Poster abstracts
Poster number 31 submitted by Hannah Sizemore
Determining the role of tRNA modifications on pseudohyphal growth in yeast
Hannah Sizemore (Chemistry & Biochemistry, Northern Kentucky University), Kaylee Fox, Olivia Gilliam (Biology, Northern Kentucky University), Daisy DiVitia (Chemistry & Biochemistry, Northern Kentucky University), Rachel Morgeson, Jenna Kappes (Biology, Northern Kentucky University), John C. Carmen (Biology, Northern Kentucky University), Michael P. Guy (Chemistry & Biochemistry, Northern Kentucky University)
Abstract:
Fungi have the ability to change their morphology to produce hyphae, branching filaments that allow for increased levels of feeding and locomotion. In some pathogenic fungi, the shift from unicellular to hyphal growth is linked to their ability to cause disease. The model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not form hyphae, but can form pseudohyphae under certain conditions such as nutrient limitation. Previous studies in this yeast have indicated that the shift to pseudohyphal growth requires elongator complex genes such as ELP2, suggesting that tRNA modifications are involved in the transition. The elongator complex is a group of proteins which work together to add a 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl (mcm5) group or a 5-carbamoylmethyl (ncm5) group to tRNAs that have a uridine at position 34. We are using S. cerevisiae as a model to study the role of elongator complex tRNA modifications in the shift to pseudohyphal growth. We have generated S. cerevisiae mutants lacking genes that code for elongator complex proteins to analyze their role in pseudohyphal growth by investigating which tRNA substrate(s) is involved in the shift. We are also measuring elongator modification levels during the shift to pseudohyphal growth, via UPLC. In addition, we have begun to study the role of elongator complex tRNA modifications in the shift in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans.
Keywords: tRNA, modifications, yeast