Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42401916›Full record

ArticleMicrobial cell factories2026

The transcriptional response to environmental alkalization involves both Komagataella phaffii Pho4 transcription factors.

Marcel Albacar, Antonio Casamayor, Rui Wang, Joaquín Ariño, Asier González

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Microbial cell factories, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Marcel AlbacarInstitut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain.
Antonio CasamayorInstitut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain.
Rui WangInstitut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain.
Joaquín AriñoInstitut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain. joaquin.arino@uab.cat.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6774-2987
Asier GonzálezInstitut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain.

Funding

Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2023 PROD 00006Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-113319RB-I00Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2023-150535OB-I00
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPho4 is a fungal transcription factor essential for the response to phosphate (Pi) starvation in many fungi and is usually encoded by a single gene. However, we recently reported that the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii encodes two functional Pho4 proteins, named Pho4(A) and Pho4(B), and that only Pho4(B) was required for the transcriptional response to Pi limitation. Pho4 is also important in many yeasts for adaptation to an alkaline environment. We evaluate here the participation of Pho4(A) and Pho4(B) in the transcriptional response to alkaline pH.

resultsWe show that the expression of nearly one-hundred genes is altered in a pho4(A) pho(B) mutant. In contrast to Pi starvation, Pho4(A) becomes important under high pH stress for the short-time expression of genes required for Pi homeostasis, such as PHO89, VTC1, VTC2, VTC4 and PHO4(B), suggesting that both transcription factors respond to different signals. Integration of the transcriptional data with that obtained from crz1 or rim101 mutants shows that nearly 80 genes are regulated by at least two of these transcription factors. Thus, we show that induction of PHO89 by Pi starvation or high pH is fully abolished in both double pho4(A) pho4(B) and single rim101 mutants, and that mutation of CRZ1 and RIM101 partially eliminates the sensitivity to high pH of the pho4(A) pho4(B) strain, revealing unexpected genetic interactions between these mutations. Finally, we identify an alkali-sensitive region in the PHO89 promoter and demonstrate that its duplication further increases the promoter's response to alkalinization.

conclusionsThe transcription factor Pho4(A) is not required for the transcriptional response to Pi starvation, but it contributes to the response to alkalinization. Gene expression remodeling upon alkalinization in K. phaffii is controlled by diverse signaling pathways, including Pho4, Crz1 and Rim101 as well as other components still to uncover. Detailed knowledge of the signaling mechanisms triggered upon alkalinization and promoter mapping of the genes responsive to high pH will be useful tools for the generation of alkaline pH-regulated hybrid synthetic promoters in K. phaffii with improved features.

Indexed as

Fungal ProteinsSaccharomycetalesTranscription FactorsTranscription, GeneticGene Expression Regulation, FungalHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationMutationPhosphatesFungal ProteinsPhosphatesTranscription FactorsAlkaline pH responseCrz1Komagataella phaffiiPho4 transcription factorsRim101Transcriptional regulation

Identifiers

PMID42401916
PMCPMC13613856

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.