Ino2p – A transcriptional regulator of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lipid biosynthesis

Abstract

A necessity for eukaryotic life is the ability to properly form phospholipids both for the plasma membrane and vesicle bound organelles. One of the key transcriptional regulators of lipid biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is Ino2p. Structural research has uncovered that the helix-loop-helix structure is integral to Ino2p’s ability to associate with Ino4p for its function as a transcription factor. The genes Ino2p is capable of regulating include INO1, which codes for the enzyme necessary for inositol synthesis and proper lipid synthesis. This relationship between Ino2p and membrane lipid synthesis leads to Ino2p being intertwined in the cell’s response to ER stress and the unfolded protein response. A knockout of INO2 function, ino2Δ, leads to cells with aberrant membrane formation and an altered ER stress response. The critical role of proper lipid biosynthesis regulation in cells suggests that research into Ino2p’s function will be important for a better understanding of cells’ response to internal and external signals.