Research, Research Articles
Integrative modules for efficient genome engineering in yeast
Triana Amen1 and Daniel Kaganovich1
The study introduces a set of vectors with integrative modules designed for effective genome integration into standard marker loci of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enabling precise expression levels using various promoters and demonstrating the capability of stable multi-gene integration, which is useful for tasks like multi-color cellular imaging and metabolic engineering.
The neuroprotective steroid progesterone promotes mitochondrial uncoupling, reduces cytosolic calcium and augments stress resistance in yeast cells
Slaven Stekovic1,*, Christoph Ruckenstuhl1,*, Philipp Royer1, Christof Winkler-Hermaden1, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez1, Kai-Uwe Fröhlich1, Guido Kroemer3-8, and Frank Madeo1,2
Progesterone, known for its role in the reproductive system, also acts as a neurosteroid and has been suggested to aid recovery from traumatic brain injury; a study using yeast models shows that progesterone can protect against apoptosis, reduce oxidative stress and calcium spikes, and increase mitochondrial function, independent of traditional progesterone receptors or calcium transporters.
A simple microfluidic platform to study age-dependent protein abundance and localization changes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Margarita Cabrera1,†, Daniele Novarina1, Irina L. Rempel1, Liesbeth M. Veenhoff1, and Michael Chang1
We have developed a user-friendly microfluidic system paired with a genetic approach to enrich and study ageing mother yeast cells, enabling the monitoring of protein abundance and localization changes during the crucial first half of their replicative lifespan, leading to the discovery of novel age-dependent protein behaviors.
Thiol trapping and metabolic redistribution of sulfur metabolites enable cells to overcome cysteine overload
Anup Arunrao Deshpande1,#, Muskan Bhatia1,#, Sunil Laxman2, Anand Kumar Bachhawat1
In this study, researchers investigate the mechanisms for handling cysteine overload using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, finding that overexpressing the high affinity cysteine transporter, YCT1, enables yeast cells to rapidly accumulate high levels of intracellular cysteine. The study demonstrates that cells can manage potentially toxic levels of cysteine by converting it to non-reactive thiol forms and utilizing the metabolic products for cell growth.
The frequency of yeast [PSI+] prion formation is increased during chronological ageing
Shaun H. Speldewinde1 and Chris M. Grant1
Aging is marked by a decline in cellular functions and the increased formation of the yeast [PSI+] prion, an altered translation termination factor, which suggests that autophagy suppresses age-related prion development. Interestingly, yeast cells that adopt the [PSI+] form exhibit better survival through aging, indicating that [PSI+] formation, linked to enhanced autophagy, may confer advantages such as reduced protein aggregation and improved cell viability.
A multigene family encoding surface glycoproteins in Trypanosoma congolense
Magali Thonnus1, Amandine Guérin1,2 and Loïc Rivière1
Trypanosoma congolense, the causative agent of the most important livestock disease in Africa, expresses specific surface proteins involved in its parasitic lifestyle. By mining the T. congolense genome database, we identified a novel family of lectin-like glycoproteins (TcoClecs).
Identification of Ftr1 and Zrt1 as iron and zinc micronutrient transceptors for activation of the PKA pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Joep Schothorst1,2, Griet Van Zeebroeck1,2 and Johan M. Thevelein1,2
We now show that the yeast high-affinity iron transporter Ftr1 and high-affinity zinc transporter Zrt1 function as transceptors for the micronutrients iron and zinc. We show that replenishment of iron to iron-starved cells or zinc to zinc-starved cells triggers within 1-2 minutes a rapid surge in trehalase activity, a well-established PKA target.
Balanced CoQ6 biosynthesis is required for lifespan and mitophagy in yeast
Isabel González-Mariscal, Aléjandro Martín-Montalvo, Cristina Ojeda-González, Adolfo Rodríguez-Eguren, Purificación Gutiérrez-Ríos, Plácido Navas, and Carlos Santos-Ocaña
In brief, we show that, in yeast, Ptc7 modulates the adaptation to respiratory metabolism by dephosphorylating Coq7 to supply newly synthesized CoQ6, and by activating mitophagy to remove defective mitochondria at stationary phase, guaranteeing a proper CLS in yeast.
Mutational analysis of fructose-1,6-bis-phosphatase FBP1 indicates partially independent functions in gluconeogenesis and sensitivity to genotoxic stress
Ali Ghanem, Ana Kitanovic, Jinda Holzwarth, Stefan Wölfl
Our results support predicted vital roles of several fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase residues for enzymatic activity and led to the identification of residues indispensable for the MMS-sensitizing effect. Despite an overlap between these two properties, careful analysis revealed two mutations, Asn75 and His324, which decouple the enzymatic activity and the MMS-sensitizing effect, indicating two distinctive biological activities linked in this key gluconeogenesis enzyme.
Overcoming phagocytosis resistance of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae by directly targeting capsules
February 16, 2026
This study highlights a promising strategy for disarming hypervirulent K. pneumoniae by directly targeting its key virulence factors and provides novel insights into antibacterial therapeutic approaches against this clinically significant pathogen.
VapA/Scs2 sustains polarized growth in Aspergillus nidulans by maintaining AP-2-mediated apical endocytosis
February 5, 2026
To explore the functional significance of ER–PM contact sites in filamentous fungi, we identified and genetically characterized all Aspergillus nidulans proteins homologous to Snc2/VAP, Ist2, or tricalbins.
Genetic make-up and regulation of the L-lysine biosynthesis pathway in Vibrio natriegens
February 3, 2026
This study analysed the make-up and regulation of the biosynthetic pathway for L-lysine and related L-aspartate family amino acids (AFAAs) in Vibrio natriegens DSM759 to provide a comprehensive basis for future metabolic engineering endeavours aiming at developing this strain into an amino acid overproducer.
Regulation of extracellular vesicles for protein secretion in Aspergillus nidulans
January 28, 2026
This study reveals that Aspergillus nidulans boosts extracellular vesicle production when ER-trafficked enzymes are induced, uncovering how fungi remodel their secretome through vesicle-mediated secretion to adapt to changing environments and biofilm formation.
Transcriptomic response to different heme sources in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes
January 23, 2026
This study uncovers how the Chagas disease parasite adapts to changes in heme, an essential molecule for its survival, providing transcriptional clues to heme metabolism and identifying a previously unreported heme-binding protein in T. cruzi.
Sir2 regulates selective autophagy in stationary-phase yeast cells
January 21, 2026
This study establishes Sir2 as a previously unrecognized regulator of selective autophagy during the stationary phase and highlight how cells dynamically control organelle degradation.
Luminal acetylation of microtubules is not essential for Plasmodium berghei and Toxoplasma gondii survival
December 17, 2025
Acetylation of α-tubulin at lysine 40 is not essential for cytoskeletal stability in Plasmodium berghei or Toxoplasma gondii, suggesting redundancy and plasticity in microtubule regulation in these parasites.
The dual-site agonist for human M2 muscarinic receptors Iper-8-naphtalimide induces mitochondrial dysfunction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
December 12, 2025
S. cerevisiae is a model to study human GPCRs. N-8-Iper, active against glioblastoma via M2 receptor, causes mitochondrial damage in yeast by binding Ste2, highlighting evolutionary conservation of GPCRs.
Organelle activity organized by the endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria encounter structure –ERMES– is essential for Podospora anserina development
September 12, 2025
This study shows that the regulation of the activity of multiple organelles by the ERMES (Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Encounter Structure) tethering complex is essential for fungal growth and sexual development.