Open AccessSphingoid base metabolism in yeast: mapping gene expression patterns into qualitative metabolite time course predictions
Author(s) -
Radivoyevitch Tomas
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
comparative and functional genomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1532-6268
pISSN - 1531-6912
DOI - 10.1002/cfg.106
Subject(s) - metabolite , yeast , saccharomyces cerevisiae , decoupling (probability) , enzyme , messenger rna , gene expression , biochemistry , metabolism , biology , chemistry , gene , control engineering , engineering
Can qualitative metabolite time course predictions be inferred from measured mRNA expression patterns? Speaking against this possibility is the large number of ‘decoupling’ control points that lie between these variables, i.e. translation, protein degradation, enzyme inhibition and enzyme activation. Speaking for it is the notion that these control points might be coordinately regulated such that action exerted on the mRNA level is informative of action exerted on the protein and metabolite levels. A simple kinetic model of sphingoid base metabolism in yeast is postulated. When the enzyme activities in this model are modulated proportional to mRNA expression levels measured in heat shocked yeast, the model yields a transient rise and fall in sphingoid bases followed by a permanent rise in ceramide. This finding is in qualitative agreement with experiments and is thus consistent with the aforementioned coordinated control system hypothesis. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.