Submitted by Nathália Faria da Silva (nathaliafsilva.ufv@gmail.com) on 2017-06-13T11:57:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 resumo.pdf: 13320 bytes, checksum: 1edb4e9bce2bdf6b0150e4021e10fe37 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-13T11:57:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 resumo.pdf: 13320 bytes, checksum: 1edb4e9bce2bdf6b0150e4021e10fe37 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002-11-13 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A diversidade genética de vinte e sete isolados de leveduras coletadas em laticínios, utilizando como referências dos gêneros Kluyveromyces e Debaryomyces, foi averiguada por meio de RAPD (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA). A amplificação resultou em um total de oitenta e oito fragmentos polimórfico de DNA, utilizando treze oligonucleotídeos decâmeros aleatórios. As distâncias genéticas variaram de 6,5 a 71%, gerando na análise gráfica, cinco grupos geneticamente divergentes. Nas avaliações da região ITS do rDNA foi observado um polimorfismo de tamanho que variou de 380 a 710 pb. A análise de agrupamento utilizando valores da distância genética resultou na formação de oito grupos, sugerindo a existência de pelo menos oito espécies de leveduras. Na análise por PCR-RFLP da região ITS do rDNA, os produtos das amplificações foram hidrolisados com diferentes endonucleases de restrição evidenciando o padrão polimórfico, e os valores das distâncias genéticas foram utilizados para o agrupamento, resultando na formação de quinze grupos. Os agrupamentos obtidos com os marcadores moleculares possibilitaram a diferenciação genética dos isolados. Os resultados sugerem que quatro dos vinte e sete isolados pertencem à espécie Kluyveromyces lactis. / The genetic diversity of twenty-seven yeasts collected at dairies, was evaluated by RAPD using Kluyveromyces and Debaryomyces reference genera. Amplification using thirteen random oligonucleotides resulted in eighty-eight DNA polymorphic fragments. The Genetic distances varied from 6,5 to 71%, and generated a Dendrogram with five different genetic groups. The amplification of the ITS 18SrDNA region from the yeast resulted in DNA fragments with length polymorphism (380 and 710 bp). The clustering analysis using the genetic distance value produced eight groups, reflecting at least eight yeasts species. The amplification products of the rDNA ITS region using PCR-RFLP analyses were cleaved with different restriction endonucleases showing polymorphic patterns. The values of the genetic distances were used for the clustering resulted in fifteen groups. The clusters obtained using the molecular markers showed genetic difference between you isolates. The results suggest that four of the twenty-seven isolates can be identified as the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis.

To explore the similarities and differences of regulatory circuits among budding yeasts, we characterized the role of unscheduled meiotic gene expression 6 (UME6) and a novel mating type switching pathway in Kluyveromyces lactis. We found that Ume6 was required for transcriptional silencing of the cryptic mating-type loci HMLα and HMRa. Ume6 acted directly at these loci by binding to the cis-regulatory silencers. Ume6 also served as a block to polyploidy and was required for repression of three meiotic genes, independently of the Rpd3 and Sin3 corepressors. Mating type switching from MATα to MATa required the α3 protein. The α3 protein was similar to transposases of the mutator like elements (MULEs). Mutational analysis showed that the DDE-motif in α3, which is conserved in MULEs was necessary for switching. During switching α3 mobilizes from the genome in the form of a DNA circle. The sequences encompassing the α3 gene circle junctions in the MATα locus were essential for switching from MATα to MATa. Switching also required a DNA binding protein, Mating type switch 1 (Mts1), whose binding sites in MATα were important. Expression of Mts1 was repressed in MATa/MATα diploids and by nutrients, limiting switching to haploids in low nutrient conditions. In a genetic selection for strains with increased switching rates we found a mutation in the RAS1 gene. By measuring the levels of the MTS1 mRNA and switching rates in ras1, pde2 and msn2 mutant strains we show that mating type switching in K. lactis was regulated by the RAS/cAMP pathway and the transcription factor Msn2. ras1 mutants contained 20-fold higher levels of MTS1 mRNA compared to wild type whereas pde2 and msn2 expressed less MTS1 mRNA and had decreased switching rates. Furthermore we found that MTS1 contained several potential Msn2 binding sites upstream of its ORF. We suggest that these observations explain the nutrient regulation of switching. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript.

Killer strains of the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis secrete a heterotrimeric protein toxin (zymocin) to inhibit the growth of sensitive yeasts. The cytotoxicity of zymocin resides in the γ subunit (γ-toxin), however the mechanism of cytotoxicity caused by γ-toxin was previously unknown. This thesis aimed to unravel the mode of γ-toxin action and characterize the interaction between γ-toxin and its substrates. Previous studies suggested a link between the action of γ-toxin and a distinct set of transfer RNAs. In paper I, we show that γ-toxin is a tRNA anticodon endonuclease which cleaves tRNA carrying modified nucleoside 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine (mcm5s2U) at position 34 (wobble position). The cleavage occurs 3’ to the wobble uridine and yields 2’, 3’-cyclic phosphate and 5´-hydroxyl termini. In paper II, we identified the determinants in tRNA important for efficient γ-toxin cleavage. The modifications present on the wobble uridines have different effects on tRNA cleavage by γ-toxin. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae wobble modification mcm5 group has a strong positive effect, whereas the Escherichia coli wobble modification 5-methylaminomethyl group has a strong inhibitory effect on tRNA cleavage. The s2 group present in both S. cerevisiae and E. coli tRNAs has a weaker positive effect on the cleavage. The anticodon stem loop (ASL) of tRNA represents the minimal structural requirement for γ-toxin action. Nucleotides U34U35C36A37C38 in the ASL are required for optimal cleavage by γ-toxin, whereas a purine at position 32 or a G at position 33 dramatically reduces the reactivity of ASL. Screening for S. cerevisiae mutants resistant to zymocin led to the identification of novel proteins important for mcm5s2U formation (paper III). Sit4p (a protein phosphatase), Sap185p and Sap190p (two of the Sit4 associated proteins), and Kti14p (a protein kinase) are required for the formation of mcm5 side chain. Ncs2p, Ncs6p, Urm1p, and Uba4p, the latter two function in a protein modification (urmylation) pathway, are required for the formation of s2 group. The gene product of YOR251C is also involved in the formation of s2 group. The involvement of multiple proteins suggests that the biogenesis of mcm5s2U is very complex.