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Yeasts: Model Systems for Molecular Research

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 958

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
The Shmunis School of Biomedicine & Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Interests: Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Schizosaccharomyces pombe; yeast; genome stability; DNA repair; telomeres
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and the fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) are two widely used and popular organisms due to their facilitation in dissecting complex and basic biological processes. Indeed, state-of-the-art genetic, biochemical, molecular biological and genomic tools have been developed for these organisms. This allows researchers to rapidly carry out sophisticated genetic screening, genomic manipulations and biochemical dissections with ease. Since more than half of the yeast proteins have a human ortholog, it is also possible to learn, by using yeast systems, about the properties and regulations of mammalian systems.

Moreover, yeasts have been proven to be very convenient for genetic engineering, synthetic biology, biotechnology projects and heterologous gene expression. A plethora of techniques and plasmids, as well as mutant and fusion libraries, allow for easy manipulation and engineering of these organisms. Sometimes, additional yeast species such as members of the Komagataella (formerly known as Pichia), Candida, Kluyveromyces  and other clades are used for particular projects.

The genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the first eukaryotic genome to be sequenced, and gene knockout collections exist for both organisms. Numerous yeast databases make it easy to find up-to-date information about them; the most popular database for S. cerevisiae can be found at https://www.yeastgenome.org/. Similarly, the S. pombe research community has collaborated to make all data related to fission yeast available at https://www.pombase.org/.

Yeasts are widely used to analyze the genes of any other eukaryotic organism and to study genes associated with human diseases. The yeast two-hybrid system is commonly used to probe potential physical interactions between proteins. Many plasmids and yeast strains are commercially available, including sets of different deletion strains.

The main aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the advantages of yeasts as model organisms in which to dissect molecular mechanisms. We encourage the submission of research articles or short communications presenting results that advance our understanding of genetic regulation, protein interactions, biochemical pathway dissection or new biotechnological relevant techniques. Reviews and mini-reviews on various aspects of yeast molecular biology are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Martin Kupiec
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • yeasts as a model organism
  • yeast genomics
  • DNA replication and repair
  • cell cycle and its regulation
  • transcription
  • translation and posttranslational modification
  • signal transduction
  • chromosomal biology
  • nuclear import and export
  • mitochondria
  • synthetic biology
  • yeast biotechnology
  • biomedicine
  • in lab evolution

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 2572 KiB  
Article
Effects of PCNA Stability on the Formation of Mutations
by Matan Arbel-Groissman, Batia Liefshitz and Martin Kupiec
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(16), 8646; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168646 - 8 Aug 2024
Viewed by 690
Abstract
The fidelity of replication, especially in the presence of DNA damage, is essential for the proper function of cells. Mutations that inactivate genes involved in DNA damage repair or bypass are enriched in several types of cancer cells. Thus, it is important to [...] Read more.
The fidelity of replication, especially in the presence of DNA damage, is essential for the proper function of cells. Mutations that inactivate genes involved in DNA damage repair or bypass are enriched in several types of cancer cells. Thus, it is important to further our understanding of the mechanisms governing replication fidelity. PCNA is a ring-shaped complex that encircles DNA at the front of the replication fork, at the double-stranded/single-stranded DNA junction. It serves as a processivity factor for the different DNA replication polymerases, allowing them to replicate longer stretches of DNA by physically tethering them to the DNA and preventing their detachment. In addition, PCNA also regulates and coordinates different DNA damage bypass pathways meant to allow DNA replication in the presence of DNA damage. Due to its essentiality and the numerous functions it has in the cell, much is still unclear about PCNA. Here, we utilize PCNA mutants that lower the stability of the PCNA complex on the chromatin, and thus tend to disassociate and fall from the DNA. Using these mutants, we show that PCNA’s physical presence on the DNA can prevent DNA misalignment at repetitive sequences, leading to increased mutation formation. We also show that PCNA-interacting proteins play an important role in strengthening the ring’s stability on the chromatin. Such repetitive sequence-induced mutations are common in several human diseases and it is important to study their formation and the mechanisms guarding against them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Yeasts: Model Systems for Molecular Research)
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