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Published on: February 16, 2015
Apoptosis in yeast: triggers, pathways, subroutines
D Carmona-Gutierrez1, T Eisenberg, S Büttner
1Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria.
Cell Death and Differentiation
|January 16, 2010
Summary
Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) undergoes apoptosis, a key programmed cell death (PCD) process. Studying yeast PCD aids in understanding cell death regulation in complex organisms.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Deregulation of cell death networks contributes to diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.
- Programmed cell death (PCD) research in baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) offers a tractable model system.
- Yeast apoptosis research utilizes its technical advantages and eukaryotic cellular structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on yeast apoptosis and its regulatory mechanisms.
- To highlight yeast as a model organism for deciphering cell death pathways in higher eukaryotes.
- To explore the role of yeast apoptosis in physiological contexts and its relation to other catabolic pathways.
Main Methods:
- Identification and characterization of yeast orthologs of metazoan apoptotic regulators.
- Investigation of exogenous and endogenous triggers inducing yeast apoptosis.
- Analysis of caspase-dependent and -independent execution pathways in yeast.
Main Results:
- Multiple yeast orthologs of key apoptotic regulators have been identified.
- Yeast apoptosis can be triggered by various internal and external stimuli.
- Physiological conditions like aging and mating failure induce PCD in yeast.
- Yeast apoptosis involves both caspase-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Yeast serves as an excellent model for studying apoptosis due to its simplicity and genetic tractability.
- Understanding yeast PCD provides insights into conserved cell death mechanisms relevant to human diseases.
- Yeast research helps elucidate the interplay between apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis.
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