Stress response factors drive regrowth of quiescent cells

Quiescent cells exploit an array of transcription factors to activate stress response machinery and maintain survival under nutrient-limited conditions. Our recent findings reveal that these transcription factors also play an important role in the exit of quiescence and regrowth. By studying Saccharomyces cerevisiae under a continuous, nutrient-limited condition, we found that Msn2 and Msn4 function as master regulators of glycolytic genes in the quiescent-like phase. They control the timing of transition from quiescence to growth by regulating the accumulation rate of acetyl-CoA, a key metabolite that is downstream of glycolysis and drives growth. These findings suggest a model that Msn2/4 not only protect the cells from starvation but also facilitate their regrowth from quiescence. Thus, understanding the functions of stress response transcription factors in metabolic regulation will provide deeper insight into how quiescent cells manage the capacity of regrowth.