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Lett Appl Microbiol

Title:		Application of the yeast pheromone system for controlled cell-cell communication and signal amplification
Author(s):		Gross A; Rodel G; Ostermann K;
Address:		"Institute of Genetics, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany"
Journal Title:		Lett Appl Microbiol
Year:		2011
Volume:		20110318
Issue:		5
Page Number:		521 - 526
DOI:		10.1111/j.1472-765X.2011.03035.x
ISSN/ISBN:		1472-765X (Electronic) 0266-8254 (Linking)
Abstract:		"AIMS: The aim of the work is to exploit the yeast pheromone system for controlled cell-cell communication and as an amplification circuit in technical applications, e.g. biosensors or sensor-actor systems. METHODS AND RESULTS: As a proof of principle, we developed recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells that express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in response to different concentrations of the alpha(alpha)-factor mating pheromone. A respective reporter construct allowing the pheromone-driven expression of EGFP was transformed into the S. cerevisiae strains BY4741 and BY4741 bar1Delta. Upon addition of synthetic alpha-factor, the fluorescence strongly increases after 4 h. Furthermore, cells with constitutive alpha-factor expression were able to induce the expression of EGFP in co-cultivation with sensor cells only if both cell types were deleted for the gene BAR1, encoding alpha-factor protease. For technical applications, the immobilization of functionalized cells may be beneficial. We show that pheromone-induced expression of EGFP is effective in alginate-immobilized cells. CONCLUSIONS: Based on S. cerevisiae alpha-factor, we developed a controlled cell-cell communication system and amplification circuit for pheromone-driven expression of a target protein. The system is effective both in suspension and after cell immobilization. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The developed set of recombinant yeast strains is the basis to apply the yeast pheromone system for signal production and amplification in biosensors or sensor-actor systems"
Keywords:		"Biosensing Techniques/*methods Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics Mating Factor Peptides/pharmacology Pheromones/*metabolism Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics Saccharomyces cerevisiae/drug effects/genetics/metabolism S;"
Notes:		"MedlineGross, A Rodel, G Ostermann, K eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2011/02/23 Lett Appl Microbiol. 2011 May; 52(5):521-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2011.03035.x. Epub 2011 Mar 18"