐depth knowledge of the physiology and regulatory mechanisms of microorganisms has arisen from our ability to remove them from their natural, complex ecosystems into pure liquid ...cultures. These cultures are grown under optimized laboratory conditions and allow us to study microorganisms as individuals. However, microorganisms naturally grow in conditions that are far from optimal, which causes them to become organized into multicellular communities that are better protected against the harmful environment. Moreover, this multicellular existence allows individual cells to differentiate and acquire specific properties, such as forming resistant spores, which benefit the whole population. The relocation of natural microorganisms to the laboratory can result in their adaptation to these favourable conditions, which is accompanied by complex changes that include the repression of some protective mechanisms that are essential in nature. Laboratory microorganisms that have been cultured for long periods under optimized conditions might therefore differ markedly from those that exist in natural ecosystems.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Yeasts create multicellular structures of varying complexity, such as more complex colonies and biofilms and less complex flocs, each of which develops via different mechanisms. Colony biofilms ...originate from one or more cells that, through growth and division, develop a complicated three-dimensional structure consisting of aerial parts, agar-embedded invasive parts and a central cavity, filled with extracellular matrix. In contrast, flocs arise relatively quickly by aggregation of planktonic cells growing in liquid cultures after they reach the appropriate growth phase and/or exhaust nutrients such as glucose. Creation of both types of structures is dependent on the presence of flocculins: Flo11p in the former case and Flo1p in the latter. We recently showed that formation of both types of structures by wild
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
strain BR-F is regulated via transcription regulators Tup1p and Cyc8p, but in a divergent manner. Biofilm formation is regulated by Cyc8p and Tup1p antagonistically: Cyc8p functions as a repressor of
FLO11
gene expression and biofilm formation, whereas Tup1p counteracts the Cyc8p repressor function and positively regulates biofilm formation and Flo11p expression. In addition, Tup1p stabilizes Flo11p probably by repressing a gene coding for a cell wall or extracellular protease that is involved in Flo11p degradation. In contrast, formation of BR-F flocs is co-repressed by the Cyc8p–Tup1p complex. These findings point to different mechanisms involved in yeast multicellularity.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Nutrient availability controls the landscape of nutrient transporters present at the plasma membrane, notably by regulating their ubiquitylation and subsequent endocytosis. In yeast, this involves ...the Nedd4 ubiquitin ligase Rsp5 and arrestin-related trafficking adaptors (ARTs). ARTs are targeted by signaling pathways and warrant that cargo ubiquitylation and endocytosis appropriately respond to nutritional inputs. Here, we show that glucose deprivation regulates the ART protein Csr2/Art8 at multiple levels to trigger high-affinity glucose transporter endocytosis. Csr2 is transcriptionally induced in these conditions through the AMPK orthologue Snf1 and downstream transcriptional repressors. Upon synthesis, Csr2 becomes activated by ubiquitylation. In contrast, glucose replenishment induces
transcriptional shutdown and switches Csr2 to an inactive, deubiquitylated form. This glucose-induced deubiquitylation of Csr2 correlates with its phospho-dependent association with 14-3-3 proteins and involves protein kinase A. Thus, two glucose signaling pathways converge onto Csr2 to regulate hexose transporter endocytosis by glucose availability. These data illustrate novel mechanisms by which nutrients modulate ART activity and endocytosis.
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