Processos biotecnológicos importantes dependem da eficiente fermentação de hidrolisados de amido, ricos em maltose e maltotriose, pela levedura i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Entretanto, algumas linhagens apresentam dificuldade para consumir a maltotriose, o que diminui a eficiência fermentativa nesses processos. Embora se acredite que o transporte desse açúcar através da membrana plasmática seja o passo limitante para sua fermentação, existem conflitos na literatura em relação às permeases capazes de transportar a maltotriose. No intuito de melhorar a compreensão do metabolismo desse açúcar em S. cerevisiae, correlacionamos o fenótipo de várias cepas em maltotriose com seus respectivos genótipos. Para isso, identificamos os genes de transportadores de <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glicosídeos presentes nas linhagens analisadas e avaliamos o crescimento celular, a produção de etanol e as atividades de transporte por cada cepa. Para confirmar se tais genes eram, de fato, expressos, analisamos a expressão dos mesmos em diferentes condições de cultivo. Após verificarmos que a presença de um regulador constitutivo aumenta a expressão do gene AGT1 e incrementa a fermentação de maltose e maltotriose, deletamos esse gene do genoma de três linhagens de laboratório para avaliar a contribuição da permease Agt1p para a utilização de maltotriose. Embora as linhagens selvagens tenham consumido e fermentado rapidamente esse açúcar, as agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 foram incapazes de transportar a maltotriose e de utilizála durante 3-4 dias de incubação. Contudo, após um período de incubação maior (8 dias), apenas uma das linhagens agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 continuou incapaz de crescer em maltotriose, enquanto as outras apresentaram crescimento tardio, após ~100 h de fase lag, porém sem produção de etanol. Essa mesma fase lag extensa foi também observada em cepas industriais incapazes de expressar o AGT1. Além disso, através de QRT-PCR vimos que os transportadores MPH2- MPH3 não estão relacionados a esse fenótipo. Ao buscarmos o que poderia promover esse novo fenótipo, análises de microarray indicaram expressão aumentada de <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glicosidases e transportadores de hexose durante esse crescimento tardio. Após inocularmos uma linhagem hxt-null agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 em maltotriose, detectamos glicose no meio de cultura durante o seu crescimento tardio, indicando que cepas que não contam com o Agt1p na membrana só conseguem crescer tardiamente em maltotriose em virtude da hidrólise extracelular desse açúcar. Por fim, nós demonstramos ainda que a <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glicosidase codificada pela ORF YJL216C é responsável por essa hidrólise extracelular da maltotriose, uma vez que a sua deleção tornou as células incapazes de crescer em maltotriose mesmo durante longos períodos de incubação. Assim, nossos resultados indicam que o Agt1p é o único transportador de maltotriose em S. cerevisiae e que o mesmo é necessário para promover eficiente fermentação desse açúcar. Pudemos também concluir que, em sua ausência, as células podem crescer em maltotriose somente se forem capazes de hidrolisá-la extracelularmente. Neste trabalho, discutimos também o poder de indução dos genes MAL pela maltose e pela maltotriose. Analisados em conjunto, nossos resultados sugerem que, embora não haja um indutor mais forte dentre esses açúcares, a atividade de transporte é maior em células crescidas em maltotriose. / Important biotechnological processes depends on the efficient fermentation of starch hydrolysates rich in maltose and maltotriose by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, some strains have difficulty to consume maltotriose, which decreases their fermentation efficiency. Although it is believed that maltotriose transport across the plasma membrane is the rate-limiting step for its fermentation, there have been conflicting reports whether all the known <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucoside transporters in S. cerevisiae allow efficient maltotriose utilization by yeast cells. In order to contribute for a better understanding of maltotriose metabolism in S. cerevisiae, we correlated the phenotype of several strains on maltotriose with their respective genotype. For such correlation, we identified which <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucoside transporter genes were present in the strains analyzed and we determined the kinetics of cell growth and ethanol production by each strain on maltotriose, as well as their transport activities. To be sure that those genes were, indeed, expressed, we also evaluated their expression under different growth conditions. After verifying that a constitutive MAL regulator increases the expression of AGT1 gene and improves maltose and maltotriose fermentation, we decided to delete this gene from three laboratorial strains to evaluate the contribution of the Agt1p permease for maltotriose utilization. In spite that the wild-type cells rapidly consumed and efficiently fermented this sugar, the agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 strains were unable to transport maltotriose and to utilize this sugar during 3-4 days of incubation. However, after a longer period of incubation (8 days), just one of the agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 strains was still unable to grow on maltotriose, while the other two strains presented delayed growth, after an ~100 h lag phase, but did not ferment this sugar. The same long lag phase on maltotriose was also seen in industrial strains which were unable to express their AGT1 gene. Furthermore, QRT-PCR assays demonstrated that MPH2-MPH3 transporters are not related to this phenotype. Seeking for what could promote this novel phenotype, microarray analysis indicated upregulation of <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucosidases and hexose transporters during this delayed growth on maltotriose. After inoculation of an hxt-null agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 strain on maltotriose, we detected glucose on the medium during cellular growth, indicating that strains which do not have Agt1p in their plasma membrane are able to grow after a long lag phase on maltotriose only because of extracellular maltotriose hydrolysis. Finally, we also show that the <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucosidase codified by YJL216C is responsible for this delayed extracellular hydrolysis of maltotriose, since after its deletion cells became unable to grow on maltotriose at all. Thus, our results indicate that Agt1p is the only effective maltotriose transporter in S. cerevisiae and that it is required to promote an efficient fermentation of this sugar by yeast cells. We can also conclude that in its absence cells can only grow on maltotriose if they are capable to hydrolyze this sugar outside the cells. In the present work, we also discussed which one, maltose or maltotriose, is the best inducer of MAL genes. Taking together, our results suggest that, although there is no best inducer, <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucoside transport activity is higher in maltotriose grown cells.

Processos biotecnológicos importantes dependem da eficiente fermentação de hidrolisados de amido, ricos em maltose e maltotriose, pela levedura i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Entretanto, algumas linhagens apresentam dificuldade para consumir a maltotriose, o que diminui a eficiência fermentativa nesses processos. Embora se acredite que o transporte desse açúcar através da membrana plasmática seja o passo limitante para sua fermentação, existem conflitos na literatura em relação às permeases capazes de transportar a maltotriose. No intuito de melhorar a compreensão do metabolismo desse açúcar em S. cerevisiae, correlacionamos o fenótipo de várias cepas em maltotriose com seus respectivos genótipos. Para isso, identificamos os genes de transportadores de <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glicosídeos presentes nas linhagens analisadas e avaliamos o crescimento celular, a produção de etanol e as atividades de transporte por cada cepa. Para confirmar se tais genes eram, de fato, expressos, analisamos a expressão dos mesmos em diferentes condições de cultivo. Após verificarmos que a presença de um regulador constitutivo aumenta a expressão do gene AGT1 e incrementa a fermentação de maltose e maltotriose, deletamos esse gene do genoma de três linhagens de laboratório para avaliar a contribuição da permease Agt1p para a utilização de maltotriose. Embora as linhagens selvagens tenham consumido e fermentado rapidamente esse açúcar, as agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 foram incapazes de transportar a maltotriose e de utilizála durante 3-4 dias de incubação. Contudo, após um período de incubação maior (8 dias), apenas uma das linhagens agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 continuou incapaz de crescer em maltotriose, enquanto as outras apresentaram crescimento tardio, após ~100 h de fase lag, porém sem produção de etanol. Essa mesma fase lag extensa foi também observada em cepas industriais incapazes de expressar o AGT1. Além disso, através de QRT-PCR vimos que os transportadores MPH2- MPH3 não estão relacionados a esse fenótipo. Ao buscarmos o que poderia promover esse novo fenótipo, análises de microarray indicaram expressão aumentada de <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glicosidases e transportadores de hexose durante esse crescimento tardio. Após inocularmos uma linhagem hxt-null agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 em maltotriose, detectamos glicose no meio de cultura durante o seu crescimento tardio, indicando que cepas que não contam com o Agt1p na membrana só conseguem crescer tardiamente em maltotriose em virtude da hidrólise extracelular desse açúcar. Por fim, nós demonstramos ainda que a <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glicosidase codificada pela ORF YJL216C é responsável por essa hidrólise extracelular da maltotriose, uma vez que a sua deleção tornou as células incapazes de crescer em maltotriose mesmo durante longos períodos de incubação. Assim, nossos resultados indicam que o Agt1p é o único transportador de maltotriose em S. cerevisiae e que o mesmo é necessário para promover eficiente fermentação desse açúcar. Pudemos também concluir que, em sua ausência, as células podem crescer em maltotriose somente se forem capazes de hidrolisá-la extracelularmente. Neste trabalho, discutimos também o poder de indução dos genes MAL pela maltose e pela maltotriose. Analisados em conjunto, nossos resultados sugerem que, embora não haja um indutor mais forte dentre esses açúcares, a atividade de transporte é maior em células crescidas em maltotriose. / Important biotechnological processes depends on the efficient fermentation of starch hydrolysates rich in maltose and maltotriose by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, some strains have difficulty to consume maltotriose, which decreases their fermentation efficiency. Although it is believed that maltotriose transport across the plasma membrane is the rate-limiting step for its fermentation, there have been conflicting reports whether all the known <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucoside transporters in S. cerevisiae allow efficient maltotriose utilization by yeast cells. In order to contribute for a better understanding of maltotriose metabolism in S. cerevisiae, we correlated the phenotype of several strains on maltotriose with their respective genotype. For such correlation, we identified which <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucoside transporter genes were present in the strains analyzed and we determined the kinetics of cell growth and ethanol production by each strain on maltotriose, as well as their transport activities. To be sure that those genes were, indeed, expressed, we also evaluated their expression under different growth conditions. After verifying that a constitutive MAL regulator increases the expression of AGT1 gene and improves maltose and maltotriose fermentation, we decided to delete this gene from three laboratorial strains to evaluate the contribution of the Agt1p permease for maltotriose utilization. In spite that the wild-type cells rapidly consumed and efficiently fermented this sugar, the agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 strains were unable to transport maltotriose and to utilize this sugar during 3-4 days of incubation. However, after a longer period of incubation (8 days), just one of the agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 strains was still unable to grow on maltotriose, while the other two strains presented delayed growth, after an ~100 h lag phase, but did not ferment this sugar. The same long lag phase on maltotriose was also seen in industrial strains which were unable to express their AGT1 gene. Furthermore, QRT-PCR assays demonstrated that MPH2-MPH3 transporters are not related to this phenotype. Seeking for what could promote this novel phenotype, microarray analysis indicated upregulation of <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucosidases and hexose transporters during this delayed growth on maltotriose. After inoculation of an hxt-null agt1 <font face=\"Symbol\">&#916 strain on maltotriose, we detected glucose on the medium during cellular growth, indicating that strains which do not have Agt1p in their plasma membrane are able to grow after a long lag phase on maltotriose only because of extracellular maltotriose hydrolysis. Finally, we also show that the <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucosidase codified by YJL216C is responsible for this delayed extracellular hydrolysis of maltotriose, since after its deletion cells became unable to grow on maltotriose at all. Thus, our results indicate that Agt1p is the only effective maltotriose transporter in S. cerevisiae and that it is required to promote an efficient fermentation of this sugar by yeast cells. We can also conclude that in its absence cells can only grow on maltotriose if they are capable to hydrolyze this sugar outside the cells. In the present work, we also discussed which one, maltose or maltotriose, is the best inducer of MAL genes. Taking together, our results suggest that, although there is no best inducer, <font face=\"Symbol\">&#945-glucoside transport activity is higher in maltotriose grown cells.

No description available.

FLO11 is coding for a cell surface adhesin in the baker s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Its expression is regulated by different environmental circumstances like glucose, nitrogen or amino acid limitation. Flo11p is strictly required to allow cells to react on these nutrient signals by a dimorphic switch from single growing yeast cells to multicellular complexes with adhesive phenotype. This work demonstrates that under repressed conditions the unusually large FLO11 promoter of about 3 kb contains only one MNase-sensitive site located 1.2 kb upstream of the open reading frame. This site correlates with the binding region for the repressor protein Sfl1p. Investigations with genes for components involved in chromatin establishment, maintenance or remodeling identified the histone variant H2A.Z/Htz1p as yet unknown factor that is required to keep FLO11 in a silent state. The chromatin remodeler Rsc1p and the histone acetyl transferase Gcn5p are antagonists to H2A.Z/Htz1p and are required to overcome this silent state under glucose depletion, and therefore, to switch to the adhesive growth mode or pseudohyphal development. Addition of the histidine analogue 3-aminotriazol results in amino acid starvation and restores Flo11p-dependent adhesion in rsc1 mutant cells. These cells express only low FLO11 mRNA levels suggesting that there m! ight be additional mechanisms which result in sufficient amounts of adhesin molecules. These mechanisms might be regulated on a post-transcriptional level. A possible post-transcriptional level of controlling FLO11 expression was addressed by analysing two isogenic ribosomal proteins, namely Rps26Ap and Rps26Bp. Both proteins are compounds of the small subunit of the ribosome and are involved in regulating FLO11 expression. Only Rps26Ap is an essential factor for efficient FLO11 mRNA translation. Investigations concerning the regulation of the two isogenes demonstrate a reciprocal effect on the translational level. Rps26Ap stimulates the translation of RPS26B mRNA into the protein, whereas formation of Rps26Ap is inhibited by Rps26Bp.

<p>Proteomics is the analysis of the total complement of proteins expressed by a cell or organism grown under a specified condition. The obtained protein profile would provide a better understanding of phenotypic characteristics of a cell grown under pre-determined conditions. Mass spectrometric-based protein analysis is currently the standard method in proteomic studies; however, there are many limitations associated with its application. The major objectives of this study included the development of a strategy to analyze the confidence of identified proteins and the development of an algorithm to interpret the experimentally obtained mass spectral data. </p> <p>A two-step strategy was developed to analyze the confidence of identified proteins. In the first step, the proteins identified by a single protein identification tool were classified into two groups: high confidence proteins that were identified by unique peptides, and low confidence proteins that were identified by non-unique peptides. In the second step, the proteins identified by different tools (e.g., SEQUEST and Mascot in our work) were cross-compared. After integrating the two-step analysis, the identified proteins were classified into four levels of confidence. The proteins that were identified by the presence of unique peptides and that were commonly identified by different tools were grouped into the highest confidence level - Level 4. Even though the number of proteins in Level 4 was reduced significantly, the conclusions drawn from the proteins were more reliable.</p> <p>According to the operation of tandem mass spectrometry and the characteristics of the peptides generated by site-specific protease digestion, a two-pass approach for identifying the species-specific proteins was developed. The approach can find all possible peptides corresponding to a precursor ion and gives detailed matching information of each peptide candidate to the experimental product ion series. According to the total number of matched product ions, the total number of matched b- and y- ions, and the contiguity characteristic of identified product ions, the peptide candidates were ranked decreasingly from the most probable to the least. Combined with the concept of unique peptide, the obtained most probable peptide can then be used to predict proteins existing in the original sample.</p> <p>The developed two-pass approach and two-step strategy were then used to study the protein profiling of <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> cultivated in various gravity conditions (10 and 300 g glucose/l) in order to investigate the changes in central metabolic pathways of <i>S. cerevisiae</i>. Our fermentation data indicated that the higher glucose contents would result in lower cell growth and higher ethanol production (e.g., high ethanol concentration in fermentation broth). However, the relative ethanol yield as related to the glucose consumption was lower under higher glucose concentrations. The protein profile showed that a higher flux of nutrient was channelled into the pentose phosphate pathway when <i>S. cerevisiae</i> was grown under a high glucose concentration. The reason for this phenomenon might be that the cell needs more reducing power (e.g., NADPH) for the synthesis of macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. These materials are essential to the cell in order to modify its structure (e.g., cell wall), to survive osmotic stress and to replicate.</p>

<p>Proteomics is the analysis of the total complement of proteins expressed by a cell or organism grown under a specified condition. The obtained protein profile would provide a better understanding of phenotypic characteristics of a cell grown under pre-determined conditions. Mass spectrometric-based protein analysis is currently the standard method in proteomic studies; however, there are many limitations associated with its application. The major objectives of this study included the development of a strategy to analyze the confidence of identified proteins and the development of an algorithm to interpret the experimentally obtained mass spectral data. </p> <p>A two-step strategy was developed to analyze the confidence of identified proteins. In the first step, the proteins identified by a single protein identification tool were classified into two groups: high confidence proteins that were identified by unique peptides, and low confidence proteins that were identified by non-unique peptides. In the second step, the proteins identified by different tools (e.g., SEQUEST and Mascot in our work) were cross-compared. After integrating the two-step analysis, the identified proteins were classified into four levels of confidence. The proteins that were identified by the presence of unique peptides and that were commonly identified by different tools were grouped into the highest confidence level - Level 4. Even though the number of proteins in Level 4 was reduced significantly, the conclusions drawn from the proteins were more reliable.</p> <p>According to the operation of tandem mass spectrometry and the characteristics of the peptides generated by site-specific protease digestion, a two-pass approach for identifying the species-specific proteins was developed. The approach can find all possible peptides corresponding to a precursor ion and gives detailed matching information of each peptide candidate to the experimental product ion series. According to the total number of matched product ions, the total number of matched b- and y- ions, and the contiguity characteristic of identified product ions, the peptide candidates were ranked decreasingly from the most probable to the least. Combined with the concept of unique peptide, the obtained most probable peptide can then be used to predict proteins existing in the original sample.</p> <p>The developed two-pass approach and two-step strategy were then used to study the protein profiling of <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> cultivated in various gravity conditions (10 and 300 g glucose/l) in order to investigate the changes in central metabolic pathways of <i>S. cerevisiae</i>. Our fermentation data indicated that the higher glucose contents would result in lower cell growth and higher ethanol production (e.g., high ethanol concentration in fermentation broth). However, the relative ethanol yield as related to the glucose consumption was lower under higher glucose concentrations. The protein profile showed that a higher flux of nutrient was channelled into the pentose phosphate pathway when <i>S. cerevisiae</i> was grown under a high glucose concentration. The reason for this phenomenon might be that the cell needs more reducing power (e.g., NADPH) for the synthesis of macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. These materials are essential to the cell in order to modify its structure (e.g., cell wall), to survive osmotic stress and to replicate.</p>

No description available.