Positive and negative regulation of squalene synthase (ERG9), an ergosterol biosynthetic gene, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2001 Jan 26;1517(2):177-89. doi: 10.1016/s0167-4781(00)00246-3.

Abstract

To identify regulatory cis-elements in the proximal promoter of the yeast ERG9 squalene synthase gene, promoter deletion analysis was performed. This approach identified two regulatory elements, one an upstream repressing cis-element (URS), and the other an upstream activating cis-element (UAS). Electromobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrated that distinct proteins bind each element. Genetic screens were performed to identify yeast mutants that altered expression of ERG9 promoter-reporter gene fusions. Three non-ergosterol biosynthetic pathway genes were identified. A mutation in TPO1(YLL028W) led to a 5.5-fold increase in ERG9 expression while mutations in YER064C and SLK19 (YOR195W) led to a 3.1- and 5.6-fold decrease, respectively. Deletion analysis of these genes demonstrated that TPO1 and SLK19 specifically regulated ERG9 expression when tested with several different promoter-reporter gene fusions. Additionally, EMSAs demonstrated that extracts derived from the TPO1 deletion strain was unable to shift the repressing cis-element while protein extracts from the SLK19 deletion strain had a reduced shift of the activating cis-element. Furthermore, these two mutants showed quantitative differences in sterols and antifungal drug susceptibilities consistent with their role in regulating ERG9 expression.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Ergosterol / biosynthesis*
  • Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase / biosynthesis
  • Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase / genetics*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase
  • Ergosterol