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Viral induced yeast apoptosis

Manfred J Schmitt1, Jochen Reiter

  • 1Molecular and Cell Biology, FR 8.3 Biosciences, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany. mjs@microbiol.uni-sb.de

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|February 23, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Yeast programmed cell death (PCD) can be triggered by viral killer toxins and pathogens. These toxins, even at low doses, induce apoptosis, conferring a survival advantage to killer yeast strains.

Area of Science:

  • * Microbiology and molecular biology
  • * Cellular biology and programmed cell death (PCD)
  • * Virology and yeast genetics

Background:

  • * Yeast programmed cell death (PCD) is induced by various factors, including viral agents.
  • * Killer yeast strains harbor double-stranded RNA viruses, enabling toxin production and secretion.
  • * These viral toxins exhibit diverse mechanisms, targeting cell membranes or nuclear functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the role of viral killer toxins and pathogens in inducing PCD in yeast.
  • * To elucidate the mechanisms by which viral toxins trigger cell death pathways.
  • * To understand the ecological implications of viral-induced PCD in yeast populations.

Main Methods:

  • * Analysis of yeast strains infected with dsRNA viruses.
  • * Characterization of viral toxin structures and functions (e.g., pore-forming, nuclear-acting).
  • * Assessment of cell death induction (necrosis vs. apoptosis) at varying toxin concentrations.

Main Results:

  • * Viral toxins induce necrotic cell death at high concentrations and caspase- and ROS-mediated apoptosis at lower concentrations.
  • * Killer yeast strains are immune to their own secreted toxins.
  • * Killer viruses themselves can induce apoptosis in non-infected yeast cells.

Conclusions:

  • * Viral toxins are potent inducers of PCD in sensitive yeast cells, even at sub-lethal doses.
  • * Viral-induced PCD provides a competitive advantage to killer yeast, facilitating dominance.
  • * Yeast-pathogen interactions involving viral toxins and PCD are crucial for microbial ecology.

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