Mitochondrial dynamics and degradation in the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi. 2021

Lan Duan, and Koji Okamoto
Laboratory of Mitochondrial Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

Emerging evidence implicates the vital role of mitochondria in lipid consumption and storage, highlighting the intimate link between energy production and saving. Although formation of giant lipid droplets, which is the key hallmark of the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi, appears to be regulated in response to changes in mitochondrial shape and metabolism, technical limitations of genetic manipulation have become an obstacle to uncover the mitochondrial behavior in this nonconventional yeast. Here, we established an L. starkeyi strain stably expressing a fluorescent marker for monitoring mitochondrial morphology and degradation and found that mitochondria are mostly fragmented in L. starkeyi cells under fermentable, nonfermentable, and nitrogen depletion conditions. Notably, a fraction of mitochondria-specific fluorescent signals was localized to the vacuole, a lytic organelle in yeast, indicating degradation of mitochondria in those cells. This possible catabolic event was more predominant in cells under nutrient-poor conditions than that in cells under nutrient-rich conditions, concomitantly with lipid droplet formation. Collectively, our studies provide a new tool to investigate mitochondrial dynamics in L. starkeyi and decipher the potential role of mitochondrial degradation in lipid metabolism.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009584 Nitrogen An element with the atomic symbol N, atomic number 7, and atomic weight [14.00643; 14.00728]. Nitrogen exists as a diatomic gas and makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere by volume. It is a constituent of proteins and nucleic acids and found in all living cells.
D005285 Fermentation Anaerobic degradation of GLUCOSE or other organic nutrients to gain energy in the form of ATP. End products vary depending on organisms, substrates, and enzymatic pathways. Common fermentation products include ETHANOL and LACTIC ACID. Fermentations
D014617 Vacuoles Any spaces or cavities within a cell. They may function in digestion, storage, secretion, or excretion. Vacuole
D050356 Lipid Metabolism Physiological processes in biosynthesis (anabolism) and degradation (catabolism) of LIPIDS. Metabolism, Lipid
D055160 Lipomyces A genus of ascomycetous soil yeast in the family Lipomycetaceae, order SACCHAROMYCETALES. Lipomyce
D063154 Mitochondrial Dynamics The continuous remodeling of MITOCHONDRIA shape by fission and fusion in response to physiological conditions. Mitochondrial Fission,Mitochondrial Fission and Fusion,Mitochondrial Fusion,Mitochondrial Fusion and Fission,Dynamic, Mitochondrial,Dynamics, Mitochondrial,Fission, Mitochondrial,Fissions, Mitochondrial,Fusion, Mitochondrial,Fusions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Dynamic,Mitochondrial Fissions,Mitochondrial Fusions

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