Yeast

About: Yeast is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 31777 publications have been published within this topic receiving 868967 citations. The topic is also known as: yeasts.

Two glucose/xylose transporter genes from the yeast Candida intermedia: first molecular characterization of a yeast xylose–H+ symporter

Abstract: Candida intermedia PYCC 4715 was previously shown to grow well on xylose and to transport this sugar by two different transport systems: high-capacity and low-affinity facilitated diffusion and a high-affinity xylose-proton symporter, both of which accept glucose as a substrate. Here we report the isolation of genes encoding both transporters, designated GXF1 (glucose/xylose facilitator 1) and GXS1 (glucose/xylose symporter 1) respectively. Although GXF1 was isolated by functional complementation of an HXT-null (where Hxt refers to hexose transporters) Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, isolation of the GXS1 cDNA required partial purification and micro-sequencing of the transporter, identified by its relative abundance in cells grown on low xylose concentrations. Both genes were expressed in S. cerevisiae and the kinetic parameters of glucose and xylose transport were determined. Gxs1 is the first yeast xylose/glucose-H+ symporter to be characterized at the molecular level. Comparison of its amino acid sequence with available sequence data revealed the existence of a family of putative monosaccharide-H+ symporters encompassing proteins from several yeasts and filamentous fungi.

Expression of polypeptides in yeast

Abstract: DNA expression vectors capable, in a transformant strain of yeast, of expressing a polypeptide under the control of a genetically distinct yeast promoter, processes of forming transformant strains of yeast and transformed yeast strains are disclosed

Reconstitution of protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex in yeast: the acceptor Golgi compartment is defective in the sec23 mutant.

Abstract: Using either permeabilized cells or microsomes we have reconstituted the early events of the yeast secretory pathway in vitro. In the first stage of the reaction approximately 50-70% of the prepro-alpha-factor, synthesized in a yeast translation lysate, is translocated into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of permeabilized yeast cells or directly into yeast microsomes. In the second stage of the reaction 48-66% of the ER form of alpha-factor (26,000 D) is then converted to the high molecular weight Golgi form in the presence of ATP, soluble factors and an acceptor membrane fraction; GTP gamma S inhibits this transport reaction. Donor, acceptor, and soluble fractions can be separated in this assay. This has enabled us to determine the defective fraction in sec23, a secretory mutant that blocks ER to Golgi transport in vivo. When fractions were prepared from mutant cells grown at the permissive or restrictive temperature and then assayed in vitro, the acceptor Golgi fraction was found to be defective.

Cdc14: a highly conserved family of phosphatases with non-conserved functions?

Abstract: CDC14 was originally identified by L. Hartwell in his famous screen for genes that regulate the budding yeast cell cycle. Subsequent work showed that Cdc14 belongs to a family of highly conserved dual-specificity phosphatases that are present in a wide range of organisms from yeast to human. Human CDC14B is even able to fulfill the essential functions of budding yeast Cdc14. In budding yeast, Cdc14 counteracts the activity of cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk1) at the end of mitosis and thus has important roles in the regulation of anaphase, mitotic exit and cytokinesis. On the basis of the functional conservation of other cell-cycle genes it seemed obvious to assume that Cdc14 phosphatases also have roles in late mitosis in mammalian cells and regulate similar targets to those found in yeast. However, analysis of the human Cdc14 proteins (CDC14A, CDC14B and CDC14C) by overexpression or by depletion using small interfering RNA (siRNA) has suggested functions that are quite different from those of ScCdc14. Recent studies in avian and human somatic cell lines in which the gene encoding either Cdc14A or Cdc14B had been deleted, have shown – surprisingly – that neither of the two phosphatases on its own is essential for viability, cell-cycle progression and checkpoint control. In this Commentary, we critically review the available data on the functions of yeast and vertebrate Cdc14 phosphatases, and discuss whether they indeed share common functions as generally assumed.

Yeast diversity of Ghanaian cocoa bean heap fermentations

Abstract: The fermentation of the Theobroma cacao beans, involving yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria, has a major influence on the quality of the resulting cocoa. An assessment of the microbial community of cocoa bean heap fermentations in Ghana resulted in 91 yeast isolates. These were grouped by PCR-fingerprinting with the primer M13. Representative isolates were identified using the D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer sequences and partial actin gene sequences leading to the detection of 15 species. Properties of importance for cocoa bean fermentation, namely sucrose, glucose, and citrate assimilation capacity, pH-, ethanol-, and heat-tolerance, were examined for selected isolates. Pichia kudriavzevii (Issatchenkia orientalis), Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Hanseniaspora opuntiae formed the major components of the yeast community. Hanseniaspora opuntiae was identified conclusively for the first time from cocoa fermentations. Among the less frequently encountered species, Candida carpophila, Candida orthopsilosis, Kodamaea ohmeri, Meyerozyma (Pichia) caribbica, Pichia manshurica, Saccharomycodes ludwigii, and Yamadazyma (Pichia) mexicana were not yet documented from this substrate. Hanseniaspora opuntiae was preferably growing during the earlier phase of fermentation, reflecting its tolerance to low pH and its citrate-negative phenotype, while no specific temporal distribution was recognized for P. kudriavzevii and S. cerevisiae.