Lpx1p links glucose-induced calcium signaling and plasma membrane H+-ATPase activation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.

Abstract

In yeast, as in other eukaryotes, calcium plays an essential role in signaling transduction to regulate different processes. Many pieces of evidence suggest that glucose-induced activation of plasma membrane H+-ATPase, essential for yeast physiology, is related to calcium signaling. Until now, it was not identified any protein that could be regulated by calcium in this context. Lpx1p, a serine-protease that is also involved in the glucose-induced activation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase activation, could be a candidate to respond to intracellular calcium signaling involved in this process. In this work, and by using different approaches, we showed many pieces of evidence suggesting that the requirement of calcium signaling for activation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase is due to its requirement for activation of Lpx1p. According to the current model, activation of Lpx1p would cause hydrolysis of an acetylated tubulin that keeps the plasma membrane H+-ATPase in an inactive state. Therefore, after its activation, Lpx1p would hydrolyze the acetylated tubulin making the plasma membrane H+-ATPase phosphorylation accessible for at least one protein kinase.