Fps1p controls the accumulation and release of the compatible solute glycerol in yeast osmoregulation.
Journal article, 1999

The accumulation of compatible solutes, such as glycerol, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a ubiquitous mechanism in cellular osmoregulation. Here, we demonstrate that yeast cells control glycerol accumulation in part via a regulated, Fps1p-mediated export of glycerol. Fps1p is a member of the MIP family of channel proteins most closely related to the bacterial glycerol facilitators. The protein is localized in the plasma membrane. The physiological role of Fps1p appears to be glycerol export rather than uptake. Fps1 delta mutants are sensitive to hypo-osmotic shock, demonstrating that osmolyte export is required for recovery from a sudden drop in external osmolarity. In wild-type cells, the glycerol transport rate is decreased by hyperosmotic shock and increased by hypo-osmotic shock on a subminute time scale. This regulation seems to be independent of the known yeast osmosensing HOG and PKC signalling pathways. Mutants lacking the unique hydrophilic N-terminal domain of Fps1p, or certain parts thereof, fail to reduce the glycerol transport rate after a hyperosmotic shock. Yeast cells carrying these constructs constitutively release glycerol and show a dominant hyperosmosensitivity, but compensate for glycerol loss after prolonged incubation by glycerol overproduction. Fps1p may be an example of a more widespread class of regulators of osmoadaptation, which control the cellular content and release of compatible solutes.

Water-Electrolyte Balance

Gene Deletion

pharmacology

genetics

Osmolar Concentration

Fungal

Signal Transduction

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins

genetics

Fungal Proteins

Membrane Proteins

metabolism

Gene Expression Regulation

Glycerol

Hypertonic Solutions

growth & development

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

metabolism

metabolism

metabolism

Biological Transport

genetics

Author

Markus J. Tamás

University of Gothenburg

K Luyten

F C Sutherland

A Hernandez

J Albertyn

H Valadi

University of Gothenburg

H Li

B A Prior

S G Kilian

J Ramos

L Gustafsson

University of Gothenburg

J M Thevelein

Stefan Hohmann

University of Gothenburg

Molecular Microbiology

0950-382X (ISSN) 1365-2958 (eISSN)

Vol. 31 4 1087-104

Subject Categories

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PubMed

10096077

More information

Created

10/10/2017