Vol. 01, 2014
The replication timing program in the hands of two HDACs
Kazumasa Yoshida1,2, Armelle Lengronne1 and Philippe Pasero1
This article comments on work published by Yoshida et al. (Mol Cell, 2014), which performed a systematic analysis of the role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the regulation of origin activity in budding yeast, finding that the epigenetic regulation of repetitive sequences is a key determinant of the DNA replication program.
Increased Trypanosoma brucei cathepsin-L activity inhibits human serum-mediated trypanolysis
Sam Alsford
This article comments on work published by Alsford et al. (PLoS Pathogens, 2014), which identified a Trypanosoma brucei lysosomal cathepsin with an inhibitory effect on human serum’s trypanolytic action.
A novel role of centrin in flagellar motility: stabilizing an inner-arm dynein motor in the flagellar axoneme
Ziyin Li
This article comments on work published by Wei et al. (Nat Comm, 2014), which discovered that centrin maintains the stability of an inner-arm dynein in the flagellar axoneme in Trypanosoma brucei.
A non-proteolytic function of ubiquitin in transcription repression
Ada Ndoja and Tingting Yao
This article comments on work published by Ndoja et al. (Mol Cell, 2014), which demonstrates that monoubiquitination of some transcription activators can inhibit transcription by recruiting the AAA+ ATPase Cdc48 (also known in metazoans as p97 or VCP), which then extracts the ubiquitinated activator from DNA.
Exogenous addition of histidine reduces copper availability in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Daisuke Watanabe, Rie Kikushima, Miho Aitoku, Akira Nishimura, Iwao Ohtsu, Ryo Nasuno, and Hiroshi Takagi
The herein presented results indicate that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, histidine cytotoxicity is associated with low copper availability inside cells, not with impaired copper uptake. Furthermore, it suggests that histidine cytotoxicity is involved in deficiency of mitochondrial copper.
Where antibiotic resistance mutations meet quorum-sensing
Rok Krašovec1, Roman V. Belavkin2, John A.D. Aston3, Alastair Channon4, Elizabeth Aston4, Bharat M. Rash1, Manikandan Kadirvel5,6, Sarah Forbes6, and Christopher G. Knight1
This article comments on work published by Krašovec et al. (Nat Comm, 2014), which found that the modulation of de novo mutation to promote antibiotic resistance depends on the density of the bacterial population and cell-cell interactions (rather than, for instance, the level of stress).
Sphingolipids and mitochondrial function, lessons learned from yeast
Pieter Spincemaille1, Bruno P.A. Cammue1,2 and Karin Thevissen1
This article reviews recent research showing that Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an invaluable model to investigate sphingolipids as signaling molecules in modulating mitochondrial function, but can also be used as a tool to further enhance our current knowledge on sphingolipids and mitochondria in mammalian cells.
Effect of paraquat-induced oxidative stress on gene expression and aging of the filamentous ascomycete Podospora anserina
Matthias Wiemer and Heinz D. Osiewacz
In this article, paraquat is used to experimentally induce strong cellular oxidative stress in Podospora anserina wild-type cultures of different age, finding that this treatment has profound effects on gene expression, growth and lifespan.
Genome evolution in yeast reveals connections between rare mutations in human cancer
Xinchen Teng1,2 and J. Marie Hardwick2
This article comments on work published by Teng et al. (Mol Cell, 2013), which, using the yeast knockout collections, provides hard evidence that single gene deletions/mutations in most non-essential genes can drive the selection for cancer-like mutations.
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.
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.
Mnemons: encoding memory by protein super-assembly
Fabrice Caudron and Yves Barral
This article comments on work published by Caudron and Barral (Cell, 2013), which proposes that polyQ- and polyN-based elements, termed mnemons, act as cellular memory devices to encode previous environmental conditions.
Intersubunit communications within KaiC hexamers contribute the robust rhythmicity of the cyanobacterial circadian clock
Yohko Kitayama1, Taeko Nishiwaki-Ohkawa1,2 and Takao Kondo1
This article comments on work published by Kitayama et al. (Nat Comm, 2013), which suggests that intersubunit communication precisely synchronizes KaiC subunits to avoid dephasing, and contributes to the robustness of circadian rhythms in cyanobacteria.
Mitochondrial protein import under kinase surveillance
Magdalena Opalińska1 and Chris Meisinger1,2
This article summarizes recent discoveries in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system that point towards a vital role of reversible phosphorylation in regulation of mitochondrial protein import.
Building a flagellum in biological outer space
Lewis D. B. Evans, Colin Hughes and Gillian M. Fraser
This article comments on work published by Evans et al. (Nature, 2013), which presents a simple and elegant transit mechanism in which growth is powered by the subunits themselves as they link head-to-tail in a chain that is pulled through the length of the growing structure to the tip. This new mechanism answers an old question and may have resonance in other assembly processes.
A novel mechanism involved in the coupling of mitochondrial biogenesis to oxidative phosphorylation
Jelena Ostojić1, Jean-Paul di Rago2,3, Geneviève Dujardin1,*
This article comments on a study by Ostojić et al. (Cell Metabolism, 2013), which has uncovered a regulatory loop by which the biogenesis of a major enzyme of the OXPHOS pathway, the respiratory complex III, is coupled to the energy producing activity of the mitochondria.
Identifying the assembly pathway of cyanophage inside the marine bacterium using electron cryo-tomography
Wei Dai1, Michael F. Schmid1, Jonathan A. King2, Wah Chiu1,*
Thiswork comments on a study by Dai et al. (Nature 2013) that illustrates that electron cryo-tomography is an approach whereby one can capture directly structural snapshots of transient phage assembly intermediates during maturation process. Such analysis can be generalizable not only to human viruses in human cells but also various molecular machines undergoing biological processes.
Only functional localization is faithful localization
Roland Lill1,2,3
This article comments on work published by Peleh et al. (Microbial Cell 2014), which analyzes the localization of Dre2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
One cell, one love: a journal for microbial research
Didac Carmona-Gutierrez1, Guido Kroemer2-6 and Frank Madeo1
In this inaugural article of Microbial Cell, we highlight the importance of microbial research in general and the journal's intention to serve as a publishing forum that supports and enfolds the scientific diversity in this area as it provides a unique, high-quality and universally accessible source of information and inspiration.
What’s the role of autophagy in trypanosomes?
Katherine Figarella1 and Néstor L. Uzcátegui1,2
This article comments on Proto et al. (Microbial Cell, 2014), who report first insights into the molecular mechanism of autophagy in African trypanosomes by generating reporter bloodstream form cell lines.
Intersubunit communications within KaiC hexamers contribute the robust rhythmicity of the cyanobacterial circadian clock
January 29, 2014
This article comments on work published by Kitayama et al. (Nat Comm, 2013), which suggests that intersubunit communication precisely synchronizes KaiC subunits to avoid dephasing, and contributes to the robustness of circadian rhythms in cyanobacteria.
Mitochondrial protein import under kinase surveillance
January 29, 2014
This article summarizes recent discoveries in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system that point towards a vital role of reversible phosphorylation in regulation of mitochondrial protein import.
Building a flagellum in biological outer space
January 25, 2014
This article comments on work published by Evans et al. (Nature, 2013), which presents a simple and elegant transit mechanism in which growth is powered by the subunits themselves as they link head-to-tail in a chain that is pulled through the length of the growing structure to the tip. This new mechanism answers an old question and may have resonance in other assembly processes.
Deletion of AIF1 but not of YCA1/MCA1 protects Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans cells from caspofungin-induced programmed cell death
January 15, 2014
This work suggests that deleting AIF1 but not YCA1/MCA1 protects S. cerevisiae and Candida albicans from caspofungin-induced cell death. This is not only the first time that AIF1 has been specifically tied to cell death in Candida but also the first time that caspofungin resistance has been linked to the cell death machinery in yeast.
A novel mechanism involved in the coupling of mitochondrial biogenesis to oxidative phosphorylation
January 5, 2014
This article comments on a study by Ostojić et al. (Cell Metabolism, 2013), which has uncovered a regulatory loop by which the biogenesis of a major enzyme of the OXPHOS pathway, the respiratory complex III, is coupled to the energy producing activity of the mitochondria.
Reduced TORC1 signaling abolishes mitochondrial dysfunctions and shortened chronological lifespan of Isc1p-deficient cells
January 5, 2014
Overall, this article shows that the TORC1-Sch9p axis is deregulated in Isc1p-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction, enhanced oxidative stress sensitivity and premature aging of isc1Δ cells.
One cell, one love: a journal for microbial research
January 5, 2014
In this inaugural article of Microbial Cell, we highlight the importance of microbial research in general and the journal's intention to serve as a publishing forum that supports and enfolds the scientific diversity in this area as it provides a unique, high-quality and universally accessible source of information and inspiration.
Early manifestations of replicative aging in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
January 4, 2014
The data preseted herein suggest that retrograde signaling starts to malfunction in relatively young cells, leading to accumulation of heterogeneous mitochondria within one cell. The latter may further contribute to a decline in stress resistances.
Identifying the assembly pathway of cyanophage inside the marine bacterium using electron cryo-tomography
January 4, 2014
Thiswork comments on a study by Dai et al. (Nature 2013) that illustrates that electron cryo-tomography is an approach whereby one can capture directly structural snapshots of transient phage assembly intermediates during maturation process. Such analysis can be generalizable not only to human viruses in human cells but also various molecular machines undergoing biological processes.
Only functional localization is faithful localization
Roland Lill1,2,3
This article comments on work published by Peleh et al. (Microbial Cell 2014), which analyzes the localization of Dre2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.