Yeast nutrient sensing for control of the protein kinase A signaling patway, protein synthesis and cell growth.

The aim of this research is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that are involved in the detection of nutirents in the medium of eukaryotic cells. For that purpose, we will work in the first instance with yeast cells, the best model system for the eukaryotic cell. Molecular-genetic and biochemical techniques will be used to investigate in what way nutrient transceptors in the plasma membrane signal to the protein kinase A signaling pathway and to the machinery of protein synthesis. In addition, we will investigate whether similar mechanisms of nutrient detection function in other systems: the pathogenic Candida yeasts, activation of protein phosphatases by nutrients and detection of sugars by intestinal epithelial cells.

Keywords:Molecular genetics, Plasma membrane, Intestinal epithelial cells, Candida, Yeast, Nutrient sensing, PKA signaling, Protein synthesis

Disciplines:Biochemistry and metabolism, Medical biochemistry and metabolism, Microbiology, Systems biology, Laboratory medicine, Genetics, Molecular and cell biology