A genetic analysis of the role of calcineurin and calmodulin in Ca++-dependent improvement of NaCl tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (original) (raw)

Abstract

Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking activity of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin, show sensitivity to high concentrations of sodium that is partly reversed by the external supply of Ca2+. On long-time exposure to NaCl stress the mutants display an increased intracellular Na+/K+ ratio which is partially corrected by the addition of Ca2+, improving the sodium efflux of not only calcineurin-defective cells but also wild-type cells. We also demonstrate that the NaCl sensitivity of cmd mutants, expressing modified forms of calmodulin that do not bind Ca2+, is strongly reversed by the addition of Ca2+. This effect is highly dependent on calcineurin, since the NaCl tolerance of a cmd1-3 strain, carrying an additional mutation in calcineurin, is only slightly assisted by Ca2+. A striking characteristic of the loss of function of calcineurin is a several-fold increased content of intracellular Ca2+, localized mainly in subcellular compartment(s). If the compartmentalized Ca2+ pool is brought back to normal levels by an additional inactivating mutation of the vacuolar Ca2+-transporting ATPase, such double mutants do not significantly improve their tolerance to NaCl.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General and Marine Microbiology, University of Göteborg, Lundberg Laboratory, Medicinaregatan 9C, S-431 90 Göteborg, Sweden, , , , , , SE
    Agneta Danielsson, Christer Larsson, Katrin Larsson, Lena Gustafsson & L. Adler

Authors

  1. Agneta Danielsson
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Lena Gustafsson
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. L. Adler
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Received: 15 August / 22 August 1996

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Danielsson, A., Larsson, C., Larsson, K. et al. A genetic analysis of the role of calcineurin and calmodulin in Ca++-dependent improvement of NaCl tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Curr Genet 30, 476–484 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002940050159

Download citation