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Composition and functional analysis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae trehalose synthase complex
1Laboratorium voor Moleculaire Celbiologie, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kardinaal Mercierlaan 92, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee, Flanders, Belgium.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|December 5, 1998
Summary
Trehalose synthase complex in yeast requires four subunits, including Tps1, Tps2, Tsl1, and Tps3, for optimal activity. Tps1 is essential for growth on sugars, with distinct regulation of its complex-bound and monomeric forms.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Yeast genetics
- Enzymology
Background:
- The trehalose synthase complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is crucial for trehalose synthesis.
- This complex comprises subunits encoded by TPS1, TPS2, and TSL1.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of TPS3, a homolog of TSL1, as a potential fourth subunit.
- To elucidate the functional contributions of each subunit to the trehalose synthase complex and trehalose production.
Main Methods:
- Construction of isogenic yeast strains with all combinations of deletions for TPS1, TPS2, TSL1, and TPS3.
- Assays for trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) activities.
- Analysis of trehalose content and complex stability.
Main Results:
- Deletion of TPS1 abolished TPS activity and trehalose production.
- Deletion of TPS2 abolished TPP activity.
- TPS3 deletion, especially in a tsl1Δ background, reduced both TPS and TPP activities and destabilized the complex, indicating Tps3 is a partially redundant subunit.
- Tps1 is essential for growth on glucose and fructose, with its activity differentially regulated in complex-bound versus monomeric forms.
Conclusions:
- Tps3 is a fourth subunit of the trehalose synthase complex with functions partially redundant to Tsl1.
- Optimal enzymatic activity and trehalose production require all four subunits.
- Tps1 plays a unique, essential role in sugar metabolism, regulated by its association with the complex.