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.

• Klíčová slova
• NPR/Hal family, Nha1, Pma1 activity, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, acetic acid tolerance, plasma membrane H+-ATPase, yeast kinases,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Potassium is an essential intracellular ion, and a sufficient intracellular concentration of it is crucial for many processes; therefore it is fundamental for cells to precisely regulate K+ uptake and efflux through the plasma membrane. The uniporter Trk1 is a key player in K+ acquisition in yeasts. The TRK1 gene is expressed at a low and stable level; thus the activity of the transporter needs to be regulated at a posttranslational level. S. cerevisiae Trk1 changes its activity and affinity for potassium ion quickly and according to both internal and external concentrations of K+, as well as the membrane potential. The molecular basis of these changes has not been elucidated, though phosphorylation is thought to play an important role. In this study, we examined the role of the second, short, and highly conserved intracellular hydrophilic loop of Trk1 (IL2), and identified two phosphorylable residues (Ser882 and Thr900) as very important for 1) the structure of the loop and consequently for the targeting of Trk1 to the plasma membrane, and 2) the upregulation of the transporter's activity reaching maximal affinity under low external K+ conditions. Moreover, we identified three residues (Thr155, Ser414, and Thr900) within the Trk1 protein as strong candidates for interaction with 14-3-3 regulatory proteins, and showed, in an in vitro experiment, that phosphorylated Thr900 of the IL2 indeed binds to both isoforms of yeast 14-3-3 proteins, Bmh1 and Bmh2.

• Klíčová slova
• 14–3–3 proteins, Phosphorylation, Potassium ion uptake, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trk1,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

In baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Trk1, a member of the superfamily of K-transporters (SKT), is the main K+ uptake system under conditions when its concentration in the environment is low. Structurally, Trk1 is made up of four domains, each similar and homologous to a K-channel α subunit. Because most K-channels are proteins containing four channel-building α subunits, Trk1 could be functional as a monomer. However, related SKT proteins TrkH and KtrB were crystallised as dimers, and for Trk1, a tetrameric arrangement has been proposed based on molecular modelling. Here, based on Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation experiments and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy combined with molecular modelling; we provide evidence that Trk1 can exist in the yeast plasma membrane as a monomer as well as a dimer. The association of monomers to dimers is regulated by the K+ concentration.

• Klíčová slova
• K+ translocation, MD simulation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, dimerisation, molecular modelling,
• MeSH
• biologický transport MeSH
• buněčná membrána metabolismus   MeSH
• draslík metabolismus   MeSH
• fungální proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolismus   MeSH
• translokace genetická MeSH
• transportní proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• draslík MeSH
• fungální proteiny MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty * MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny * MeSH
• transportní proteiny MeSH
• TRK1 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Prohlížeč

Yeasts need a high intracellular concentration of potassium to grow. The main K+ uptake system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the Trk1 transporter, a complex protein with four MPM helical membrane motifs. Trk1 has been shown to exist in low- or high-affinity modes, which reflect the availability of potassium in the environment. However, when and how the affinity changes, and whether the potassium availability is the only signal for the affinity switch, remains unknown. Here, we characterize the Trk1 kinetic parameters under various conditions and find that Trk1's KT and Vmax change gradually. This gliding adjustment is rapid and precisely reflects the changes in the intracellular potassium content and membrane potential. A detailed characterization of the specific mutations in the P-helices of the MPM segments reveals that the presence of proline in the P-helix of the second and third MPM domain (F820P and L949P) does not affect the function of Trk1 in general, but rather specifically prevents the transporter's transition to a high-affinity state. The analogous mutations in the two remaining MPM domains (L81P and L1115P) result in a mislocalized and inactive protein, highlighting the importance of the first and fourth P-helices in proper Trk1 folding and activity at the plasma membrane.

• Klíčová slova
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cation homeostasis, membrane potential, potassium uptake,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The absence of high-affinity potassium uptake in Candida glabrata, the consequence of the deletion of the TRK1 gene encoding the sole potassium-specific transporter, has a pleiotropic effect. Here, we show that in addition to changes in basic physiological parameters (e.g., membrane potential and intracellular pH) and decreased tolerance to various cell stresses, the loss of high affinity potassium uptake also alters cell-surface properties, such as an increased hydrophobicity and adherence capacity. The loss of an efficient potassium uptake system results in diminished virulence as assessed by two insect host models, Drosophila melanogaster and Galleria mellonella, and experiments with macrophages. Macrophages kill trk1Δ cells more effectively than wild type cells. Consistently, macrophages accrue less damage when co-cultured with trk1Δ mutant cells compared to wild-type cells. We further show that low levels of potassium in the environment increase the adherence of C. glabrata cells to polystyrene and the propensity of C. glabrata cells to form biofilms.

• MeSH
• biofilmy růst a vývoj   MeSH
• buněčná adheze fyziologie   MeSH
• buněčná membrána metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• Candida glabrata genetika   metabolismus   patogenita   MeSH
• draslík metabolismus   MeSH
• draslíko-vodíkové antiportéry genetika   MeSH
• Drosophila melanogaster mikrobiologie   MeSH
• hydrofobní a hydrofilní interakce MeSH
• iontový transport MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• makrofágy imunologie   MeSH
• membránové potenciály fyziologie   MeSH
• můry mikrobiologie   MeSH
• povrchové vlastnosti MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty genetika   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u hub genetika   MeSH
• THP-1 buňky MeSH
• virulence genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• draslík MeSH
• draslíko-vodíkové antiportéry MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty MeSH
• Trk1 protein, Candida albicans MeSH Prohlížeč

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
• buněčná membrána metabolismus   MeSH
• Candida glabrata metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• draslík metabolismus   MeSH
• homeostáza fyziologie   MeSH
• iontový transport fyziologie   MeSH
• kationty metabolismus   MeSH
• membránové potenciály fyziologie   MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty metabolismus   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u hub fyziologie   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• draslík MeSH
• kationty MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty MeSH
• Trk1 protein, Candida albicans MeSH Prohlížeč

Recently we introduced a fluorescent probe technique that makes possible to convert changes of equilibrium fluorescence spectra of 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine, diS-C3(3), measured in yeast cell suspensions under defined conditions into underlying membrane potential differences, scaled in millivolts (Plasek et al. in J Bioenerg Biomembr 44: 559-569, 2012). The results presented in this paper disclose measurements of real early changes of plasma membrane potential induced by the increase of extracellular K(+), Na(+) and H(+) concentration in S. cerevisiae with and without added glucose as energy source. Whereas the wild type and the ∆tok1 mutant cells exhibited similar depolarization curves, mutant cells lacking the two Trk1,2 potassium transporters revealed a significantly decreased membrane depolarization by K(+), particularly at lower extracellular potassium concentration [K(+)]out. In the absence of external energy source plasma membrane depolarization by K(+) was almost linear. In the presence of glucose the depolarization curves exhibited an exponential character with increasing [K(+)]out. The plasma membrane depolarization by Na(+) was independent from the presence of Trk1,2 transporters. Contrary to K(+), Na(+) depolarized the plasma membrane stronger in the presence of glucose than in its absence. The pH induced depolarization exhibited a fairly linear relationship between the membrane potential and the pHo of cell suspensions, both in the wild type and the Δtrk1,2 mutant strains, when cells were energized by glucose. In the absence of glucose the depolarization curves showed a biphasic character with enhanced depolarization at lower pHo values.

• MeSH
• buněčná membrána metabolismus   MeSH
• draslík metabolismus   MeSH
• fluorescenční barviva chemie   MeSH
• fluorometrie MeSH
• kationty jednomocné metabolismus   MeSH
• koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
• membránové potenciály účinky léků   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• sodík metabolismus   MeSH
• vodík metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• draslík MeSH
• fluorescenční barviva MeSH
• kationty jednomocné MeSH
• sodík MeSH
• vodík 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
• biologická adaptace MeSH
• biologický transport MeSH
• buněčná membrána fyziologie   MeSH
• delece genu MeSH
• DNA fungální genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• draslík metabolismus   MeSH
• geny hub * MeSH
• homeostáza MeSH
• homologní rekombinace MeSH
• koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
• membránové potenciály MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u hub * MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• sekvenční homologie MeSH
• sekvenční seřazení MeSH
• Zygosaccharomyces genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA fungální MeSH
• draslík MeSH
• proteiny přenášející kationty MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny MeSH
• TRK1 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Prohlížeč