The Yap family and its role in stress response

Abstract

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae possesses a very flexible and complex programme of gene expression when exposed to several environmental challenges. Homeostasis is achieved through a highly coordinated mechanism of transcription regulation involving several transcription factors, each one acting singly or in combination to perform specific functions. Here, we review our current knowledge of the function of the Yap transcription factors in stress response. They belong to b-ZIP proteins comprising eight members with specificity at the DNA-binding domain distinct from that of the conventional yeast AP-1 factor, Gcn4. We finish with new insights into the links of transcriptional networks controlling several cellular processes. The data reviewed in this article illustrate how much our comprehension of the biology of Yap family involved in stress response has advanced, and how much research is still needed to unravel the complexity of the role of these transcriptional factors. The complexities of these regulatory interactions, as well as the dynamics of these processes, are important to understand in order to elucidate the control of stress response, a highly conserved process in eukaryotes.

Role of the Yap Family in the Transcriptional Response to Oxidative Stress in Yeasts

“…Yap proteins belong to the b-ZIP super family of TFs that is widely conserved from yeast to human (Rodrigues-Pousada et al, 2010). In yeast S. cerevisiae, the role of Yap1p in oxidative stress response was initially suggested by the analysis of YAP1 mutant strains, in which increased sensitivity to cadmium and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was observed (Delaunay et al, 2000;Hirata et al, 1994;Kuge and Jones, 1994;Wu et al, 1993).…”

“…Finally, we will discuss oxidative stress response in the light of the other Yap TFs. In S. cerevisiae, this family comprises eight members (Yap1p to Yap8p) that are TFs carrying both overlapping and distinct biological functions (Fernandes et al, 1997;Rodrigues-Pousada et al, 2010). In yeasts C. glabrata and C. albicans, we will present a description of the Yap families, comprising respectively seven and four members.…”

“…Additionally, AP-1 proteins belong to Yap families that comprised 3 to 8 paralogous genes in the Hemiascomycetes. In the model yeast S. cerevisiae, the Yap family is composed of eight proteins (Yap1p to Yap8p) that are TFs carrying both overlapping and distinct biological functions (Rodrigues-Pousada et al, 2010), and recognize similar DNA consensus (Tan et al, 2008). Structural features of Yap proteins in S. cerevisiae are presented in Figure 2.…”

“…In contrast to S. cerevisiae, in which an important number of functional information concerning Yap proteins is available (see (Rodrigues-Pousada et al, 2010) for review), very few studies have yet been carried out in Candida species to analyze the redundant Yap families (Chen et al, 2007;Singh et al, 2011). Most information is currently based on sequence similarity with Yap genes of S. cerevisiae.…”

“…The focus of this review will be on the Yap protein family that includes the protein Yap1p, i.e. the main transcriptional regulator of the genomic response to oxidative stress Lucau-Danila et al, 2005;Rodrigues-Pousada et al, 2010). Note that other reviews provide complete descriptions of the other TF roles (Ikner and Shiozaki, 2005;Lushchak, 2010;Moye-Rowley, 2002).…”