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The ubiquitin-proteasome system is involved in the control of all essential molecular processes under normal conditions and the response of cells to stress. Rpn4p serves as a key transcriptional regulator of the proteasome in Saccharomycetes yeast and is also involved in the cellular response to various stresses. In addition to proteasomal genes, Rpn4 affects the expression of several hundred other genes, including genes involved in DNA repair and oxidative stress response. At the same time, the molecular mechanisms used by Rpn4 in controlling target genes and its functioning as a regulator of the cellular response to stress remain largely unclear. The aim of this work was to determine the Rpn4 domains required to ensure cell resistance to stress. It was shown that the N-terminal and central regions of the protein contain sites required for resistance to all types of stresses. The putative nuclear localization signal does not affect the functioning of Rpn4. Unexpectedly, a protein with the deletion of both zinc finger motifs that form the DNA-binding domain provides yeast resistance to oxidative stress and cycloheximide. Moreover, we showed that Rpn4 can be recruited to the promoter regions of the regulated genes even if they do not contain its binding sites. Based on these data, it can be assumed that Rpn4 is involved in gene regulation and the cellular response to stress due to protein-protein interactions.

Mitochondria of many living species internalize nuclear DNA-encoded ribonucleic acids. The pools of imported RNA molecules, as well as fine mechanisms of these processes, are highly species-specific. To date, baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are the best studied in this regard. Moreover, the processes of yeast RNA mitochondrial import have been the basis of modeling several gene therapy strategies aimed to palliate negative effects of pathogenic mutations in human mitochondrial DNA. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge about the molecular events taking place in course of yeast RNA import into mitochondria. Also, we describe how this process can be used for compensation of pathogenic mutations in mitochondrial genomes of humans.

This review summarizes the main achievements of recent years in molecular organization research of yeast cell surface, i.e., the compartment that consists of the coordinately functioning plasma membrane, periplasmic space, and cell wall. There are data on vesicular transport to the external environment through the cell wall and the formation of channels in the wall, which indicate the possibility of dynamic rearrangements of the molecular structure of the yeast cell wall. There is an idea about the mosaic arrangement of the compartments of the plasma membrane. The hypothesis has been suggested on the heterogeneity of the molecular structure of the cell wall, which is usually considered as uniform except for the budding zones. The groups of proteins that form the molecular assembly of the yeast cell surface have been described. Special attention has been paid for proteins with amyloid properties, including Bgl2p glucanosyltransglycosylase, which is important for virulence in pathogenic yeast, and Gas1p, the first of the studied proteins of the cell surface, which is involved in the regulation of ribosomal DNA transcriptional silencing. The data on the structure of receptors localized on the cell surface and the "moonlight" proteins, involved in the cell stress response of yeasts, have been given.

Expression of Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteasomal genes is regulated in a coordinated manner by a system that includes the ScRpn4 transcription factor and its binding site known as PACE. Earlier we showed that, Rpn4-like proteins from the biotechnologically important yeast species Komagataella pfaffii (Pichia pastoris), Yarrowia lipolytica, and Debaryomyces hansenii are capable of complementing the RPN4 deletion in S. cerevisiae in spite of their low structural similarity to ScRpn4. The opportunistic yeast pathogen Candida glabrata has a gene coding for a Rpn4-like protein, which has not been characterized experimentally yet. The С. glabrata ortholog ScRpn4 was expressed heterologously and found to restore the stress resistance and expression of proteasomal genes in a mutant S. cerevisiae strain with a RPN4 deletion. This complementation required the unique N-terminal region of CgRpn4. The results indicate that CgRpn4 acts as a transcriptional activator of proteasomal genes. The S. cerevisiae model can be used for further structural and functional analyses of CgRpn4.

The interaction of [PSI^(+)] and [PIN^(+)] factors in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is known as the first evidence of prions networks. In [PIN^(+)] cells, Rnq1p prion aggregates work as a template for Sup35p aggregation, which is essential for [PSI^(+)] induction. No additional factors are required for subsequent Sup35p aggregation. Nevertheless, several recent reports provide data that indicate a more complex interplay between these prions. Our results show that the presence of Rnq1p in the cell significantly decreases the loss of [PSI^(+)] prion, which is caused by a double mutation in SUP35 (Q61K, Q62K substitutions in the Sup35 protein). These observations support the existence of interaction networks that converge on a strong linkage of prionogenic and prion-like proteins, and the participation of Rnq1 protein in the maintenance of prion [PSI^(+)].

Chromatin remodulators are special multiprotein machines capable of transforming the structure, constitution, and positioning of nucleosomes on DNA. Biochemical activities of remodeling complexes CHD1 and ISWI from the SWI2/SNF2 family are well established. They ensure correct positioning of nucleosomes along the genome, which is probably critical for genome stability, in particular, after action of polymerases, repair enzymes, and transcription. In this paper, we show that single mutations in genes ISW1, ISW2, and CHD1 weakly affect repair and mutagenic processes in yeast cells. At the same time, there are differences in the effect of these mutations on spontaneous mutation levels, which indicates certain specificity of action of protein complexes ISW1, ISW2, and CHD1 on expression of different genes that control repair and mutation processes in yeast.

The review deals with natural diversity of sherry (“flor”) Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts. Various properties of these yeasts are analyzed: life cycles, fermentation of sugars, sensitivity to methyl violet and killer toxins, and resistance to ethanol and sulfite. Special attention is paid to molecular identification and differentiation of sherry yeasts. The history of their nomenclature is considered, including the names of possible subpopulations: “aceti,” “beticus” (“cheresienses”), “cordubensis,” “gaditensis,” “hispanica” (“prostoserdovii”), and “oxidans.”

Yeast hybrid systems have been widely used due to their convenience and low cost. Based on these systems, many methods have been developed to analyze protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-RNA interactions. In this paper, we are reviewing these different yeast hybrid systems. According to the number of hybrid proteins, yeast hybrid systems can be divided into three categories, yeast one-hybrid, yeast two-hybrid and yeast three-hybrid systems. Alternatively, yeast hybrid systems can be categorized according to the subcellular localization of the protein interaction process in the cell into nuclear protein-protein interactions, cytosol protein-protein interactions and membrane protein-protein interactions. Throughout the review, we focus on the progress and limitations of each yeast hybrid system over the recent years.

Translation termination is an important step in gene expression. Its correct processing is governed by eRF1 (Sup45) and eRF3 (Sup35) proteins. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutations in the corresponding genes, as well as Sup35 aggregation in [PSI^(+)] cells that propagate the prion form of Sup35 lead to inaccurate stop codon recognition and, consequently, nonsense suppression. The presence of stronger prion variants results in the more efficient suppression of nonsense mutations. Previously, we proposed a synthetic lethality test that enables the identification of genes that may influence either translation termination factors or [PSI^(+)] manifestation. This is based on the fact that the combination of sup45 mutations with the strong [PSI^(+)] prion variant in diploids is lethal. In this work, a set of genes that were previously shown to enhance nonsense suppression was analyzed. It was found that ABF1, FKH2, and REB1 overexpression decreased the growth of strains in a prion-dependent manner and, thus, might influence [PSI^(+)] prion toxicity. It was also shown that the synthetic lethality of [PSI^(+)] and sup45 mutations increased with the overexpression of GLN3 and MOT3 that encode Q/N-rich transcription factors. An analysis of the effects of their expression on the transcription of the release factors genes revealed an increase in SUP35 transcription in both cases. Since SUP35 overexpression is known to be toxic in [PSI^(+)] strains, these genes apparently enhance [PSI^(+)] toxicity via the regulation of SUP35 transcription.

In this work, the impact of space weather on the staining and the motility of volutin granules ("dancing bodies") in vacuoles of yeast Saccharoniyces cerevisiae with normal and changed phosphoric metabolism was studied. It was showed that the installed ear- lier relation between metachromatic reaction of volutin granules and galactic cosmic rays was confirmed by DAPI-staining of inorganic polyphosphates in cells S. cerevisiae UCM Y-517. The inverse correlation of efficiency of DAPI-staining of volutin granules with some solar activity indexes was observed. During the period of study, the rhythmicity of motile volutin granules in the studied cultures (S. cerevisiae UCM Y-517, S. cerevisiae CRY, S. cerevisiae CNX) was marked. The strains S. cerevisiae UCM Y-517 and CRY, both with unmodified phosphoric metabolism, showed the same rhythmicity of mobile volutin granules. However, this rhythmicity in the strain CNX, which cannot synthesize exopolyphosphatases PPX1 and PPN1 (CF 3.6.1.11), was changed. The volutin granule motion coincided with the rhythmicity of galactic cosmic rays within the period of 9 days. It can be suggested that "dancing bodies" are synchronized with rhythms of galactic cosmic rays. Observed differences between mutant and parental strains may indirectly indicate participation of polyphosphates in the reaction of cells on the changes of space weather pa- rameters. Thus, correlating variability of staining and motion of polyphosphate-containing volutin granules under action of cosmophysical factors may be an evidence of possible key role of phosphoric metabolism in sensitivity of yeast cells to space weather changes.

In the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts, the DOT1 gene product provides methylation of lysine 79 (K79) of hi- stone H3 and the SET2 gene product provides the methylation of lysine 36 (K36) of the same histone. We determined that the dot1 and set2 mutants suppress the UV-induced mutagenesis to an equally high degree. The dot1 mutation demonstrated statistically higher sensitivity to the low doses of MMC than the wild type strain. The analysis of the interaction between the dot1 and rad52 mutations revealed a considerable level of spontaneous cell death in the double dot1 rad52 mutant. We observed strong suppression of the gamma-in- duced mutagenesis in the set2 mutant. We determined that the dot1 and set2 mutations decrease the sponta- neous mutagenesis rate in both single and d ouble mutants. The epistatic interaction between the dot1 and set2 mutations and almost similar sensitivity of the corresponding mutants to the different types of DNA damage allow one to conclude that both genes are involved in the control of the same DNA repair pathways, the ho- mologous-recombination-based and the postreplicative DNA repair.

The subject of investigation are the peculiarities of yeast metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae M-5 strain in the alcoholic fermentation of molasses wort of increased concentration of dry substances in terms of periodic and continuous fermentation. For periodic alcohol fermentation of wort concentrate having 27 % dry substance content it was established, that 60g /dm³ is the optimal value for inoculate yeast. This results in the maximal accumulation of ethanol in the mature mash (11.5 vol. %), in the deep assimilation of carbohydrates and by the generation of fewer amount of glycerin. By industrial uninterrupted-mode investigations the increase in activity of starting enzymes of glycolysis and strengthening in the capacity of recirculated yeast have been demonstrated. For the first time we show, that this is a consequence of adaptation of yeast to the cultural medium as a result of long-term stay of yeast in it. The increase of the inflow speed of molasses wort into the main fermenter of the battery from 0.43 to 0.57 h⁻¹ improves physiological parameters of recirculated yeast. Also, this reduces the accumulation of secondary products of fermentation (ethers, aldehydes, higher alcohols, glycerin). At the same time, this approach allows to increase the yield of alcohol from the saccharose by 1.84 % and to enhance the productivity with respect to ethanol from 2.3 to 3.8 g/dm³ ×h.

Synchronization of cell division in cultures of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used in research on the regulation of gene expression and biochemical processes in eukaryotes at different stages of the cell cycle. Here, we compare the efficiency of modern most commonly used methods to achieve and assess the degree of synchronization of cell division in yeast. Block-and-release methods with alpha-factor, hydroxyurea, nocodazole, cdc28-4 mutation are described in detail with practical notes.

A new method of controlling lactic acid bacteria contamination was developed with the use of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains producing antibacterial peptides. Genes encoding the antibacterial peptides pediocin and plantaricin with codons preferable for S. cerevisiae were synthesized, and a system was constructed for their secretory expression. Recombinant S. cerevisiae strains producing antibacterial peptides effectively inhibit the growth of Lactobacillus sakei, Pediacoccus pentasaceus, Pediacoccus acidilactici, etc. The application of distiller yeasts producing antibacterial peptides enhances the ethanol yield in cases of bacterial contamination. Recombinant yeasts producing the antibacterial peptides pediocin and plantaricin can successfully substitute the available industrial yeast strains upon ethanol production.

It has been shown that dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands, bound with modified bovine serum albumin with high amount of thiol groups, appeared in baker yeast or in animal tissues in the presence of exogenous or endogenous nitric oxide, respectively, are represented predominantly by EPR-silent binuclear form. This form can be transformed into EPR-active mononuclear form of dinitrosyl iron complexes with an increase in pH to basic values, into EPR-active form of mononuclear iron nitrosyl complexes in case of bielectronic recovery of the binuclear form of dinitrosyl iron complexes or under the action of dithiocarbamate derivatives. The latter induced the transformation of dinitrosyl iron complexes into EPR-active mononitrosyl iron complexes with dithiocarbamates. A significant amount of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands in living systems and identical biological activity of these complexes and endogenous nitric oxide systems allow of considering endogenous binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes as a "working form" of endogenous nitric oxide recognized now as a universal regulator of biological processes.

The paper presents new experimental results demonstrating the recovery of irradiated cells on a nutrient medium, which usually occurs at a delay of cell division. Using the previously proposed method, the contribution of such a recovery in radiation sensitivity of diploid yeast cells of different strains after exposure to ionizing and ultraviolet radiation has been estimated. It is shown that the actual increase in cell radiosensitivity significantly exceeds the expected one in the case of inhibition of the recovery from potentially lethal damage. These data indicate that inhibition of cell ability to recover from potentially lethal radiation damage by exposing the irradiated cells in non-nutritive medium in many cases serve as an indicator of suppression of the overall ability of cells to repair. Experimental data indicating that it is not a universal rule are presented.

Expression of the genes encoding the enzymes involved in inulin, sucrose, and glucose metabolism in the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus was studied. The exon-intron structure of the relevant genes was identified and the primers for quantitative PCR were optimized. Expression of the genes was found to depend on the carbon source. Glucose was shown to exhibit a repressive effect on inulinase synthesis by K. marxianus, while in S. cerevisiae glucose and sucrose were inulinase inducer and repressor, respectively.

The stability of mRNA and its translation efficacy in higher eukaryotes are influenced by the interaction of 3'-untranscribed regions (3'-UTRs) with microRNAs and RNA-binding proteins. Since Saccharomyces cerevisiae lack microRNAs, it is possible to evaluate the contribution of only 3'-UTRs' and RNA-binding proteins' interaction in post-transcriptional regulation. For this, the post-transcriptional regulation of Drosophila limk1 gene encoding for the key enzyme of actin remodeling was studied in yeast. Analysis of limkl mRNA 3'-UTRs revealed the potential sites of yeast transcriptional termination. Computer remodeling demonstrated the possibility of secondary structure formation in limkl mRNA 3'-UTRs. For an evaluation of the functional activity of Drosophila 3'-UTRs in yeast, the reporter gene PHO5 encoding for yeast acid phosphatase (AP) fused to different variants of Drosophila limk1 mRNA 3'-UTRs (513, 1075, 1554 bp) was used. Assessments of AP activity and RT-PCR demonstrated that Drosophila limkl gene 3'-UTRs were functionally active and recognized in yeast. Therefore, yeast might be used as an appropriate model system for studies of 3'-UTR's role in post-transcriptional regulation.

The differential microcalorimetry was used to explore an influence of particles of silicon dioxide, and also other high-dispersed oxides (0.05% of masses.) in water suspension of yeast cells on intensification of the process of their fermentation in endogenous metabolic conditions. It was shown that intensification of the processes of the vital activity of yeast microorganisms was observed in the specified interval of the concentration of silicon dioxide hydrosol particles. Mechanisms of interaction between SiO2 particles and a surface of a cellular organism, as well as interaction between SiO2 particles and one of metabolism products--carbon dioxide were studied. It was found out, that Al2O3, TiO2 hydrosols also had a stimulating effect, but it is lower compared to that of SiO2.

The elevation of Hsp104 (heat shock protein) content under heat shock plays a key role in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cells. Hsp104 synthesis is increased under heat stress in the stationary growth phase. As shown, the loss of mitochondrial DNA (petite mutation) inhibited the induction of the Hsp104 synthesis under heat stress (39 degrees C) during the transition to the stationary growth phase. Also, the petite mutation suppressed the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the same phase, which led to lower thermotolerance. At the same time, the mutation inhibited production of the reactive oxygen species and prevented cell death under heat shock in the logarithmic growth phase. The results of this study suggest that disruption of the mitochondrial functional state suppresses the expression level of yeast nuclear genes upon transitioning to the stationary growth phase.

[PSI+] prion is an amyloid isoform of a release factor Sup35p (eRF3). The structure of these protein aggregates remains unclear despite a long term history of prion amyloids investigations. The N-terminal domain of Sup35p (which is responsible for a propagation of prion) shapes superpleated beta-structure, according to modern concepts. Recently we constructed five double mutations within SUP35 sequence encoding the N-terminal prion-forming domain and investigated properties of mutant proteins. Mutations sup35-M1 (YQ46-47KK) and sup35-M2 (QQ61-62KK) lead to [PSI+] prion loss, while other mutant alleles (sup35-M3 QQ70-71KK; sup35-M4 QQ80-81KK; sup35-M5 QQ89-90KK) maintained prion. For the detail analysis of effects of mutant alleles on Sup35p aggregation we characterized propagation and properties of [PSI] prion in yeast strains bearing different mutant allele combinations. The data obtained have refined a supposed organization of beta-sheets forming by different regions of Sup35p prion-forming domain within amyloid. Also we obtained evidences that mutant sup35-M2 and sup35-M4 alleles change structure of prion aggregates. The prion destabilization by these mutations possibly is connected with decrease of heteroaggregate fragmentation by chaperones.

It has been experimentally established that cultivation of yeast cells in depleted, dietary or normal nutrient aqueous solutions enriched with ortho-H2O spin isomers is accompanied by an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the cells and an increase in their biomass. It has been revealed that the rate of metabolic processes and biological activity depends on the quality of nutrition and enhances in time in both nutrient solutions. In contrast, the reproductive function and the rate of cell division are insusceptible to the components of nutrition, but intensified in a solution enriched with ortho-H2O similar to retardation of aging. The observed effects are discussed in assumption that an increase of a portion of ortho-H2O molecules occurs in the neighborhood of water channels in the cell membrane that let through only monomers of H2O and determine the rate of metabolic processes.

Five mutant forms of glucoamylase (GA) from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus awamori with artificial disulfide bonds (4D-G137A\A14C, 6D-A14C\Y419C\G137A, 10D-V13C\G396C, 11D-V13C\G396C\A14C\Y419C\G137A, and 20D-G137A\A246C\A14C) were constructed using computer simulation and experimentally tested for thermostability. The introduction of two additional disulfide bonds between its first and thirteenth alpha-helices and that of the loop located close to a catalytic residue--E400--made it possible to assess the effects of disulfide bridges on protein thermostability. The mutant proteins with combined amino acid substitutions G137A\A14C, V13C\G396C\A14C\Y419C\G137A, and G137A\A246C\A14C showed higher thermal stability as compared to the wild-type protein. At the same time, new disulfide bridges in the mutant A14C\Y419C\G137A and V13C\G396C proteins led to the destabilization of their structure and the loss of thermal stability.

The functions of the evolutionary conservative complex NAC (Nascent polypepetide Associated Complex) and its subunits are discussed. The heterodimeric NAC protein contains alpha- and beta-subunits and is found to be reversibly bounded to the ribosome in all eukaryotes, from yeast to humans. NAC contacts the nascent polypeptide and protects it from proteolysis. NAC participates in polypeptide chain folding and modulates protein secretion and transmembrane protein formation. Mutations and deletions of genes, encoding NAC subunits are lethal in early development of multicellular eukaryotes. NAC is involved in the ribosome biogenesis. The beta-subunit interacts with caspase-3 and may be involved in the regulation of the apoptotic pathway. The variants of NAC proteins can be considered as chaperone complexes, involved in the response of the cell and the organism to stress factors, as well as regulators of apoptosis. The genes encoding beta-subunits are rapidly evolved, their duplications cause the formation of tissue specific beta-subunit variants with a different number of putative caspase cleavage sites. The homodimer of alpha-subunits is shown to be the RNA/DNA binding protein and acts as a transcriptional cofactor. The diversity in the functioning of NAC is a prime example of a protein that performs a variety of biological functions (moonlighting protein).

Medical and biological aspects of the effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic (EM) fields and radiation on human health are the important issues that have arisen as a result of anthropogenic impact on the biosphere. Safe use of man-made sources of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and radiation in a broad range of frequencies--static, radio-frequency and microwave--is a subject of discussions and speculations. The main problem is the lack of understanding of the mechanism(s) of reception of EMFs by living organisms. In this review we have analyzed the existing literature data regarding the effects of the electromagnetic radiation on the model eukaryotic organism--yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. An attempt was made to estimate the probability of induction of carcinogenesis in humans under the influence of magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation of extremely low frequency, radio frequency and microwave ranges.

Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) is an alkylating agent commonly used in models of genotoxic stress. It methylates bases in DNA but also leads to oxidative stress. The transcription factor Rpn4 protects yeast cells from toxic effect of MMS. Although Rpn4 is a major regulator of ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), a number of data points to its participation in the stress response regardless of the UPS. We have demonstrated that under the methyl methanesulfonate stress Rpn4 promotes the regulation of several genes involved in DNA repair, antioxidant response and glucose metabolism. We suggest a mechanism of complex action of Rpn4 in the stress response.

Vectors for the expression of the CefT transporter of the MFS family in Acremonium chrysogenum--a producer of beta-lactam antibiotic cephalosporin C--and in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a fusion with the cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) have been created. The subcellular localization of the CefT-CFP hybrid protein in yeast cells has been investigated. It was shown that the CefT-CFP hybrid protein is capable of complementation of the qdr3, tpo 1, and tpo3 genes encoding for orthologous MFS transporters of Saccharomycetes, making the corresponding strains resistant to spermidine, ethidium bromide, and hygromycin B. High-yield strain VKM F-4081D of A. chrysogenum, expressing the cefT-cfp fusion, was obtained by an agrobacteria conjugated transfer. It was also shown that the constitutive expression of cefT in A. chrysogenum VKM F-4081D led to a change in the biosynthetic profiles of cephalosporin C and its precursors. This resulted in a 25-35% decrease in the finite product accumulated in the cultural liquid with a simultaneous increase in the concentration of its intermediators.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are a family of enzymes essential for the progression of the cells through the cell cycle in eukaryotes. Moreover, genetic stability-maintaining processes, such as checkpoint control and DNA repair, require the phosphorylation of a wide variety of target substrates by CDK. In budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the key role in the cell cycle progression is played by CDK1/CDC28 kinase. This enzyme is the most thoroughly investigated. In this review the involvement of CDC28 kinase in regulation of the cell cycle is discussed in the light of newly obtained data.

There is a great variety of chemical elements with magnetic and nonmagnetic isotopes in living cells. The question arises as to whether living cells can perceive the difference between magnetic and non-magnetic isotopes of chemical elements. It has been shown that bacteria Escherichia coli, which were previously enriched with the magnetic isotope of magnesium, 25Mg, essentially faster adapt to the new growth media in comparison with the cells, which were enriched with the nonmagnetic isotopes, 24Mg or 26Mg. In the experiments with another commonly accepted cell model, yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it has been shown that the magnetic 25Mg, in comparison with the nonmagnetic 24Mg, essentially better stimulates recovery of the cells after short wave UV irradiation. Thus, for the first time, the magnetic isotope effects in vivo have been discovered. These findings reveal the novel, based on the stable magnetic isotopes, ways of control over efficiency and reliability of biological systems.

Eukaryotic cells possess special mechanism of the degradation of mRNAs containing premature termination codons (PTCs)--nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway. In yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the activity of this pathway depends on the recognition of the PTC by the translational machinery and interaction of translation termination factors eRF1 and eRF3 with Upf1, Upf2 and Upf3 proteins. Previously we have shown that decreasing of eRF1 amount causes an impairment of NMD. Here we show that deletion of either UPF1 or UPF2 increased viability of sup45 mutants, while effect of UPF3 deletion is allele-specific. Two-hybrid data have shown that aa 1-555 of eRF1 participate in interaction with Upf1. Deletion of each UPF gene leads to allosuppresson of ade1-14 mutation without changing eRF1 amount. Depletion of Upf1 does not influence synthetic lethality of sup45 and prion [PSI+]. It is possible that the absence of Upf1 (or its activator Upf2) leads to more effective formation of the translation termination complex and, consequently, increased viability of cells containing mutant termination factors.

In eukaryotes, damage tolerance of matrix DNA is mainly determined by the repair pathway under the control of the RAD6 epistatic group of genes. T this pathway is also a main source of mutations generated by mutagenic factors. The results of our recent studies show that gene HSM3 participating in the control of adaptive mutagenesis increases the frequency of mutations induced by different mutagens. Mutations rad18, rev3, and mms2 controlling various stages of the RAD6 pathway are epistatic with mutation hsm3 that decreases UV-induced mutagenesis to the level typical for single radiation-sensitive mutants. The level of mutagenesis in the double mutant srs2 hsm3 was lower than in both single mutants. Note that a decrease in the level of mutagenesis relative to the single mutant srs2 depends on the mismatch repair, since this level in the triple mutant srs2 hsm3 pms 1 corresponds to that in the single mutant srs2. These data show that the mutator phenotype hsm3 is probably determined by processes occurring in a D loop. In a number of current works, the protein Hsm3 was shown to participate in the assembly of the proteasome complex S26. The assembly of proteasomes is governed by the N-terminal domain. Our results demonstrated that the Hsm3 protein contains at least two domains; the N-terminal part of the domain is responsible for the proteasome assembly, whereas the C-terminal portion of the protein is responsible for mutagenesis.

Peroxisomes contain oxidases generating hydrogen peroxide, and catalase degrading this toxic compound. Another characteristic function of each eukaryotic peroxisome, from yeast to man, is fatty acid beta-oxidation. However, in peroxisomes a variety of other metabolic pathways are located. In fungi, peroxisomes contain enzymes involved in catabolism of unusual carbon and nitrogen sources (methanol, purines, D-amino acids, pipecolynic acid, sarcosine, glycolate, spermidine etc) as well as biosynthesis of lysine in yeasts and penicillin in mycelial fungi. Impairment of peroxisomal structure and functions causes many human disorders. The similar defects have been identified in yeast mutants defective in peroxisomal biogenesis. Peroxisomal biogenesis is actively studied during last two decades using uni- and multicellular model systems. It was observed that many aspects of peroxisomal biogenesis and proteins involved in this process display striking similarity between all eukaryotes, from yeasts to humans. Yeast is a convenient model system for this kind of research. Current review summarizes data on molecular events of peroxisomal biogenesis, functions of peroxine proteins, import of peroxisomal matrix and membrane proteins and on mechanisms of peroxisomedivision and inheritance.

Several neurodegenerative diseases (so-called age-related diseases) in humans are associated with development of protein aggregates--amyloids. Prion diseases--kuru, Kreutzfeldt-Jakob and Gerstmann-Straussler-Sheinker diseases, fatal familial insomnia, etc.--are examples of infectious amyloidoses. A model system for investigation of mechanisms of amyloidogenesis and of its infectious nature had been developed as a result of yeast prion discovery. The existence of a prion network as an interaction of different prions identified in yeast is being confirmed recently as an interaction of different anyloids in humans. The potential danger of amyloidoses is conditioned by the very structure of almost all proteins containing fragments capable to be organized as beta-sheets, which lead to their aggregation being exposed. Meanwhile, there are several well-defined examples of the adaptive value of amyloid aggregates: cytoplasmic incompatibility factor in Podospora anserina, spider silk, cytoplasmic stress granules in mammals, prion form of CPEB protein responsible for the neuron activity in Aplisia, etc. These facts should be taken into consideration when seeking antiamyloid drugs. Discovery of protein inheritance in lower eukaryotes modifies our knowledge of the template principle significance in biology and adds a concept of conformational templates (II order templates) involved in reproduction of the three-dimensional structure of the supramolecular complexes in the cell.

Rpn4p is a transcription factor responsible for coordinated regulation of proteasomal genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This factor is involved directly or indirectly in regulation of comprise more than one tenth part of all yeast genome. Traditional methods are inappropriate for mapping of Rpn4p binding sites because of its extremely low concentration in the cell. We have developed the model system using Dam-methylase of E. coli which allows to detect interaction of Rpn4p with its target genes. In this system we showed that Rpn4p is recruited to proteasomal genes only through interactions with DNA.

The review is devoted to the main mechanisms of mitochondria inheritance in yeast Saccharonmyces cerevisiae. The genetic mechanisms of functionally active mitochondria inheritance in eukaryotic cells is one of the most relevant in modem researches. A great number of genetic diseases are associated with mitochondria dysfunction. Plasticity of eukaryotic cell metabolism according to the environmental changes is ensured by adequate mitochondria functioning by means of ATP synthesis coordination, reactive oxygen species accumulation, apoptosis regulation and is an important factor of cell adaptation to stress. Mitochondria participation in important for cell vitality processes masters the presence of accurate mechanisms of mitochondria functions regulation according to environment fluctuations. The mechanisms of mitochondria division and distribution are highly conserved. Baker yeast S. cerevisiae is an ideal model object for mitochondria researches due to energetic metabolism lability, ability to switch over respiration to fermentation, and petite-positive phenotype. Correction of metabolism according to the environmental changes is necessary for cell vitality. The influence of respiratory, carbon, amino acid and phosphate metabolism on mitochondria functions was shown. As far as the mechanisms that stabilize functions of mitochondria and mtDNA are highly conserve, we can project yeast regularities on higher eukaryotes systems. This makes it possible to approximate understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of a great number of human diseases.

Proliferation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae EPF cells on solid maltose-peptone-yeast extract (MPY) medium was stimulated by the addition of monoamine neurotransmitters. Dopamine turned out to be the most efficient among them: it caused approximately 8-fold growth stimulation at 1 microM concentration. The dopamine effect was partly mimicked by apomorphine, a dopamine receptor agonist. Serotonin and histamine produced less significant (1.5-2-fold) effects, and norepinephrine virtually failed to stimulate yeast culture growth. These data point to a specific, apparently receptor-dependent mode of action of the tested neurotransmitters on S. cerevisiae cells. Using high efficiency liquid chromatography, serotonin, catecholamines (dopamine and norepinephrine), catecholamines precursor dioxyphenylamine, and oxidized amine products (homovanilic acid, dihydrophenylacetic acid, and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid) were established to be accumulated in yeast cells up to (sub)micromolar concentrations without their release into the culture fluid supernatant (CSF). The results obtained suggest that the tested amine neurotransmitters and related compounds do not serve as autoregulators in the yeast population. Nevertheless, they may be involved in the regulation of yeast population development by other ecosystem components.

It is known that nonsense suppression efficiency in yeast is controlled both genetically and epigenetically. As many components of translation machinery are represented by phosphoproteins, it depends, in particular, on the activity of kinases and phosphatases. The Ppz1p/Hal3p complex is among them. In this complex, the Ppz1p phosphatase is a catalytic subunit and Hal3p negatively regulates its function. The aim of this work was to study mechanisms which relate the activity of Ppz1p/Hal3p complex to nonsense suppression efficiency. In this study we used a genetic approach consisting of the analysis of nonsense suppression phenotype of strains over-expressing HAL3 or PPZ1 genes and also bearing deletions or mutant alleles of genes which presumably could participate in the manifestation of these over-expressions. We have shown that Hal3p inhibits not only Ppz1p, but also the homologous phosphatase Ppz2p. Our data indicate that Ppz2p is also involved in the control of nonsense suppression efficiency. In the course of search for Ppz1p target protein, it was shown that Ppz1p dephosphorylates at least two proteins participating in translation. Moreover, Ppz1p affects nonsense suppression efficiency not only due to its phosphatase activity but also due to another mechanism triggered by its interaction with Hsp70 chaperones.

Nucleosome organization of eukaryotic chromatin determines the DNA availability for regulatory factors during transcription. Nucleosome positioning at promoters is an important factor effecting gene expression. Recent studies showed that yeast promoters can be divided in two groups with the different chromatin organization. It has become clear that genes with the similar chromatin structure in promoters are regulated by the same mechanisms. In this review, using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as example, we discuss interplay between chromatin structure and transcription, dynamic changes in chromatin during transcription and a role of various factors (histone chaperones, remodeling complexes, histone variant H2A.Z) in these processes.

The yeast genes IXR1 and HMO1 encode proteins belonging to the family of chromatin nonhistone proteins, which are able to recognize and bind to irregular DNA structures. The full deletion of gene IXR1 leads to an increase in cell resistance to the lethal action of UV light, gamma-rays, and MMS, increases spontaneous mutagenesis and significantlly decreases the level of UV-induced mutations. It was earlier demonstrated in our works that the hmo 1 mutation renders cells sensitive to the lethal action of cisplatin and virtually does not affect the sensitivity to UV light. Characteristically, the rates of spontaneous and UV-induced mutagenesis in the mutant are increased. Epistatic analysis of the double mutation hmo 1 ixr1 demonstrated that the interaction of these genes in relation to the lethal effect of cisplatin and UV light, as well as UV-induced mutagenesis, is additive. This suggests that the products of genes HMO1 and IXR1 participate in different repair pathways. The ixr1 mutation significantly increases the rate of spontaneous mutagenesis mediated by replication errors, whereas mutation hmo 1 increases the rate of repair mutagenesis. In wild-type cells, the level of spontaneous mutagenesis was nearly one order of magnitude lower than that obtained in cells of the double mutant. Consequently, the combined activity of the Hmo 1 and the Ixr1 proteins provides efficient correction of both repair and replication errors.

Gene HSM3 encodes the Hsm3 protein involved in the minor branch in the system responsible for the correction of mismatched bases in DNA structure and controls replicative and reparative spontaneous mutagenesis in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Spontaneous and UV-induced mutagenesis was studied in three mutant alleles of gene HSM3, and repair effectivity of artificial heteroduplexes was assessed in DNA molecule. The resuts of these studies allowed establishment of the protein domain structure of protein Hsm3 and functions of each domain: the N-terminal domain is responsible for binding to mispaired bases, and the C-terminal domain ensures the interaction with other proteins involved in the system of mismatched base correction.

Results of a comparative study of the influence of doxorubicine (DOX) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on cell proliferation and oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells are presented. Three treatment schedules were assessed--DOX only, DHEA only, and DOX simultaneously with DHEA--in examining cell proliferation, measuring the content of glutathione, and evaluating the expression of ribonucleotide reductase in the test cells. The results indicate that the separate treatment with DOX or DHEA stimulates the expression of ribonucleotide reductase and leads to a decrease in the rate of cell proliferation. DHEA produces a dose-dependent decrease in the content of a reduced form of glutathione in cells, whereas the concentration of the oxidized form remains unchanged. In contrast, the treatment with DOX increased the concentrations of both forms of glutathione. The simultaneous treatment of cells by DOX and DHEA increased the accumulation of intracellular glutathione and decreased the total antiproliferative effect.

Influence of ion Mn2+ and Fe2+ on ability of flavonoids intercept free radical and reveal radioprotection activity towards yeast cells was investigated. In work have been used flavonols quercetin, rutin and anthocyanins allocated of flowers Hibiscus. As a measure of radiating damage of cages of yeast the exit of ions K+ served. It is shown that Fe2+ ions essentially reduce protection activity flavonoids, and the ions of manganese showing protection properties, at presence anthocyanins sensibilization radiation damage.

The variety of mechanisms providing viability of organisms bearing nonsense-mutations in the essential genes is unknown at present. In yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae nonsense-mutants containing premature stop-codon in mRNA of the essential SUP45 gene were obtained. These strains are viable in the absence of mutant suppressor tRNA, therefore it is supposed that there are alternative mechanisms providing nonsense-suppression and mutants viability. Analysis of transformants obtained by transformation of strain bearing nonsense-mutant allele of SUP45 gene with multicopy yeast genomic library revealed three genes encoding wild type tRNA(Tyr) and four genes encoding wild type tRNA(Gln) that improve nonsense-mutants viability. Moreover, overexpression of these genes leads to the increase in the amount of full-length eRF1 protein in cell and compensates nonsense-mutants sensitivity to high temperature. Probable mechanisms of tRNA(Tyr) and tRNA(Gln) influence on the increase of viability of nonsense-mutants in SUP45 gene are discussed in this work.

In this work, we present the evidences of the involvement of Rdh54 in coordination of DNA repair by several pathways. Previously, we isolated rdh54-29 point mutation demonstrating unique properties different from the full deletion of RDH54 gene. Epistatic interaction between rdh54-29 and apn1delta mutations discloses the function of Rdh54p in the process of base excision repair. However, rdh54-29 mutant exhibits sensitivity to many DNA damaging agents including UV light, methylmethanesulphonate and nitrous acid. Such pleiotrophic effect of rdh54-29 mutation may indicate the role of Rdh54p in the regulation of different DNA repair systems. To check this hypothesis, we estimated the effect of rdh54-29 mutation on recombination and mutagenesis. The data confirm the involvement of Rdh54p in coordination of different DNA repair systems including mutagenic and recombinagenic pathways as well as nucleotide excision repair. Rdh54p presumably operates via chromatin remodulation at the site of damage rendering DNA accessible to the DNA repair enzymes.

A new approach: comparative analysis of proteins of the pellets of crude cell lysates of isogenic strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae differing by their prion composition permitted to identify a large group of prion-associated proteins in yeast cells. 2D-electrophoresis followed by MALDI-analysis of a recipient [psi-] strain and of [PSI+] cytoductant led to identification of 35 proteins whose aggregation state responded to a shift of prion(s) content. Approximately half of these proteins belonged to functional groups of chaperones and enzyme involved in glucose metabolism. Notable were also proteins involved in translation, in oxidative stress response and in protein degradation. The data obtained are compared with the results of other groups who used other approaches to detecting proteins involved in prion aggregates.

Amyloid bound thioflavine T fluorescence was studied in the lysates of yeast strains carrying mutations in genes ADE1 or ADE2 and accumulating red pigment, a result of polymerization of aminoimidazoleribotide (an intermediate of adenine biosynthesis). The fluorescence is drastically enhanced in the case of cells grown in media containing high concentration of adenine (100 mg/l) that blocks accumulation of red pigment. Blocks at first stages of purine biosynthesis de novo also impede red pigment and lead to the same effect on thioflavine fluorescence. At the same time induction of mutations in genes ADE1 or ADE2 in originally white prototrophic strains leads to considerable drop of fluorescence. A fraction of protein polymers was studied by agarose gel electrophoresis and this permitted to conclude that lowering of fluorescence intensity is indeed connected with the decrease of amyloid amount in cells accumulating red pigment. Model experiments with insulin fibers demonstrate that red pigment binds fibrils and blocks their interaction with Thioflavine T. 2D-electrophoretic comparison of pellet proteins of red and white isogenic strains, followed by MALDI, allowed identification of 23 pigment-dependent proteins. These proteins mostly belong to functional classes of chaperones and proteins, involved in glucose metabolism, closely corresponding to prion-dependent proteins characterized in our previous work. We suppose that, binding amyloid fibrils, red pigment hinders formation of prion aggregates and also, blocking fibril contact with chaperones, impedes prion propagation.