Construction,characterization and application of a genome-wide promoter library in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis>

Promoters are critical elements to control gene expression but could behave differently under various growth conditions. Here we report the construction of a genome-wide promoter library, in which each native promoter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cloned upstream of a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) reporter gene. Nine libraries were arbitrarily defined and assembled in bacteria. The resulting pools of promoters could be prepared and transformed into a yeast strain either as centromeric plasmids or integrated into a genomic locus upon enzymatic treatment. Using fluorescence activated cell sorting, we classified the yeast strains based on YFP fluorescence intensity and arbitrarily divided the entire library into 12 bins, representing weak to strong promoters. Several strong promoters were identified from the most active bins and their activities were assayed under different growth conditions. Finally, these promoters were applied to drive the expression of genes in xylose utilization to improve fermentation efficiency. Together, this library could provide a quick solution to identify and utilize desired promoters under user-defined growth conditions.

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Identification and Characterization of Buffalo 7SK and U6 pol III Promoters and Application for Expression of Short Hairpin RNAs

RNA polymerase III (pol III) type 3 promoters, such as 7SK and U6, are routinely used to induce short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) to knockdown gene expression by RNA interference (RNAi). To extend the application of RNAi to studies of buffalo, an shRNAs expressing system using the buffalo pol III promoters was developed. Buffalo 7SK promoter (bu7SK) and U6 promoter (buU6) sequences upstream of the full-length 7SK and U6 small nuclear RNA sequence in the buffalo genome were identified and characterized, respectively. To determine the functionality of these promoters in constructs driving shRNA expression, anti-EGFP shRNAs (shEGFP) cassettes under the direction of bu7SK and buU6 were constructed. We further compared the EGFP knockdown efficiency of constructs using bu7SK and buU6 with that of promoters of human and bovine origins in BFF cells and mouse PT67 cells by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR assays. We found that the bu7SK and buU6 promoters induced the greatest level of suppression in homologous and heterologous cells relative to promoters derived from other species. Taken together, functional bu7SK and buU6 promoters were identified and characterized, thus laying the groundwork for future development of RNAi therapeutics and gene modification in buffalo species.     

Characterization of promoters in Escherichia coli and application for xylitol synthesis

Promoters are the most important tools to control and regulate the gene expression in synthetic biology and met-abolic engineering. The expression of target genes in Escherichia coli is usually control...     

Membrane Trafficking in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Model

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the best characterized eukaryotic models. The secretory pathway was the first trafficking pathway clearly understood mainly thanks to the work done in the laboratory of Randy Schekman in the 1980s. They have isolated yeast sec mutants unable to secrete an extracellular enzyme and these SEC genes were identified as encoding key effectors of the secretory machinery. For this work, the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine has been awarded to Randy Schekman; the prize is shared with James Rothman and Thomas Südhof. Here, we present the different trafficking pathways of yeast S. cerevisiae. At the Golgi apparatus newly synthesized proteins are sorted between those transported to the plasma membrane (PM), or the external medium, via the exocytosis or secretory pathway (SEC), and those targeted to the vacuole either through endosomes (vacuolar protein sorting or VPS pathway) or directly (alkaline phosphatase or ALP pathway). Plasma membrane proteins can be internalized by endocytosis (END) and transported to endosomes where they are sorted between those targeted for vacuolar degradation and those redirected to the Golgi (recycling or RCY pathway). Studies in yeast S. cerevisiae allowed the identification of most of the known effectors, protein complexes, and trafficking pathways in eukaryotic cells, and most of them are conserved among eukaryotes.