scholarly journals Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase and Yap1p Act as a Signaling Module Contributing to Ethanol Tolerance of the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna N. Zyrina ◽  
Ekaterina A. Smirnova ◽  
Olga V. Markova ◽  
Fedor F. Severin ◽  
Dmitry A. Knorre

ABSTRACT There are two superoxide dismutases in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae—cytoplasmic and mitochondrial enzymes. Inactivation of the cytoplasmic enzyme, Sod1p, renders the cells sensitive to a variety of stresses, while inactivation of the mitochondrial isoform, Sod2p, typically has a weaker effect. One exception is ethanol-induced stress. Here we studied the role of Sod2p in ethanol tolerance of yeast. First, we found that repression of SOD2 prevents ethanol-induced relocalization of yeast hydrogen peroxide-sensing transcription factor Yap1p, one of the key stress resistance proteins. In agreement with this, the levels of Trx2p and Gsh1p, proteins encoded by Yap1 target genes, were decreased in the absence of Sod2p. Analysis of the ethanol sensitivities of the cells lacking Sod2p, Yap1p, or both indicated that the two proteins act in the same pathway. Moreover, preconditioning with hydrogen peroxide restored the ethanol resistance of yeast cells with repressed SOD2. Interestingly, we found that mitochondrion-to-nucleus signaling by Rtg proteins antagonizes Yap1p activation. Together, our data suggest that hydrogen peroxide produced by Sod2p activates Yap1p and thus plays a signaling role in ethanol tolerance. IMPORTANCE Baker's yeast harbors multiple systems that ensure tolerance to high concentrations of ethanol. Still, the role of mitochondria under severe ethanol stress in yeast is not completely clear. Our study revealed a signaling function of mitochondria which contributes significantly to the ethanol tolerance of yeast cells. We found that mitochondrial superoxide dismutase Sod2p and cytoplasmic hydrogen peroxide sensor Yap1p act together as a module of the mitochondrion-to-nucleus signaling pathway. We also report cross talk between this pathway and the conventional retrograde signaling cascade activated by dysfunctional mitochondria.

Author(s):  
Masashi Yoshida ◽  
Sae Kato ◽  
Shizu Fukuda ◽  
Shingo Izawa

Acute severe ethanol stress (10% v/v) damages proteins and causes the intracellular accumulation of insoluble proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. On the other hand, a pretreatment with mild stress increases tolerance to subsequent severe stress, which is called acquired stress resistance. It currently remains unclear whether the accumulation of insoluble proteins under severe ethanol stress may be mitigated by increasing protein quality control (PQC) activity in cells pretreated with mild stress. In the present study, we examined the induction of resistance to severe ethanol stress in PQC, and confirmed that a pretreatment with 6% (v/v) ethanol or mild thermal stress at 37°C significantly reduced insoluble protein levels and the aggregation of Lsg1, which is prone to denaturation and aggregation by stress, in yeast cells under 10% (v/v) ethanol stress. The induction of this stress resistance required the new synthesis of proteins; the expression of proteins comprising the bi-chaperone system (Hsp104, Ssa3, and Fes1), Sis1, and Hsp42 was up-regulated during the pretreatment and maintained under subsequent severe ethanol stress. Since the pretreated cells of deficient mutants in the bi-chaperone system (fes1Δhsp104Δ and ssa2Δssa3Δssa4Δ) failed to sufficiently reduce insoluble protein levels and Lsg1 aggregation, the enhanced activity of the bi-chaperone system appears to be important for the induction of adequate stress resistance. In contrast, the importance of proteasomes and aggregases (Btn2 and Hsp42) in the induction of stress resistance has not been confirmed. These results provide further insights into the PQC activity of yeast cells under severe ethanol stress, including the brewing process. IMPORTANCE Although the budding yeast S. cerevisiae, which is used in the production of alcoholic beverages and bioethanol, is highly tolerant of ethanol, high concentrations of ethanol are also stressful to the yeast and cause various adverse effects, including protein denaturation. A pretreatment with mild stress improves the ethanol tolerance of yeast cells; however, it currently remains unclear whether it increases PQC activity and reduces the levels of denatured proteins. In the present study, we found that a pre-treatment with mild ethanol up-regulated the expression of proteins involved in PQC and mitigated the accumulation of insoluble proteins, even under severe ethanol stress. These results provide novel insights into ethanol tolerance and the adaptive capacity of yeast. They may also contribute to research on the physiology of yeast cells during the brewing process, in which the concentration of ethanol gradually increases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-83
Author(s):  
Aline Maria Brito Lucas ◽  
Joana Varlla de Lacerda Alexandre ◽  
Maria Thalyne Silva Araújo ◽  
Cicera Edna Barbosa David ◽  
Yuana Ivia Ponte Viana ◽  
...  

Background: Cardiac hypertrophy involves marked wall thickening or chamber enlargement. If sustained, this condition will lead to dysfunctional mitochondria and oxidative stress. Mitochondria have ATP-sensitive K+ channels (mitoKATP) in the inner membrane that modulate the redox status of the cell. Objective: We investigated the in vivo effects of mitoKATP opening on oxidative stress in isoproterenol- induced cardiac hypertrophy. Methods: Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in Swiss mice treated intraperitoneally with isoproterenol (ISO - 30 mg/kg/day) for 8 days. From day 4, diazoxide (DZX - 5 mg/kg/day) was used in order to open mitoKATP (a clinically relevant therapy scheme) and 5-hydroxydecanoate (5HD - 5 mg/kg/day) or glibenclamide (GLI - 3 mg/kg/day) were used as mitoKATP blockers. Results: Isoproterenol-treated mice had elevated heart weight/tibia length ratios (HW/TL). Additionally, hypertrophic hearts had elevated levels of carbonylated proteins and Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), markers of protein and lipid oxidation. In contrast, mitoKATP opening with DZX avoided ISO effects on gross hypertrophic markers (HW/TL), carbonylated proteins and TBARS, in a manner reversed by 5HD and GLI. Moreover, DZX improved mitochondrial superoxide dismutase activity. This effect was also blocked by 5HD and GLI. Additionally, ex vivo treatment of isoproterenol- induced hypertrophic cardiac tissue with DZX decreased H2O2 production in a manner sensitive to 5HD, indicating that this drug also acutely avoids oxidative stress. Conclusion: Our results suggest that diazoxide blocks oxidative stress and reverses cardiac hypertrophy. This pharmacological intervention could be a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent oxidative stress associated with cardiac hypertrophy.


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