scholarly journals The signal for glucose repression of the lactose-galactose regulon is amplified through subtle modulation of transcription of the Kluyveromyces lactis Kl-GAL4 activator gene.

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1924-1931 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Kuzhandaivelu ◽  
W K Jones ◽  
A K Martin ◽  
R C Dickson
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Rotational Symmetry ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Genetic Regulation ◽  
Structural Genes ◽  
Important Principle ◽  
Biological Phenomena ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

Induction of the lactose-galactose regulon is strongly repressed by glucose in some but not all strains of Kluyveromyces lactis. We show here that in strongly repressed strains, two to three times less Kl-GAL4 mRNA is synthesized and that expression of structural genes in the regulon such as LAC4, the structural gene for beta-galactosidase, is down regulated 40-fold or more. Comparative analysis of strains having a strong or weak repression phenotype revealed a two-base difference in the promoter of the Kl-GAL4 (also called LAC9) positive regulatory gene. This two-base difference is responsible for the strong versus the weak repression phenotype. The two base changes are symmetrically located in a DNA sequence having partial twofold rotational symmetry (14 of 21 bases). We hypothesize that this region functions as a sensitive regulatory switch, an upstream repressor sequence (URS). According to our model, the presence of glucose in the culture medium signals, by an unidentified pathway, a repressor protein to bind the URS. Binding reduces transcription of the Kl-GAL4 gene so that the concentration of the Kl-GAL4 protein falls below the level needed for induction of LAC4 and other genes in the regulon. For strains showing weak glucose repression, we hypothesize that the two base changes in the URS reduce repressor binding so that the regulon is not repressed. Our results illustrate an important principle of genetic regulation: a small (2- to 3-fold) change in the concentration of a regulatory protein can produce a large (40-fold or greater) change in expression of structural genes. This mechanism of signal amplification could play a role in many biological phenomena that require regulated transcription.

The signal for glucose repression of the lactose-galactose regulon is amplified through subtle modulation of transcription of the Kluyveromyces lactis Kl-GAL4 activator gene

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1924-1931
Author(s):  
N Kuzhandaivelu ◽  
W K Jones ◽  
A K Martin ◽  
R C Dickson
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Rotational Symmetry ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Genetic Regulation ◽  
Structural Genes ◽  
Important Principle ◽  
Biological Phenomena ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

Induction of the lactose-galactose regulon is strongly repressed by glucose in some but not all strains of Kluyveromyces lactis. We show here that in strongly repressed strains, two to three times less Kl-GAL4 mRNA is synthesized and that expression of structural genes in the regulon such as LAC4, the structural gene for beta-galactosidase, is down regulated 40-fold or more. Comparative analysis of strains having a strong or weak repression phenotype revealed a two-base difference in the promoter of the Kl-GAL4 (also called LAC9) positive regulatory gene. This two-base difference is responsible for the strong versus the weak repression phenotype. The two base changes are symmetrically located in a DNA sequence having partial twofold rotational symmetry (14 of 21 bases). We hypothesize that this region functions as a sensitive regulatory switch, an upstream repressor sequence (URS). According to our model, the presence of glucose in the culture medium signals, by an unidentified pathway, a repressor protein to bind the URS. Binding reduces transcription of the Kl-GAL4 gene so that the concentration of the Kl-GAL4 protein falls below the level needed for induction of LAC4 and other genes in the regulon. For strains showing weak glucose repression, we hypothesize that the two base changes in the URS reduce repressor binding so that the regulon is not repressed. Our results illustrate an important principle of genetic regulation: a small (2- to 3-fold) change in the concentration of a regulatory protein can produce a large (40-fold or greater) change in expression of structural genes. This mechanism of signal amplification could play a role in many biological phenomena that require regulated transcription.

scholarly journals Characterization of a positive regulatory gene, LAC9, that controls induction of the lactose-galactose regulon of Kluyveromyces lactis: structural and functional relationships to GAL4 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1111-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
L V Wray ◽  
M M Witte ◽  
R C Dickson ◽  
M I Riley
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Metal Binding ◽  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Functional Implications

Lactose or galactose induces the expression of the lactose-galactose regulon in Kluyveromyces lactis. We show here that the regulon is not induced in strains defective in LAC9. We demonstrate that this gene codes for a regulatory protein that acts in a positive manner to induce transcription. The LAC9 gene was isolated by complementation of a lac9 defective strain. DNA sequence analysis of the gene gave a deduced protein of 865 amino acids. Comparison of this sequence with that of the GAL4 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed three regions of homology. One region of about 90 amino acid occurs at the amino terminus, which is known to mediate binding of GAL4 protein to upstream activator sequences. We speculate that a portion of this region, adjacent to the "metal-binding finger," specifies DNA binding. We discuss possible functions of the two other regions of homology. The functional implications of these structural similarities were examined. When LAC9 was introduced into a gal4 defective strain of S. cerevisiae it complemented the mutation and activated the galactose-melibiose regulon. However, LAC9 did not simply mimic GAL4. Unlike normal S. cerevisiae carrying GAL4, the strain carrying LAC9 gave constitutive expression of GAL1 and MEL1, two genes in the regulon. The strain did show glucose repression of the regulon, but repression was less severe with LAC9 than with GAL4. We discuss the implications of these results and how they may facilitate our understanding of the LAC9 and GAL4 regulatory proteins.

Characterization of a positive regulatory gene, LAC9, that controls induction of the lactose-galactose regulon of Kluyveromyces lactis: structural and functional relationships to GAL4 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1111-1121
Author(s):  
L V Wray ◽  
M M Witte ◽  
R C Dickson ◽  
M I Riley
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Metal Binding ◽  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Functional Implications

Lactose or galactose induces the expression of the lactose-galactose regulon in Kluyveromyces lactis. We show here that the regulon is not induced in strains defective in LAC9. We demonstrate that this gene codes for a regulatory protein that acts in a positive manner to induce transcription. The LAC9 gene was isolated by complementation of a lac9 defective strain. DNA sequence analysis of the gene gave a deduced protein of 865 amino acids. Comparison of this sequence with that of the GAL4 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed three regions of homology. One region of about 90 amino acid occurs at the amino terminus, which is known to mediate binding of GAL4 protein to upstream activator sequences. We speculate that a portion of this region, adjacent to the "metal-binding finger," specifies DNA binding. We discuss possible functions of the two other regions of homology. The functional implications of these structural similarities were examined. When LAC9 was introduced into a gal4 defective strain of S. cerevisiae it complemented the mutation and activated the galactose-melibiose regulon. However, LAC9 did not simply mimic GAL4. Unlike normal S. cerevisiae carrying GAL4, the strain carrying LAC9 gave constitutive expression of GAL1 and MEL1, two genes in the regulon. The strain did show glucose repression of the regulon, but repression was less severe with LAC9 than with GAL4. We discuss the implications of these results and how they may facilitate our understanding of the LAC9 and GAL4 regulatory proteins.

scholarly journals Functional homology between the yeast regulatory proteins GAL4 and LAC9: LAC9-mediated transcriptional activation in Kluyveromyces lactis involves protein binding to a regulatory sequence homologous to the GAL4 protein-binding site.

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 4400-4406 ◽  
Author(s):  
K D Breunig ◽  
P Kuger
Keyword(s):  
Protein Binding ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Protein Binding Site ◽  
Regulatory Sequence ◽  
Functional Homology ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

As shown previously, the beta-galactosidase gene of Kluyveromyces lactis is transcriptionally regulated via an upstream activation site (UASL) which contains a sequence homologous to the GAL4 protein-binding site in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (M. Ruzzi, K.D. Breunig, A.G. Ficca, and C.P. Hollenberg, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:991-997, 1987). Here we demonstrate that the region of homology specifically binds a K. lactis regulatory protein. The binding activity was detectable in protein extracts from wild-type cells enriched for DNA-binding proteins by heparin affinity chromatography. These extracts could be used directly for DNase I and exonuclease III protection experiments. A lac9 deletion strain, which fails to induce the beta-galactosidase gene, did not contain the binding factor. The homology of LAC9 protein with GAL4 (J.M. Salmeron and S. A. Johnston, Nucleic Acids Res. 14:7767-7781, 1986) strongly suggests that LAC9 protein binds directly to UASL and plays a role similar to that of GAL4 in regulating transcription.

scholarly journals Identification of upstream activator sequences that regulate induction of the beta-galactosidase gene in Kluyveromyces lactis.

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 4369-4376 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Leonardo ◽  
S M Bhairi ◽  
R C Dickson
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Base Sequence ◽  
Promoter Deletion ◽  
Deletion Mutations ◽  
Maximum Induction ◽  
Sequence Elements ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

Transcription of the Kluyveromyces lactis beta-galactosidase gene, LAC4, is inducible by galactose and lactose. We examined the effects of deletion mutations within the LAC4 promoter on the expression of beta-galactosidase activity. The results of these experiments indicate that at least two upstream activator sequences (UAS) mediate maximum induction by galactose. These UAS sequence elements are homologous to UAS that regulate induction of the melibiose-galactose regulon of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We also show that a synthetic copy of one of the K. lactis UAS restores the inducibility of a deleted, noninducible LAC4 promoter. Since the uninduced or basal level of LAC4 expression was increased in several promoter deletion strains and in deletion strains carrying one or two synthetic UAS, we examined the contribution of the LAC9 positive regulatory protein to this effect. The LAC9 protein is thought to bind to UAS and activate transcription of LAC4 (L.V. Wray, M.M. Witte, R.C. Dickson, and M.I. Riley, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:1111-1121, 1987). Our results demonstrate that LAC9 protein plays a role in setting the uninduced level of gene expression, but other factors also participate. For example, in a lac9 background a LAC4 promoter deletion mutant with two copies of a synthetic 17-base-pair UAS yields a sevenfold higher level of uninduced LAC4 expression than the same strain with one UAS. These and other data indicate that the basal level of gene expression is strongly influenced by the base sequence of the promoter.

scholarly journals Genetic regulation: yeast mutants constitutive for beta-galactosidase activity have an increased level of beta-galactosidase messenger ribonucleic acid.

1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 1048-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
R C Dickson ◽  
R M Sheetz ◽  
L R Lacy
Keyword(s):  
Ribonucleic Acid ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Genetic Regulation ◽  
Galactosidase Activity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Messenger Ribonucleic Acid ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

Mutants of Kluyveromyces lactis with elevated uninduced levels of beta-galactosidase (EC 32.1.2.3) activity, constitutive mutants (lac10c), were isolated and characterized to determine the basis for their constitutiveness. These lesions are not operator-type regulatory mutants because they are not closely linked to the beta-galactosidase structural gene. In a constitutive strain having a 7-fold increase in beta-galactosidase activity, the concentration of beta-galactosidase messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was 8- to 10-fold higher than uninduced wild type. The half-life of beta-galactosidase mRNA was the same in the mutant strain (t1/2 = 4.5 +/- 0.2 min) as in uninduced wild-type cells (t1/2 = 4.8 +/- 0.1 min), indicating that the elevated mRNA level in the mutant was not due to a decreased rate of mRNA degradation. Consequently, we hypothesize that the LAC10 product regulates transcription of the beta-galactosidase gene; it probably affects the rate of transcription initiation. Parallel increases in enzyme protein, in constitutive levels of beta-galactosidase activity, and in mRNA further support this position, making translational or posttranslational control by LAC10 unlikely. Several types of data suggest that the LAC10 product functions as a negative regulatory element to prevent transcription. Other data demonstrate that lac10c mutations have pleiotrophic effects, there being constitutive levels not only of beta-galactosidase activity, but also the other lactose-inducible activities of galactokinase (EC 2.7.5.1), galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (EC 2.7.7.10), and lactose transport. It would appear that LAC10 regulates lactose-inducible proteins.

Genetic regulation: yeast mutants constitutive for beta-galactosidase activity have an increased level of beta-galactosidase messenger ribonucleic acid

1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 1048-1056
Author(s):  
R C Dickson ◽  
R M Sheetz ◽  
L R Lacy
Keyword(s):  
Ribonucleic Acid ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Genetic Regulation ◽  
Galactosidase Activity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Messenger Ribonucleic Acid ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

Mutants of Kluyveromyces lactis with elevated uninduced levels of beta-galactosidase (EC 32.1.2.3) activity, constitutive mutants (lac10c), were isolated and characterized to determine the basis for their constitutiveness. These lesions are not operator-type regulatory mutants because they are not closely linked to the beta-galactosidase structural gene. In a constitutive strain having a 7-fold increase in beta-galactosidase activity, the concentration of beta-galactosidase messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was 8- to 10-fold higher than uninduced wild type. The half-life of beta-galactosidase mRNA was the same in the mutant strain (t1/2 = 4.5 +/- 0.2 min) as in uninduced wild-type cells (t1/2 = 4.8 +/- 0.1 min), indicating that the elevated mRNA level in the mutant was not due to a decreased rate of mRNA degradation. Consequently, we hypothesize that the LAC10 product regulates transcription of the beta-galactosidase gene; it probably affects the rate of transcription initiation. Parallel increases in enzyme protein, in constitutive levels of beta-galactosidase activity, and in mRNA further support this position, making translational or posttranslational control by LAC10 unlikely. Several types of data suggest that the LAC10 product functions as a negative regulatory element to prevent transcription. Other data demonstrate that lac10c mutations have pleiotrophic effects, there being constitutive levels not only of beta-galactosidase activity, but also the other lactose-inducible activities of galactokinase (EC 2.7.5.1), galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (EC 2.7.7.10), and lactose transport. It would appear that LAC10 regulates lactose-inducible proteins.

scholarly journals GAL4 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae activates the lactose-galactose regulon of Kluyveromyces lactis and creates a new phenotype: glucose repression of the regulon.

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 780-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Riley ◽  
J E Hopper ◽  
S A Johnston ◽  
R C Dickson
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Galactosidase Activity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fold Induction ◽  
Beta Galactosidase ◽  
Galactokinase Activity

A Kluyveromyces lactis mutant defective in lac9 cannot induce beta-galactosidase or galactokinase activity and is unable to grow on lactose or galactose. When this strain was transformed with the GAL4 positive regulatory gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae it was able to grow on lactose or galactose as the sole carbon source. Transformants bearing GAL4 exhibited a 4.5-h generation time on galactose or lactose, versus 24 h for the nontransformed lac9 strain. A K. lactis lac9 strain bearing two integrated copies of GAL4 showed 3.5-fold induction of beta-galactosidase activity and 1.8-fold induction of galactokinase activity compared with 15.6-fold and 4.4-fold induction, respectively, for the LAC9 wild-type strain. In transformants bearing 10 integrated copies of GAL4, the induced level of beta-galactosidase was nearly as high as in the LAC9 wild-type strain. In addition to restoring lactose and galactose gene expression, GAL4 in K. lactis lac9 mutant cells conferred a new phenotype, severe glucose repression of lactose and galactose-inducible enzymes. Glucose repressed beta-galactosidase activity 35- to 74-fold and galactokinase activity 14- to 31-fold in GAL4 transformants, compared with the 2-fold glucose repression exhibited in the LAC9 wild-type strain. The S. cerevisiae MEL1 gene was repressed fourfold by glucose in LAC9 cells. In contrast, the MEL1 gene in a GAL4 lac9 strain was repressed 20-fold by glucose. These results indicate that the GAL4 and LAC9 proteins activate transcription in a similar manner. However, either the LAC9 or GAL4 gene or a product of these genes responds differently to glucose in K. lactis.

The Constitutive, Glucose-Repression-Insensitive Mutation of the Yeast MAL4 Locus Is an Alteration of the MAL43 Gene

Genetics ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31
Author(s):  
Maureen J Charron ◽  
Corinne A Michels
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Structural Genes ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Maltose Permease ◽  
Genes Expression ◽  
Constitutive Production ◽  
Saccharomyces Yeasts

ABSTRACT Mutations resulting in constitutive production of maltase have been identified at each of the five MAL loci of Saccharomyces yeasts. Here we examine a dominant constitutive, glucose-repression-insensitive allele of the MAL4 locus (MAL4-C). Our results demonstrate that MAL4-C is an alteration in the MAL43 gene, which encodes the positive regulator of the MAL structural genes, and that its product is trans-acting. The MAL43 gene from the MAL4-C strain was cloned and integrated into a series of nonfermenting strains lacking a functional regulatory gene but carrying copies of the maltose permease and maltase structural genes. Expression of the maltase structural gene was both constitutive and insensitive to glucose repression in these transformants. The MAL4-C allele also results in constitutive expression of the unlinked MAL12 gene (encoding maltase) in this strain. In addition, the cloned MAL43 gene was shown to be dominant to the wild-type MAL63 gene. We also show that most of the glucose repression insensitivity of strains carrying the MAL4-C allele results from alteration of MAL43.

Regulation of expression and activity of the yeast transcription factor ADR1

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 1868-1876
Author(s):  
H Blumberg ◽  
T A Hartshorne ◽  
E T Young
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Source ◽  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Glucose Repression ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Lacz Gene ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Multicopy Plasmid ◽  
Regulation Of Expression ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

Disruption of ADR1, a positive regulatory gene in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, abolished derepression of ADH2 but did not affect glucose repression of ADH2 or cell viability. The ADR1 mRNA was 5 kilobases long and had an unusually long leader containing 509 nucleotides. ADR1 mRNA levels were regulated by the carbon source in a strain-dependent fashion. beta-Galactosidase levels measured in strains carrying an ADR1-lacZ gene fusion paralleled ADR1 and ADR1-lacZ mRNA levels, indicating a lack of translational regulation of ADR1 mRNA. ADH2 was regulated by the carbon source to the same extent in all strains examined and showed complete dependence on ADR1 as well. The expression of ADR1 mRNA and an ADR1-beta-galactosidase fusion protein during glucose repression suggested that the activity of the ADR1 protein is regulated at the posttranslational level to properly regulate ADH2 expression. The ADR1-beta-galactosidase fusion protein was able to activate ADH2 expression during glucose repression but showed significantly higher levels of activation upon derepression. A similar result was obtained when ADR1 was present on a multicopy plasmid. These results suggest that low-level expression of ADR1 is required to maintain glucose repression of ADH2 and are consistent with the hypothesis that ADR1 is regulated at the posttranslational level.

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