Basic cellular biology using high-temperature resistant yeasts

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14726
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kimata Yukio 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 准教授 (60263448)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 小胞体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Yeast cells are highly valuable model organisms for studying the molecular biological aspects of phenomena commonly found in eukaryotic species. By using two species of yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast) and Kluyveromyces sp. (thermotolerant yeast), here I approached physiological conditions in which the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response is evoked. For instance, the ER stress response is triggered upon diauxic shift, in which yeast cells changes their energy generation system from fermentation to mitochondrial respiration. Moreover, Ire1, which is the ER stress response initiating protein that is located on the ER membrane, is regulated not only by ER accumulation of unfolded proteins but also by reduction of cytosolic ATP/ADP ratio. This finding strongly suggests that the ER stress response is controlled alongside overall vividness of cells.

Free Research Field

微生物科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小胞体ストレス応答は真核生物共有の生命現象であり、例えばヒトでは糖尿病を含む様々な疾患に関わり、また、酵母では組換えタンパク質の分泌生産時に惹起され、その生産効率にポジティブあるいはネガティブに作用することが分かっている。複数の種類の酵母において、小胞体ストレス応答がどのような局面で惹起されるかのかにアプローチした本研究は、小胞体ストレス応答の生理学的役割の理解を深め、その臨床あるいは産業上の意義を見いだすことにも貢献することができたと考えている。