Monovalent-cation homeostasis, crucial for all living cells, is ensured by the activity of various types of ion transport systems located either in the plasma membrane or in the membranes of organelles. A key prerequisite for the functioning of ion-transporting proteins is their proper trafficking to the target membrane. The cornichon family of COPII cargo receptors is highly conserved in eukaryotic cells. By simultaneously binding their cargoes and a COPII-coat subunit, cornichons promote the incorporation of cargo proteins into the COPII vesicles and, consequently, the efficient trafficking of cargoes via the secretory pathway. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about cornichon proteins (CNIH/Erv14), with an emphasis on yeast and mammalian cornichons and their role in monovalent-cation homeostasis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cornichon Erv14 serves as a cargo receptor of a large portion of plasma-membrane proteins, including several monovalent-cation transporters. By promoting the proper targeting of at least three housekeeping ion transport systems, Na+, K+/H+ antiporter Nha1, K+ importer Trk1 and K+ channel Tok1, Erv14 appears to play a complex role in the maintenance of alkali-metal-cation homeostasis. Despite their connection to serious human diseases, the repertoire of identified cargoes of mammalian cornichons is much more limited. The majority of current information is about the structure and functioning of CNIH2 and CNIH3 as auxiliary subunits of AMPAR multi-protein complexes. Based on their unique properties and easy genetic manipulation, we propose yeast cells to be a useful tool for uncovering a broader spectrum of human cornichons´ cargoes.

• MeSH
• COP-Coated Vesicles metabolism   MeSH
• Homeostasis physiology   MeSH
• Ion Transport physiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Membrane Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae * metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Erv14 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser
• Membrane Proteins MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH

Cell signaling regulates several physiological processes by receiving, processing, and transmitting signals between the extracellular and intracellular environments. In signal transduction, phosphorylation is a crucial effector as the most common posttranslational modification. Selectively recognizing specific phosphorylated motifs of target proteins and modulating their functions through binding interactions, the yeast 14-3-3 proteins Bmh1 and Bmh2 are involved in catabolite repression, carbon metabolism, endocytosis, and mitochondrial retrograde signaling, among other key cellular processes. These conserved scaffolding molecules also mediate crosstalk between ubiquitination and phosphorylation, the spatiotemporal control of meiosis, and the activity of ion transporters Trk1 and Nha1. In humans, deregulation of analogous processes triggers the development of serious diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, viral infections, microbial conditions and neuronal and age-related diseases. Accordingly, the aim of this review article is to provide a brief overview of the latest findings on the functions of yeast 14-3-3 proteins, focusing on their role in modulating the aforementioned processes.

• Keywords
• 14-3-3 proteins, adaptor protein, molecular mechanism, phosphorylation, protein-protein interaction, scaffolding, yeast,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Acetic acid-induced stress is a common challenge in natural environments and industrial bioprocesses, significantly affecting the growth and metabolic performance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The adaptive response and tolerance to this stress involves the activation of a complex network of molecular pathways. This study aims to delve deeper into these mechanisms in S. cerevisiae, particularly focusing on the role of the Hrk1 kinase. Hrk1 is a key determinant of acetic acid tolerance, belonging to the NPR/Hal family, whose members are implicated in the modulation of the activity of plasma membrane transporters that orchestrate nutrient uptake and ion homeostasis. The influence of Hrk1 on S. cerevisiae adaptation to acetic acid-induced stress was explored by employing a physiological approach based on previous phosphoproteomics analyses. The results from this study reflect the multifunctional roles of Hrk1 in maintaining proton and potassium homeostasis during different phases of acetic acid-stressed cultivation. Hrk1 is shown to play a role in the activation of plasma membrane H+-ATPase, maintaining pH homeostasis, and in the modulation of plasma membrane potential under acetic acid stressed cultivation. Potassium (K+) supplementation of the growth medium, particularly when provided at limiting concentrations, led to a notable improvement in acetic acid stress tolerance of the hrk1Δ strain. Moreover, abrogation of this kinase expression is shown to confer a physiological advantage to growth under K+ limitation also in the absence of acetic acid stress. The involvement of the alkali metal cation/H+ exchanger Nha1, another proposed molecular target of Hrk1, in improving yeast growth under K+ limitation or acetic acid stress, is proposed.

• Keywords
• NPR/Hal family, Nha1, Pma1 activity, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, acetic acid tolerance, plasma membrane H+-ATPase, yeast kinases,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The human Na+ /H+ antiporter NHA2 (SLC9B2) transports Na+ or Li+ across the plasma membrane in exchange for protons, and is implicated in various pathologies. It is a 537 amino acids protein with an 82 residues long hydrophilic cytoplasmic N-terminus followed by a transmembrane part comprising 14 transmembrane helices. We optimized the functional expression of HsNHA2 in the plasma membrane of a salt-sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and characterized in vivo a set of mutated or truncated versions of HsNHA2 in terms of their substrate specificity, transport activity, localization, and protein stability. We identified a highly conserved proline 246, located in the core of the protein, as being crucial for ion selectivity. The replacement of P246 with serine or threonine resulted in antiporters with altered substrate specificity that were not only highly active at acidic pH 4.0 (like the native antiporter), but also at neutral pH. P246T/S versions also exhibited increased resistance to the HsNHA2-specific inhibitor phloretin. We experimentally proved that a putative salt bridge between E215 and R432 is important for antiporter function, but also structural integrity. Truncations of the first 50-70 residues of the N-terminus doubled the transport activity of HsNHA2, while changes in the charge at positions E47, E56, K57, or K58 decreased the antiporter's transport activity. Thus, the hydrophilic N-terminal part of the protein appears to allosterically auto-inhibit cation transport of HsNHA2. Our data also show this in vivo approach to be useful for a rapid screening of SNP's effect on HsNHA2 activity.

• Keywords
• N-terminal auto-inhibition, Na+/H+ antiporter, human NHA2, phloretin, yeast,
• MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers * chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Protons * MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Amino Acid Sequence MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers * MeSH
• Protons * MeSH
• SLC9B2 protein, human MeSH Browser

The alteration of the fine-tuned balance of phospho/dephosphorylation reactions in the cell often results in functional disturbance. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the overexpression of Ser/Thr phosphatase Ppz1 drastically blocks cell proliferation, with a profound change in the transcriptomic and phosphoproteomic profiles. While the deleterious effect on growth likely derives from the alteration of multiple targets, the precise mechanisms are still obscure. Ppz1 is a negative effector of potassium influx. However, we show that the toxic effect of Ppz1 overexpression is unrelated to the Trk1/2 high-affinity potassium importers. Cells overexpressing Ppz1 exhibit decreased K+ content, increased cytosolic acidification, and fail to properly acidify the medium. These effects, as well as the growth defect, are counteracted by the deletion of NHA1 gene, which encodes a plasma membrane Na+, K+/H+ antiporter. The beneficial effect of a lack of Nha1 on the growth vanishes as the pH of the medium approaches neutrality, is not eliminated by the expression of two non-functional Nha1 variants (D145N or D177N), and is exacerbated by a hyperactive Nha1 version (S481A). All our results show that high levels of Ppz1 overactivate Nha1, leading to an excessive entry of H+ and efflux of K+, which is detrimental for growth.

• Keywords
• K+ transport, Nha1, Ppz1 phosphatase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cation homeostasis, intracellular pH,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The maintenance of potassium homeostasis is crucial for all types of cells, including Candida glabrata. Three types of plasma-membrane systems mediating potassium influx with different transport mechanisms have been described in yeasts: the Trk1 uniporter, the Hak cation-proton symporter and the Acu ATPase. The C. glabrata genome contains only one gene encoding putative system for potassium uptake, the Trk1 uniporter. Therefore, its importance in maintaining adequate levels of intracellular potassium appears to be critical for C. glabrata cells. In this study, we first confirmed the potassium-uptake activity of the identified gene's product by heterologous expression in a suitable S. cerevisiae mutant, further we generated a corresponding deletion mutant in C. glabrata and analysed its phenotype in detail. The obtained results show a pleiotropic effect on the cell physiology when CgTRK1 is deleted, affecting not only the ability of trk1Δ to grow at low potassium concentrations, but also the tolerance to toxic alkali-metal cations and cationic drugs, as well as the membrane potential and intracellular pH. Taken together, our results find the sole potassium uptake system in C. glabrata cells to be a promising target in the search for its specific inhibitors and in developing new antifungal drugs.

• MeSH
• Cell Membrane metabolism   MeSH
• Candida glabrata metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Potassium metabolism   MeSH
• Homeostasis physiology   MeSH
• Ion Transport physiology   MeSH
• Cations metabolism   MeSH
• Membrane Potentials physiology   MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal physiology   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Potassium MeSH
• Cations MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins MeSH
• Trk1 protein, Candida albicans MeSH Browser

Production and balance of glycerol is essential for the survival of yeast cells in certain stressful conditions as hyperosmotic or cold shock that occur during industrial processes as winemaking. These stress responses are well-known in S. cerevisiae, however, little is known in other phylogenetically close related Saccharomyces species associated with natural or fermentation environments such as S. uvarum, S. paradoxus or S. kudriavzevii. In this work we have investigated the expression of four genes (GPD1, GPD2, STL1, and FPS1) crucial in the glycerol pool balance in the four species with a biotechnological potential (S. cerevisiae; S. paradoxus; S. uvarum; and S. kudriavzevii), and the ability of strains to grow under osmotic and cold stresses. The results show different pattern and level of expression among the different species, especially for STL1. We also studied the function of Stl1 glycerol symporter in the survival to osmotic changes and cell growth capacity in winemaking environments. These experiments also revealed a different functionality of the glycerol transporters among the different species studied. All these data point to different strategies to handle glycerol accumulation in response to winemaking stresses as hyperosmotic or cold-hyperosmotic stress in the different species, with variable emphasis in the production, influx, or efflux of glycerol.

• Keywords
• Saccharomyces, glycerol, stress, winemaking, yeast,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

We investigated the impact of the deletions of genes from the final steps in the biosynthesis of ergosterol (ERG6, ERG2, ERG3, ERG5, ERG4) on the physiological function of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae plasma membrane by a combination of biological tests and the diS-C3(3) fluorescence assay. Most of the erg mutants were more sensitive than the wild type to salt stress or cationic drugs, their susceptibilities were proportional to the hyperpolarization of their plasma membranes. The different sterol composition of the plasma membrane played an important role in the short-term and long-term processes that accompanied the exposure of erg strains to a hyperosmotic stress (effect on cell size, pH homeostasis and survival of yeasts), as well as in the resistance of cells to antifungal drugs. The pleiotropic drug-sensitive phenotypes of erg strains were, to a large extent, a result of the reduced efficiency of the Pdr5 efflux pump, which was shown to be more sensitive to the sterol content of the plasma membrane than Snq2p. In summary, the erg4Δ and erg6Δ mutants exhibited the most compromised phenotypes. As Erg6p is not involved in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, it may become a target for a new generation of antifungal drugs.

• MeSH
• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Antifungal Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Biosynthetic Pathways genetics   MeSH
• Cell Membrane chemistry   physiology   MeSH
• Ergosterol biosynthesis   chemistry   MeSH
• Fluconazole pharmacology   MeSH
• Microscopy, Fluorescence MeSH
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
• Membrane Potentials physiology   MeSH
• Methyltransferases genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Multiple, Fungal drug effects   genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Molecular Structure MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae chemistry   genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Salt Tolerance genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters MeSH
• Antifungal Agents MeSH
• delta 24-sterol methyltransferase MeSH Browser
• Ergosterol MeSH
• Fluconazole MeSH
• Methyltransferases MeSH
• PDR5 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH
• SNQ2 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser

Membrane proteins are synthesized and folded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and continue their path to their site of residence along the secretory pathway. The COPII system has been identified as a key player for selecting and directing the fate of membrane and secretory cargo proteins. Selection of cargo proteins within the COPII vesicles is achieved by cargo receptors. The cornichon cargo receptor belongs to a conserved protein family found in eukaryotes that has been demonstrated to participate in the selection of integral membrane proteins as cargo for their correct targeting. Here it is demonstrated at the cellular level that rice cornichon OsCNIH1 interacts with OsHKT1;3 and, in yeast cells, enables the expression of the sodium transporter to the Golgi apparatus. Physical and functional HKT-cornichon interactions are confirmed by the mating-based split ubiquitin system, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and Xenopus oocyte and yeast expression systems. The interaction between the two proteins occurs in the ER of plant cells and their co-expression in oocytes leads to the sequestration of the transporter in the ER. In the yeast cornichon mutant erv14, OsHKT1;3 is mistargeted, preventing the toxic effects of sodium transport in the cell observed in wild-type cells or in the erv14 mutant that co-expressed OsHKT1;3 with either OsCNIH1 or Erv14p. Identification and characterization of rice cornichon as a possible cargo receptor opens up the opportunity to improve our knowledge on membrane protein targeting in plant cells.

• Keywords
• Cornichon, Golgi, OsHKT1;3, endoplasmic reticulum, protein–protein interaction.,
• MeSH
• Biological Transport MeSH
• Endoplasmic Reticulum metabolism   MeSH
• Golgi Apparatus metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Interaction Mapping MeSH
• Membrane Transport Proteins genetics   metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Plant Proteins genetics   metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Oryza genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Amino Acid Sequence MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, Protein MeSH
• Sequence Alignment MeSH
• Sodium metabolism   MeSH
• Xenopus MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Membrane Transport Proteins MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins MeSH
• Plant Proteins MeSH
• Sodium MeSH

Three different transport systems exist to accumulate a sufficient amount of potassium cations in yeasts. The most common of these are Trk-type transporters, which are used by all yeast species. Though most yeast species employ two different types of transporters, we only identified one gene encoding a potassium uptake system (Trk-type) in the genome of the highly osmotolerant yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, and our results showed that ZrTrk1 is its major (and probably only) specific potassium uptake system. When expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the product of the ZrTRK1 gene is localized to the plasma membrane and its presence efficiently complements the phenotypes of S. cerevisiae trk1∆ trk2∆ cells. Deletion of the ZrTRK1 gene resulted in Z. rouxii cells being almost incapable of growth at low K(+) concentrations and it changed some cell physiological parameters in a way that differs from S. cerevisiae. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, Z. rouxii cells without the TRK1 gene contained less potassium than the control cells and their plasma membrane was significantly hyperpolarized compared with those of the parental strain when grown in the presence of 100 mM KCl. On the other hand, subsequent potassium starvation led to a substantial depolarization which is again different from S. cerevisiae. Plasma-membrane hyperpolarization did not prevent the efflux of potassium from Z. rouxii trk1Δ cells during potassium starvation, and the activity of ZrPma1 is less affected by the absence of ZrTRK1 than in S. cerevisiae. The use of a newly constructed Z. rouxii-specific plasmid for the expression of pHluorin showed that the intracellular pH of the Z. rouxii wild type and the trk1∆ mutant is not significantly different. Together with the fact that Z. rouxii cells contain a significantly lower amount of intracellular potassium than identically grown S. cerevisiae cells, our results suggest that this highly osmotolerant yeast species maintain its intracellular pH and potassium homeostasis in way(s) partially distinct from S. cerevisiae.

• MeSH
• Adaptation, Biological MeSH
• Biological Transport MeSH
• Cell Membrane physiology   MeSH
• Gene Deletion MeSH
• DNA, Fungal genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Potassium metabolism   MeSH
• Genes, Fungal * MeSH
• Homeostasis MeSH
• Homologous Recombination MeSH
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
• Membrane Potentials MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal * MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Amino Acid Sequence MeSH
• Sequence Homology MeSH
• Sequence Alignment MeSH
• Zygosaccharomyces genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Fungal MeSH
• Potassium MeSH
• Cation Transport Proteins MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH
• TRK1 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser