Microbes have evolved intricate communication systems that enable individual cells of a population to send and receive signals in response to changes in their immediate environment. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the oxylipin nitrogen signaling factor (NSF) is part of such communication system, which functions to regulate the usage of different nitrogen sources. Yet, the pathways and mechanisms by which NSF acts are poorly understood. Here, we show that NSF physically interacts with the mitochondrial sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase Hmt2 and that it prompts a change from a fermentation- to a respiration-like gene expression program without any change in the carbon source. Our results suggest that NSF activity is not restricted to nitrogen metabolism alone and that it could function as a rheostat to prepare a population of S. pombe cells for an imminent shortage of their preferred nutrients.

中文翻译：

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氮信号因子触发裂殖酵母中的呼吸样基因表达程序。


微生物已经进化出复杂的通信系统，使群体中的单个细胞能够发送和接收信号以响应其周围环境的变化。在裂殖酵母 Schizosaccharomyces pombe 中，氧磷脂氮信号因子 （NSF） 是这种通信系统的一部分，其功能是调节不同氮源的使用。然而，人们对 NSF 起作用的途径和机制知之甚少。在这里，我们表明 NSF 与线粒体硫化物：醌氧化还原酶 Hmt2 物理相互作用，并且它促使从发酵基因表达程序转变为呼吸样基因表达程序，而碳源没有任何变化。我们的结果表明，NSF 活性不仅限于氮代谢，它可以作为变阻器发挥作用，为粟酒葡萄球菌细胞群做好准备，以应对其首选营养物质的迫在眉睫的短缺。