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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
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High-resolution Imaging and Analysis of Individual Astral Microtubule Dynamics in Budding Yeast
Published on: April 20, 2017
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Microtubule integrity regulates budding yeast RAM pathway gene expression.
Cameron Howard Lee1, Sue Biggins1
1Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|September 29, 2022
Summary
Microtubule disruption represses cell division genes in yeast, revealing a new link between microtubule integrity and mitotic gene expression control. This ensures accurate cell division and prevents premature cell division.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Accurate cell division during mitosis requires precise spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression.
- Failures in mitotic progression lead to aneuploidy, a characteristic of cancer.
- Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity and protein degradation control entry and exit from mitosis, coordinated with microtubule dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if microtubule integrity influences mitotic gene expression.
- To uncover the regulatory mechanisms linking microtubule function to cell division gene programs.
Main Methods:
- Ribosome profiling and mRNA-sequencing were performed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with and without microtubules.
- Subcellular localization of key proteins was analyzed.
- Genetic manipulations were used to assess pathway activation and growth defects.
Main Results:
- Microtubule disruption caused coordinated translational and transcriptional repression of cell wall biology genes.
- Repressed genes are downstream targets of the Regulation of Ace2 Morphogenesis (RAM) pathway, controlled by Cbk1 kinase.
- Microtubule disruption led to aberrant Cbk1 localization, partly dependent on the spindle position checkpoint.
- Constitutive activation of the RAM pathway in the absence of microtubules resulted in growth defects.
Conclusions:
- Microtubule integrity is crucial for regulating mitotic gene expression programs.
- A novel link exists between microtubule function and the RAM pathway, impacting cell division.
- This regulation ensures proper execution of cell division and prevents premature cell division.
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