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Manipulation and Analysis of Cell Cycle-Dependent Processes in Budding Yeast
08:13

Manipulation and Analysis of Cell Cycle-Dependent Processes in Budding Yeast

Published on: September 26, 2025

The yeast Tor signaling pathway is involved in G2/M transition via polo-kinase

Akio Nakashima1, Yoshiko Maruki, Yuko Imamura

  • 1Biosignal Research Center, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.

Plos One
|May 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) regulates the G2/M transition in yeast cell division. This pathway controls the cell cycle by influencing the transport and activity of key proteins like Cdc5.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The target of rapamycin (Tor) protein is crucial for cell growth and division.
  • Rapamycin inhibits cell growth and causes G1 cell cycle arrest.
  • The role of Tor in other cell cycle stages remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the involvement of Tor in cell cycle regulation beyond G1.
  • To elucidate the specific role of the rapamycin-sensitive Tor complex 1 (TORC1) in cell division.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized temperature-sensitive yeast strains (kog1-105) affecting TORC1.
  • Administered rapamycin to yeast cells to observe cell cycle effects.
  • Analyzed the interaction between TORC1, Cdc5 (yeast polo-like kinase), and nucleocytoplasmic transport.

Main Results:

  • TORC1 is implicated in the G2/M transition, causing mitotic delay and prolonged G2 phase.
  • Overexpression of Cdc5 rescues growth defects in kog1-105 strains, indicating Cdc5 activity is affected.
  • The TORC1-Type2A phosphatase pathway regulates Cdc5's nucleocytoplasmic transport and function.

Conclusions:

  • Tor signaling, specifically TORC1, plays a novel role in regulating the G2/M cell cycle transition.
  • The TORC1 pathway influences cell proliferation by controlling the localization and activity of key cell cycle regulators like Cdc5.

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