Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2025
Microscopy of Fission Yeast Sexual Lifecycle
Published on: March 9, 2016
Nitrogen availability is important for preventing catastrophic mitosis in fission yeast
Viacheslav Zemlianski1, Anna Marešová1, Jarmila Princová1
1Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague 2, Czechia.
Abstract:
Mitosis is a crucial stage in the cell cycle, controlled by a vast network of regulators responding to multiple internal and external factors. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe demonstrates catastrophic mitotic phenotypes due to mutations or drug treatments. One of the factors provoking catastrophic mitosis is a disturbed lipid metabolism, resulting from, for example, mutations in the acetyl-CoA/biotin carboxylase (cut6), fatty acid synthase (fas2, also known as lsd1) or transcriptional regulator of lipid metabolism (cbf11) genes, as well as treatment with inhibitors of fatty acid synthesis. It has been previously shown that mitotic fidelity in lipid metabolism mutants can be partially rescued by ammonium chloride supplementation. In this study, we demonstrate that mitotic fidelity can be improved by multiple nitrogen sources. Moreover, this improvement is not limited to lipid metabolism disturbances but also applies to a number of unrelated mitotic mutants. Interestingly, the partial rescue is not achieved by restoring the lipid metabolism state, but rather indirectly. Our results highlight a novel role for nitrogen availability in mitotic fidelity.
Insights
Nitrogen availability impacts cell division fidelity. Supplementing nitrogen sources can rescue catastrophic mitosis in fission yeast, even in mutants with disturbed lipid metabolism.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Mitosis is a critical cell cycle phase regulated by complex networks.
- Lipid metabolism disturbances, caused by gene mutations or drug treatments, can lead to catastrophic mitosis in fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe).
- Previous studies indicated partial rescue of mitotic fidelity in lipid mutants using ammonium chloride.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of nitrogen sources on mitotic fidelity in fission yeast.
- To determine if nitrogen supplementation can rescue mitotic defects beyond those related to lipid metabolism.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) models.
- Inducing mitotic defects through genetic mutations (e.g., cut6, fas2, cbf11) and chemical treatments affecting lipid synthesis.
- Supplementing growth media with various nitrogen sources to assess rescue effects.
Main Results:
- Mitotic fidelity was significantly improved by supplementing with multiple nitrogen sources.
- This rescue effect extended to various unrelated mitotic mutants, not just those with lipid metabolism defects.
- The rescue mechanism was found to be indirect, not by restoring lipid metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Nitrogen availability plays a novel and significant role in maintaining mitotic fidelity.
- Nitrogen supplementation offers a potential strategy to mitigate catastrophic mitosis across different genetic backgrounds.
- The findings suggest a broader regulatory role for nitrogen in cell cycle control.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Meiosis vs. Mitosis
Before the start of mitosis and meiosis I, the cell synthesizes DNA, resulting in two homologous copies of each chromosome. DNA synthesis is...
02:36Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation
02:02Meiosis II
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
03:09Meiosis I
Prophase I is the most extended and complex step of meiosis I characterized by synapsis, chromosome pairing, and recombination of the homologous chromosomes. This process is facilitated by a proteinaceous structure called the...
01:29Nondisjunction
02:17Microtubule Instability