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Assay for Adhesion and Agar Invasion in S. cerevisiae
Published on: November 8, 2006
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Re-routing MAP kinase signaling for penetration peg formation in predator yeasts.
Mareike Rij1, Yeseren Kayacan2, Beatrice Bernardi1,2
1Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Geisenheim, Germany.
Plos Pathogens
|August 30, 2024
Summary
The MAP kinase signaling pathway regulates predatory behavior in Saccharomycopsis yeasts, enabling them to form specialized structures for attacking other cells. This pathway is crucial for their unique mycoparasitic lifestyle.
Area of Science:
- * Mycology
- * Molecular Biology
- * Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- * Saccharomycopsis yeasts are unique among ascomycetous yeasts due to their natural sulfur auxotrophy.
- * Methionine starvation triggers a shift to a predatory, mycoparasitic life strategy.
- * This predatory behavior involves the formation of chitin-rich penetration pegs for prey invasion, similar to fungal plant pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the role of the MAP kinase signaling pathway in regulating penetration peg formation and predation in Saccharomycopsis schoenii.
- * To identify key genes and regulatory elements involved in the yeast's predatory lifestyle.
Main Methods:
- * Gene deletion experiments to create mutants lacking SsKIL1 (MAP kinase) or SsSTE12 (transcription factor).
- * Comparative global transcriptome analysis using RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to compare gene expression profiles.
- * Analysis of promoter sequences to identify cis-regulatory elements.
Main Results:
- * Deletion of SsKIL1 or SsSTE12 resulted in non-pathogenic mutants unable to form penetration pegs.
- * RNAseq analysis revealed the loss of the SsKil1-SsSte12-dependent predation response, while methionine starvation response remained intact.
- * A cis-regulatory element, similar to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ste12 pheromone response element, was identified in genes upregulated during predation.
Conclusions:
- * The ancient and conserved MAP kinase signaling pathway, specifically the SsKil1-SsSte12 module, regulates penetration peg formation and predation in S. schoenii.
- * Re-wiring of Ste12 transcriptional control towards predation-specific genes, mediated by MAP kinase signaling, likely contributed to the parallel evolution of predatory behavior in yeasts.
- * SsSTE12 is dispensable for mating in these yeast species.
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