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Yeast vacuoles fragment when microtubules are disrupted

B A Guthrie1, W Wickner

  • 1Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|July 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Microtubules play a role in maintaining vacuole shape in yeast. Disrupting microtubules causes vacuole fragmentation, suggesting their involvement in vacuole morphology regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The vacuole is a vital organelle in yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, involved in various cellular processes.
  • The role of the cytoskeleton, specifically microtubules, in maintaining vacuolar morphology is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the involvement of microtubules in the maintenance of vacuolar morphology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Main Methods:

  • Yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were treated with microtubule-disrupting agents (nocodazole and methyl benzimidazole-2-yl-carbamate).
  • Vacuolar morphology was assessed using fluorescent dyes (quinacrine and FITC-dextran).
  • Cell cycle arrest was monitored, and a beta-tubulin drug-resistant mutant was utilized.

Main Results:

  • Treatment with microtubule inhibitors led to cell cycle arrest in G2/prophase and significant vacuole fragmentation.
  • Vacuole fragmentation was not observed in untreated cells or cells arrested by other means.
  • A drug-resistant mutant lacking functional beta-tubulin did not exhibit vacuole fragmentation upon drug treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Microtubules are implicated in the regulation of vacuole morphology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  • The findings suggest a direct link between microtubule integrity and the maintenance of normal vacuole structure.

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