Work

Why yeast cells can undergo apoptosis: death in times of peace, love, and war

Year: 2006

Type: review

Abstract: The purpose of apoptosis in multicellular organisms is obvious: single cells die for the benefit of the whole organism (for example, during tissue development or embryogenesis). Although apoptosis has also been shown in various microorganisms, the reason for this cell death program has remained unexplained. Recently published studies have now described yeast apoptosis during aging, mating, or exposure to killer toxins (Fabrizio, P., L. Battistella, R. Vardavas, C. Gattazzo, L.L. Liou, A. Diaspro, J.W. Dossen, E.B. Gralla, and V.D. Longo. 2004. J. Cell Biol. 166:1055-1067; Herker, E., H. Jungwirth, K.A. Lehmann, C. Maldener, K.U. Frohlich, S. Wissing, S. Buttner, M. Fehr, S. Sigrist, and F. Madeo. 2004. J. Cell Biol. 164:501-507, underscoring the evolutionary benefit of a cell suicide program in yeast and, thus, giving a unicellular organism causes to die for.

Source: The Journal of Cell Biology

DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200608098

Authors: Sabrina Büttner, Tobias Eisenberg, Eva Herker, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez, Guido Kroemer, Frank Madeo

Institutions: University of Graz, Gladstone Institutes, Inserm, Institut Gustave Roussy

Language: English

Topic: Cell death mechanisms and regulation

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Austrian Science Fund

Award: G6928954568