The Effect of Phosphorus Metabolism on the Motion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Volutin Granules

Abstract

It is known that moving volutin granules (“dancing bodies”), mechanism of which occurrence remains poorly understood, can be observed in yeast vacuoles. This study was performed to reveal the presence of a connection between moving volutin granules of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and polyphosphate metabolism in conditions of phosphoric starvation and hypercompensation. Methods. Cytological, biochemical, statistical methods were used in the study. Results. It was observed that the inactivation of the PPN1 gene, which encodes exopolyphosphatase Ppn1, resulted in a change in the number of cells with moving volutin granules (“dancing bodies” index) in the studied conditions. The index of “dancing bodies” was almost always lower in mutant CRN strain than in parent CRY strain. Using linear correlation analysis and factor analysis with the method of principal component, it was established that the “dancing bodies” index in both strains had significant correlation coefficients with exopolyphosphatase activity (EPPA) and the content of polyphosphate fractions (polyP). The difference was that this index in parent strain correlated better with the first three fractions of inorganic polyphosphates, while in mutant strain – with polyP4 and EPPA. Conclusions. Obtained data indicated the direct connection of motion of volutin granules with phosphoric metabolism in the studied conditions. It is assumed that the phenomenon of “dancing bodies” may be a consequence of the activity of vacuolar polyphosphatases.