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Related Concept Videos

Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
Yeast Signaling01:28

Yeast Signaling

Yeasts are single-celled organisms, but unlike bacteria, they are eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus). Cell signaling in yeast is similar to signaling in other eukaryotic cells. A ligand, such as a protein or a small molecule released from a yeast cell, attaches to a receptor on the cell surface. The binding stimulates second-messenger kinases to activate or inactivate transcription factors that further regulate gene expression. Many of the yeast intracellular signaling cascades have similar...
Caspases01:24

Caspases

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside cells.
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...

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Yeast apoptosis--from genes to pathways.

Kai-Uwe Fröhlich1, Heike Fussi, Christoph Ruckenstuhl

  • 1IMB, University of Graz, Austria. kai-uwe.froehlich@uni-graz.at

Seminars in Cancer Biology
|January 9, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Yeast cells can undergo apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, under various conditions like stress or genetic changes. This study explores how yeast apoptosis shares mechanisms with higher organisms. Using genetic tools, researchers found that certain regulators of apoptosis are conserved between yeast and metazoans. These findings suggest that yeast can serve as a model system for studying human apoptosis. The study highlights the importance of conserved pathways and offers insights into the regulatory mechanisms of apoptosis.

Keywords:
apoptosis in yeastconserved apoptotic pathwaysyeast cell deathmodel organisms for apoptosis

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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Molecular genetics
  • Apoptosis research

Background:

Understanding apoptosis in yeast is important because these organisms provide a model system for studying complex biological processes. While much is known about cell death in higher organisms, the mechanisms in simpler systems remain less clear. Prior research has shown that yeast can mimic human cell division and death processes. However, the specific roles of conserved apoptotic regulators remain unclear. This gap motivated researchers to explore yeast as a model for apoptosis. No prior work had resolved the full extent of conserved apoptotic pathways in yeast. The study aimed to clarify these mechanisms using available genetic tools. These findings could help bridge the gap between yeast and human apoptosis studies.

Purpose Of The Study:

The study aimed to investigate the apoptotic mechanisms in yeast to better understand conserved pathways. Researchers focused on how stress, mutations, and gene expression induce cell death. They sought to identify conserved apoptotic regulators in yeast. The goal was to determine if yeast apoptosis shares mechanisms with higher organisms. The study also aimed to explore the regulatory pathways involved in yeast cell death. This approach allows for simpler experimental manipulation than in higher organisms. The findings could help identify new components of the apoptotic machinery. These insights may contribute to broader understanding of apoptosis regulation.

Main Methods:

The researchers used Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as model organisms. They applied stress conditions and genetic manipulations to induce apoptosis. The study utilized genetic tools to analyze cell death markers. They examined the effects of proapoptotic gene expression in yeast. The methods included cytological and molecular analyses. Researchers compared yeast apoptosis to metazoan apoptosis. They focused on conserved regulators of apoptosis. The study aimed to identify novel components of the apoptotic machinery.

Main Results:

Stress conditions and mutations induced apoptosis in yeast with typical markers. Proapoptotic gene expression also triggered cell death in the model organisms. The study found conserved apoptotic regulators in yeast and metazoans. Several key regulators were identified as shared between species. The results suggest conserved pathways in yeast apoptosis. The findings indicate that yeast can model human apoptosis processes. The study revealed new components of the apoptotic machinery. These results support the use of yeast as a model system for apoptosis research.

Conclusions:

The study concludes that yeast apoptosis shares conserved regulators with higher organisms. The findings suggest that yeast can serve as a model for human apoptosis. The results support the use of yeast to identify new apoptotic components. The study highlights the importance of conserved regulatory pathways. These insights may aid in understanding apoptosis in complex organisms. The study does not assign essentiality to any specific regulator. The conclusions are based on observed markers and conserved regulators. These findings contribute to broader research on apoptosis mechanisms.

The study suggests several regulators are conserved, including those involved in cell death pathways. These regulators include markers observed in both yeast and higher organisms.

Stress conditions trigger apoptosis in yeast by activating conserved regulatory pathways. These pathways include markers observed in higher organisms.

These yeast species are used because they offer genetic tools and mimic human cell division processes. They allow for easier manipulation and observation of apoptosis.

Proapoptotic genes induce apoptosis in yeast when heterologously expressed. This leads to cell death markers similar to those in higher organisms.

Certain mutations trigger apoptosis in yeast by disrupting normal cellular functions. These mutations lead to cell death with characteristic markers.

The findings suggest yeast can model human apoptosis processes. This allows for simpler study of conserved apoptotic pathways.