We show that the dominant activated allele of the yeast RAS gene, RAS2(ala18,val19), led to redox imbalance in exponential-phase cells and to excretion of almost all of the cellular glutathione into the medium when the cells reached early-stationary phase. The mitochondria of the mutant stained strongly with dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR) and the cells displayed a very short mother cell-specific lifespan. Adding 1 mM reduced glutathione (GSH) to the medium partly restored the lifespan. The corresponding RAS2(+) rho-zero strain also displayed a short lifespan, excreted nearly all of its GSH, and stained positively with DHR. Adding 1 mM GSH completely restored the lifespan of the RAS2(+) rho-zero strain to that of the wild-type cells. The double mutant RAS2(ala18,val19) rho-zero cells showed the same lifespan as the RAS2(ala18,val19) cells, and the effect of glutathione in restoring the lifespan was the same, indicating that both mutations shorten lifespan through a similar mechanism. In the RAS2(ala18,val19) mutant strain and its rho-zero derivative we observed for the first time a strong electron spin resonance (ESR) signal characteristic of the superoxide radical anion. The mutant cells were, therefore, producing superoxide in the absence of a complete mitochondrial electron transport chain, pointing to the existence of a possible non-mitochondrial source for ROS generation. Our results indicate that oxidative stress resulting from a disturbance of redox balance can play a major role in mother cell-specific lifespan determination of yeast cells.

• PMID: 15489199
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Journal Article | Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Authors

Heeren G, Jarolim S, Laun P, Rinnerthaler M, Stolze K, Perrone GG, Kohlwein SD, Nohl H, Dawes IW, Breitenbach M

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