Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026

The Use of Chemostats in Microbial Systems Biology
Published on: October 15, 2013
Nutrient sensing and transceptor-mediated metabolic control in yeast
Ryoya Tanahashi1,2, Hiroshi Takagi2, Akira Nishimura3
1Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
None:
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae coordinates growth, metabolism, and stress adaptation through signaling pathways that respond to changes in nutrient availability. Classical nutrient-sensing systems, including the cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA), Snf1/AMP-activated protein kinase, target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1)-Sch9, Ssy1-Ptr3-Ssy5, and general amino acid control pathways, have revealed how yeast senses and responds to extracellular carbon, nitrogen, phosphate, and amino acid levels. In addition to these established pathways, plasma-membrane nutrient transporters also function in signaling rather than solely mediating substrate uptake. These dual-function proteins, termed nutrient transceptors, couple nutrient transport or extracellular nutrient recognition to rapid intracellular responses, often activating PKA without detectable changes in cAMP levels. This review focuses on yeast nutrient transceptors, specifically Gap1, Mep2, Pho84, Sul1/Sul2, Can1, Ftr1, and Zrt1. These proteins link extracellular nutrient availability to intracellular regulatory responses, including trehalose mobilization, stress resistance, growth resumption, filamentous development, and, in some cases, TORC1-Sch9 signaling. Mechanistic insights, including transport-signaling uncoupling and potential physical association with downstream protein kinases, are also discussed. Collectively, this evidence establishes nutrient transceptors as an essential additional layer of nutrient sensing in yeast, highlighting their role in translating extracellular nutrient cues into cellular responses.
More Related Videos
12:47Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources
Published on: January 22, 2018
06:53In Vivo Monitoring of Transcriptional Activity During Metabolic Transition Using a Bioluminescent Reporter in Yeast
Published on: February 21, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Yeast Signaling
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Riboswitches
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...
Regulation of Metabolism
Global Regulatory Systems
Microbial Biosensors