PgmNr Y3013: TOR pathway mediates cytoophidium assembly in Schizsaccharomyces pombe.

Authors:
J. L. Liu; L. Hulme; K. Wesley


Institutes
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom.


Keyword: Cell Cycle/Growth Control/Metabolism

Abstract:

The essential metabolic enzyme CTP synthase catalyses CTP formation and has been demonstrated to form large, evolutionarily conserved intracellular filaments, termed cytoophidia (meaning cellular serpents in Greek). The exact functional role of cytoophidia, or how formation and maintenance is regulated remains unanswered. By monitoring cytoophidium formation in a GFP tagged CTP synthase background in Schizsaccharomyces pombe, we have discovered that the TOR (target of rapamycin) kinase pathway regulates cytoophidium formation. The TOR pathway is highly conserved and is essential for regulation of cell growth and response to nutrient deprivation. We show that the TOR signalling cascade is involved in cytoophidium assembly. Moreover, this relationship is specific to the TORC2 complex. This study connects cytoophidium assembly and the TORC2 complex which is potentially relevant considering the increasing evidence implicating these two major pathways in cancer development.



Yeast Database Genetic Index
1. gene symbol: tor1; systematic name: SPBC30D10.10c
2. gene symbol: pop3; systematic name: SPBC21B10.05c
3. gene symbol: bit61; systematic name: SPCC777.08c
4. gene symbol: ste20; systematic name: SPBC12C2.02c
5. gene symbol: tco89; systematic name: SPCC162.12
6. gene symbol: crf1; systematic name: SPAC22H10.11c
7. gene symbol: tor2; systematic name: SPBC216.07c
8. gene symbol: cts1; systematic name: SPAC10F6.03c
9. gene symbol: sin1; systematic name: SPAPYUG7.02c
10. gene symbol: gad8; systematic name: SPCC24B10.07