Microreviews, Review
Live longer on MARS: a yeast paradigm of mitochondrial adaptive ROS signaling in aging
Gerald S. Shadel
In this article, the potential relevance of Mitochondrial Adaptive ROS Signaling (MARS) to the human disease Ataxia-Telangiectasia and as a potential anti-aging target is discussed.
Prokaryotic Argonautes – variations on the RNA interference theme
John van der Oost1, Daan C. Swarts1, Matthijs M. Jore1,2
This article comments on work published by Swarts et al. (Nature, 2014), which demonstrates that Argonaute family protein of the bacterium Thermus thermophilus acts as a barrier for the uptake and propagation of foreign DNA.
Longevity pathways and maintenance of the proteome: the role of autophagy and mitophagy during yeast ageing
Belém Sampaio-Marques1,2, William C. Burhans3, Paula Ludovico1,2
This review describes recent findings that shed light on how longevity pathways and metabolic status impact maintenance of the proteome in both yeast ageing paradigms. These findings demonstrate that yeast remain a powerful model system for elucidating these relationships and their influence on ageing regulation.
Secondary structures involving the poly(A) tail and other 3’ sequences are major determinants of mRNA isoform stability in yeast
Zarmik Moqtaderi#, Joseph V. Geisberg# and Kevin Struhl
This article comments on work published by Geisberg et al. (Cell (2014), which points to an important role for mRNA structure at 3’ termini in governing transcript stability, likely by reducing the interaction of the mRNA with the degradation apparatus.
De novo peroxisome biogenesis revisited
Marten Veenhuis and Ida J. van der Klei
This article comments on work published by Knoops et al. (JCB, 2014), which describes an alternative peroxisome formation pathway in yeast pex3 and pex19 cells, which relies on the existence of small peroxisomal remnants that are present in these cells.
Transcriptional and genomic mayhem due to aging-induced nucleosome loss in budding yeast
Zheng Hu1, Kaifu Chen2, Wei Li2 and Jessica K. Tyler2
This article comments on work published by Zheng et al. (Genes and Development, 2014), which investigated a loss of histones during replicative aging in budding yeast, which was also accompanied by a significantly-increased frequency of genomic instability including DNA breaks, chromosomal translocations, retrotransposition, and transfer of mitochondrial DNA into the nuclear genome.
The Parkinson’s disease-associated protein α-synuclein disrupts stress signaling – a possible implication for methamphetamine use?
Shaoxiao Wang1 and Stephan N. Witt1,2
This article comments on work published by Wang et al. (PNAS, 2012), which reported that human α-syn, at high expression levels, disrupts stress-activated signal transduction pathways in both yeast and human neuroblastoma cells. Disruption of these signaling pathways ultimately leads to vulnerability to stress and to cell death.
Massive gene swamping among cheese-making Penicillium fungi
Jeanne Ropars1,2, Gabriela Aguileta1,2,3, Damien M. de Vienne4,5 and Tatiana Giraud1,2
This article comments on work published by Cheeseman et al. (Nat Comm, 2014), which indicates that horizontal gene transfer is a crucial mechanism of rapid adaptation, even among eukaryotes.
Genome-wide studies of telomere biology in budding yeast
Yaniv Harari and Martin Kupiec
In the last decade, technical advances have allowed carrying out systematic genome-wide screens for mutants affecting various aspects of telomere biology. In this review we summarize these efforts, and the insights that this Systems Biology approach has produced so far.
Inhibitors of glycosomal protein import provide new leads against trypanosomiasis
July 3, 2017
This article comments on work published by Dawidowski et al. (Science, 2017), which provides the grounds for further development of the glycosome inhibitors into clinical candidates and validates the parasite protein-protein interactions as drug targets.
Protein aggregation triggers a declining libido in elder yeasts that still have a lust for life
May 29, 2017
This article comments on work published by Schlissel et al (Science 2017), showing that aging in yeast does not lead to the expected loss of heterochromatin silencing due to Sir2 inactivity, but rather to reduced mating pheromone sensitivity caused by the aggregation of the RNA-binding protein Whi3, which can be reversed by eliminating Whi3's polyglutamine domain.
Post-transcriptional regulation of ribosome biogenesis in yeast
May 1, 2017
Microorganisms adapt to environmental changes by regulating their metabolism, and one key survival strategy is to decrease energy use during adverse conditions by halting ribosome production, with recent findings showing yeast can switch between pre-rRNA processing pathways in response to environmental shifts, adding complexity to ribosome biogenesis regulation.
Placeholder factors in ribosome biogenesis: please, pave my way
April 27, 2017
In ribosome synthesis, "placeholder" factors are crucial trans-acting elements that regulate the timing and assembly of ribosomal proteins, ensuring speed and accuracy in this intricate process by preventing premature interactions and guiding the proper formation of functional ribosomal subunits.
Insights from the redefinition of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide O-antigen and core-oligosaccharide domains
April 25, 2017
This article comments on work published by Li et al. (PloS Pathog, 2017), focusing on Helicobacter pylori infections. They are mostly asymptomatic but can lead to serious conditions, and H. pylori lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is crucial for colonization and persistence, making the study of its structure and biosynthesis pathway vital for understanding pathogenesis and developing treatments.
Evading plant immunity: feedback control of the T3SS in Pseudomonas syringae
March 17, 2017
This article comments on work published by Waite et al. (mBio, 2017), which indicates that a negative autogenous control mechanism, where the sigma factor HrpL represses its own expression, permits the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae to fine-tune its type III secretion system, potentially reducing the elicitation of plant immunity and enhancing its ability to cause disease.
Microbial flora, probiotics, Bacillus subtilis and the search for a long and healthy human longevity
March 16, 2017
This article comments on work published by Donato et al. (Nat Commun, 2017), which reveals that the probiotic Bacillus subtilis extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans via mechanisms including the formation of biofilms and the production of signaling molecules like NO and CSF, suggesting a potential pathway through insulin-like signaling that could impact human longevity and age-related diseases.
Chlamydia trachomatis’ struggle to keep its host alive
March 2, 2017
This article comments on work published by Sixt et al. (Cell Host Microbe, 2016), which analyzed a CpoS-deficient mutant yielding unique insights into the nature of cell-autonomous defense responses against Chlamydia.