A mutant for the yeast scERV1 gene displays a new defect in mitochondrial morphology and distribution

The yeast scERV1 gene is the best characterized representative of a new gene family found in different lower and higher eukaryotes. The gene product is essential for the yeast cell and has a complex influence on different aspects of mitochondrial biogenesis. The homologous mammalian ALR(A ugmenter of L iver R egeneration) genes from man, mouse and rat are important at different developmental stages of the organism as, for example, in spermatogenesis and liver regeneration. In this study the influence of scERV1 on the morphology of mitochondria and its submitochondrial localization are investigated. A temperature‐sensitive mutant of the gene was stained with a mitochondria‐specific dye and fluorescence was inspected at the permissive and restrictive temperature. A new phenotype for morphological defects of mitochondria was identified. Already at the permissive temperature mitochondrial vesicles accumulate at defined positions in the cell. After shift to the restrictive temperature, morphological changes, and finally complete loss of mitochondrial structures, are observed. Ultrastructural studies confirm these findings and demonstrate the loss of the mitochondrial inner membrane and at the final stage a drastic reduction or complete absence of mitochondria from the cell. GFP fusion experiments with the scERV1 gene and subcellular localization by fractionation experiments identify the gene product inside mitoplasts and the cytosol. Re‐investigation of the mutant phenotype demonstrates that after longer incubation of the mutant at the restrictive temperature an irreversible defect of the cells, even on glucose complete medium, is found that is in accordance with a complete loss or irreversible damage of mitochondria. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

RIM2, MSI1 and PGI1 and located within an 8 kb segment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome II,which also contains the putative ribosomal gene L21 and a new putative essential gene with a leucine zipper motif

We report the DNA sequence of an 8 kb segment localized on the right arm of chromosome II from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sequence reveals the presence of eight open reading frames (ORFs). Three of them, YBR1402, YBR1405 and YBR1406 are previously sequenced genes, respectively the RIM2 (replication in mitochondria), MSI1 (multicopy suppressor of IRA1 gene) and PGI1 (phosphoglucoisomerase) genes. The predicted product of the ORF YBR1401 could be the putative yeast ribosomal protein L21. A new essential gene, YBR1403, has been identified by disruption; it possesses a leucine zipper motif.     

Nucleotide sequence and characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RPL19A gene encoding a homolog of the mammalian ribosomal protein l19

A gene designated RPL19A has been identified in the region downstream from the 3′-end of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MIS1 gene encoding the mitochondrial C₁-tetrahydrofolate synthase. The gene codes for the yeast ribosomal protein YL19 which exhibits 57·5% identity with the mammalian ribosomal protein L19. RPL19A is one of two functional copies of the YL19 gene located on chromosome II. The disruption of RPL19A has no effect on the growth of the yeast. The RPL19A gene contains an intron located near the 5′-end. The 5′-flanking region contains one similar and one complete UAS_rpg upstream activating sequence. RPL19A was also found to be adjacent to the chromosome II AAC3 gene, encoding the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier protein. The nucleotide sequence(s) reported in this paper has been submitted to the GenBank^tm/EMBL data bank with the accession number Z36751.     

Molecular characterization of the SEC1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Subcellular distribution of a protein required for yeast protein secretion

Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbouring temperature-sensitive mutations in the SEC1 and SEC5 genes exhibit an accumulation of post-Golgi secretory vesicles at 37°C. We have cloned a fragment of yeast DNA which carries two distinct genes, one of which complements a sec1 mutation, and the other a sec5 mutation. Genetic tests confirm that the sec1-complementing gene is indeed SEC1, and is essential for cell growth. Nucleotide sequence analysis reveals that the cloned SEC1 gene is the same as a previously sequenced sec1-complementing gene. The SEC1 sequence encodes a protein of 724 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 83 kDa. Antibodies purified from a polyclonal antiserum raised against the protein product of the cloned gene recognize a yeast protein of apparent molecular mass 78 kDa which is found in a detergent-resistant association with a rapidly sedimenting yeast subcellular fraction, behaviour which is suggestive of an interaction with a component of the yeast cytoskeleton.     

Characterization of the KIN2 gene product in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and comparison between the kinase activities of p145KIN1 and p145KIN2

We have isolated two yeast genes, KIN1 and KIN2, by their homology to the protein kinase family of viral oncogenes. Previous studies have identified the yeast KIN1 gene product (pp145^KIN1) as a 145 kilodalton (kDa) phosphoprotein with serine/threonine-specific protein kinase activity. To identify and biochemically characterize the KIN2 gene product, antibodies were raised against a bacterial β-galactosidase/KIN2 fusion polypeptide. In vivo, the KIN2 gene product is a 145 kDa phosphoprotein, pp145^KIN2. In immune complexes, pp145^KIN2 demonstrates serine/threonine protein kinase activity, transferring phosphate from [γ-³²P]ATP to either itself or the exogenously added substrates α-casein, acid-denatured enolase, or phosvitin. In vitro, kinase activity is dependent on either Mn²⁺ or Mg²⁺ ions. Both enzymes, pp145^KIN1 and pp145^KIN2, prefer ATP over GTP as their phosphoryl donor. Since a new class of yeast protein kinases has been identified which are serine/tyrosine-specific, we analysed a wide range of substrates to see if any could be phosphorylated by pp145^KIN1 or pp145^KIN2 on tyrosine residues. Both enzymes phosphorylate α-casein, acid-denatured enolase, and phosvitin on serine and threonine residues. Neither enzyme could phosphorylate tyrosine residues even though good substrates for tyrosine-specific kinases such as enolase, angiotensin II, and the synthetic polymer GLU⁸⁰TYR²⁰ were used. The biochemical analysis of KIN2 kinase activity shows remarkable similarity to that of its most closely related yeast kinase, KIN1. It remains to be seen if these two yeast protein kinases share any functional relationships or substrates in vivo.     

Dicistronic regulation of fluorescent proteins in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fluorescent proteins are convenient tools for measuring protein expression levels in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Co‐expression of proteins from distinct vectors has been seen by fluorescence microscopy; however, the expression of two fluorescent proteins on the same vector would allow for monitoring of linked events. We engineered constructs to allow dicistronic expression of red and green fluorescent proteins and found that expression levels of the proteins correlated with their order in the DNA sequence, with the protein encoded by the 5′‐gene more highly expressed. To increase expression levels of the second gene, we tested four regulatory elements inserted between the two genes: the IRES sequences for the YAP1 and p150 genes, and the promoters for the TEF1 gene from both S. cerevisiae and Ashbya gossypii. We generated constructs encoding the truncated ADH1 promoter driving expression of the red protein, yeast‐enhanced Cherry, followed by a regulatory element driving expression of the green protein, yeast‐enhanced GFP. Three of the four regulatory elements successfully enhanced expression of the second gene in our dicistronic construct. We have developed a method to express two genes simultaneously from one vector. Both genes are codon‐optimized to produce high protein levels in yeast, and the protein products can be visualized by microscopy or flow cytometry. With this method of regulation, the two genes can be driven in a dicistronic manner, with one protein marking cells harbouring the vector and the other protein free to mark any event of interest. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Yeast sequencing reports. Sequence of the AFG3 gene encoding a new member of the FtsH/Yme1/Tma subfamily of the AAA-protein family

A nuclear gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cloned by genetic complementation of a temperature-sensitive respiratory-deficient mutant. DNA sequence analysis reveals that it encodes a protein with homology to Yme1, FtsH and Tma, proteins which belong to the AAA-protein family (ÃPases associated with diverse cellular activities). The members of this family are involved in very different biological processes. Yme1p, a yeast mitochondrial protein, affects the rate of DNA escape from mitochondria to the nucleus and the Escherichia coli FtsH protein is apparently involved in the post-translational processing of PBP3, a protein necessary for septation during cell division. This newly sequenced gene, which we have designated AFG3 for ÃPase family gene 3, encodes a putative mitochondrial protein of 760 amino acid residues that is closely related to FtsH, Tma (protein from Lactococcus lactis) and Yme1p with 58, 55 and 46% identity respectively. The sequence has been deposited in the EMBL data library under Accession Number X76643.     

Sequence analysis of a 14·6 kb DNA fragment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome VII reveals SEC27, SSM1b,a putative S-adenosylmethionine-dependent enzyme and six new open reading frames

The nucleotide sequence of a fragment from the left arm of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome VII has been determined. Analysis of the 14,607 bp DNA segment reveals nine open reading frames (ORFs) longer than 300 bp. G2827 is the SEC 7 gene, an essential coatomer complex subunit. G2834 encodes SSM1b, a ribosomal protein. The G2838 product shows homology to hypothetical yeast proteins, YIF0 and YE09, of unknown function. The G2830 product shows homology with the cell division protein FtsJ from Escherichia coli, with two hypothetical proteins from yeast, YCF4 and YBR1, and with R74.7, a hypothetical protein from Caenorhabditis elegans. Two of the ORFs are completely internal to longer ones and a third is partially embedded in G2850. The remaining ORFs give no significant homology with proteins in the databases. The sequence has been deposited at the EMBL database under Accession Number X92670.     

Sequencing and analysis of 51·6 kilobases on the left arm of chromosome XI from Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals 23 open reading frames including the FAS1 gene

We have sequenced two segments containing a total of 51·6 kb of the left arm from chromosome XI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The first segment of 38·5 kb contains 18 open reading frames (ORFs) of more than 100 amino acid residues. Five ORFs encode known yeast genes, including the fatty acid synthase gene (FAS1). Three new yeast genes were discovered with homologies to non-yeast genes and ten new genes without homologies to any known sequences. The second segment of 13 kb contains five ORFs with two known yeast genes and three unknown genes. The sequences from cosmid pUKG041 were obtained entirely with the walking primer strategy resulting in a very low overall sequence redundancy of 2·8 and an average reading length of 443 bases.     

Sequence Analysis of 203 Kilobases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chromosome VII

The nucleotide sequences of five major regions from chromosome VII of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been determined and analysed. These regions represent 203 kilobases corresponding to approximately one-fifth of the complete yeast chromosome VII. Two fragments originate from the left arm of this chromosome. The first one of about 15·8 kb starts approximately 75 kb from the left telomere and is bordered by the SKI8 chromosomal marker. The second fragment covers the 72·6 kb region between the chromosomal markers CYH2 and ALG2. On the right chromosomal arm three regions, a 70·6 kb region between the MSB2 and the KSS1 chromosomal markers and two smaller regions dominated by the KRE11 marker and another one in the vicinity of the SER2 marker were sequenced. We found a total of 114 open reading frames (ORFs), 13 of which were completely overlapping with larger ORFs running in the opposite direction. A total of 44 yeast genes, the physiological functions of which are known, could be precisely mapped on this chromosome. Of the remaining 57 ORFs, 26 shared sequence homologies with known genes, among which were 13 other S. cerevisiae genes and five genes from other organisms. No homology with any sequence in the databases could be found for 31 ORFs. Furthermore, five Ty elements were found, one of which may not be functional due to a frame shift in its Ty1B amino acid sequence. The five chromosomal regions harboured five potential ARS elements and one sigma element together with eight tRNA genes and two snRNAs, one of which is encoded by an intron of a protein-coding gene. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

II. Yeast sequencing reports. Sequence analysis of a 78·6 kb segment of the left end of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome II

We report the sequence analysis of a 78,601 bp DNA segment on the left arm of chromosome II of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This 78·6 kb segment spans the region from the start of a subtelomeric Y′ element up to the ILS1 gene. It contains 49 open reading frames (ORFs) with more than 100 amino acids length including 14 internal and five overlapping ORFs. The gene density, excluding the internal ORFs, was calculated as one ORF per 2·2 kb. Eight ORFs (PKC1, TyA, TyB, ATP1, ROX3, RPL17a, PET112 and ILS1) correspond to previously characterized genes. ORF YBL0718 was identified as CDC27; YBL0706 as TEL1. Four other ORFs show strong similarities to already known genes. The gene product of YBL0838 is 60% identical to the ribosomal protein RPL32 from rat, mouse and man. YBL0701 encodes a protein with significant similarity to the initiation factor eIF2 associated p67 glycoprotein from rat. Eight ORFs were disrupted and the resulting yeast strains analysed with respect to their phenotype. The sequence has been deposited in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database under the Accession Number X79489.     

Yeast sequencing reports. Genes of the linear mitochondrial DNA of Williopsis mrakii: Coding sequences for a maturase-like protein,a ribosomal protein VAR1 homologue,cytochrome oxidase subunit 2 and methionyl tRNA

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in some yeasts has a linear structure with inverted terminal repeats closed by a single-stranded loop. These mtDNAs have generally a constant gene order, beginning with a small ribosomal RNA gene at the right end and terminating with a cytochrome oxidase subunit 2 gene (COX2) at the left end, independently of the wide variation in genome size. In the mtDNAs from several species of the genus Williopsis, we found an additional open reading frame, ORF1, which was homologous to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RF1 gene encoding a group I intron maturase-like protein. ORF1 genes from W. mrakii and W. suaveolens were mapped and sequenced. Next to ORF1, COX2 and methionyl tRNA genes were present on the opposite strand. The same relative positions of genes in the mtDNAs so far examined suggests that the constancy of gene order is generally conserved also at the level of individual tRNA genes. We identified another open reading frame, ORF2, in W. mrakii mtDNA. It was mapped next to the cytochrome oxidase subunit 3 gene. Rich in adenine-thymine bases, ORF2 appears to be a homologue of the VAR1 gene which codes for a small ribosomal subunit protein in S. cerevisiae mitochondria. Nucleotide sequences data have been deposited in the EmBL data library under the following Accession Numbers: X66594 (Apocytochrome b and ORF2 genes of W. mrakii), X66595 (ORF1, tRNA-Met and COX2 genes of W. mrakii), X73415 (tRNA-Met and COX2 genes of W. suaveolens), X73416 (ORF1 gene of W. suaveolens) and X73414 (tRNA-Met and COX2 genes of P. jadinii).     

DNA sequence analysis of the YCN2 region of chromosome XI in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A 6·8 kbp DNA fragment localized to the left arm of chromosome XI from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was sequenced and analysed (EMBL accession no. X69765). Two genes involved in protein phosphatase activity were identified: YCN2 and an open reading frame encoding a protein that shares 46% amino acid identity with the sds22⁺ protein from Schizosaccharomyces pombe. A comparison of the genomic YCN2 sequence with the published cDNA sequence suggests the presence of an intron near the 5′ end of the gene. Further sequence analysis suggests the presence of three additional genes near YCN2: a mitochondrial acyl-carrier protein, a gene encoding a putative hydrophobic protein, and a new gene coding for a tRNA^Leu (UAA) isoacceptor located near a delta sequence.     

Consideration of the evolution of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MEL gene family on the basis of the nucleotide sequences of the genes and their flanking regions

Analysis of the DNA sequences of new members of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae MEL1-MEL10 gene family showed high homology between the members. The MEL gene family, α-galactosidase-coding sequences, have diverged into two groups; one consisting of MEL1 and MEL2 and the other of MEL3-MEL10. In two S. cerevisiae strains containing five or seven MEL genes each, all the genes are nearly identical, suggesting very rapid distribution of the gene to separate chromosomes. The sequence homology and the abrupt change to sequence heterogeneity at the centromere-proximal 3′ end of the MEL genes suggest that the distribution of the genes to new chromosomal locations has occurred partly by reciprocal recombination at solo delta sequences. We identified a new open reading frame sufficient to code for a 554 amino acid long protein of unknown function. The new open reading frame (Accession number Z37509) is located in the 3′ non-coding region of MEL3-MEL10 genes in opposite orientation to the MEL genes (Accession numbers Z37508, Z37510, Z37511). Northern analysis of total RNA showed no hybridization to a homologous probe, suggesting that the gene is not expressed efficiently if at all.