Cell wall integrity signalling pathway and yeast colony morphology

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, stress on the cell wall is caused by various external influences (e.g. exposure to chemicals, oxidative stress, osmotic changes, pH changes or heat shock) which trigger the cell wall integrity signalling pathway (CWI). The aim of my work was to investigate the effect of the CWI pathway on yeast colony morphogenesis. Using strains with deletions in genes of the CWI pathway derived from two parental strains BR-F-Flo11p-GFP and PORT, I have found that differences in genetic background influences the process and activation of this pathway. Among the strains derived from BR-F-Flo11p-GFP, only the strain with the deletion of MID2 affects the appearance of colonies. MID2 encodes a cell-surface sensor of CWI pathway. In all deletion strains derived from PORT, the disruption of the CWI pathway causes a slower development of colonies growing on glycerol medium supplemented with 0,05 mM selenate inducing fluffy colony morphology. The largest effect has deletion of gene MTL1 which also encodes a cell-surface sensor with homology to Mid2. I have confirmed that strains with deletions in genes of CWI pathway have altered sensitivity to inhibitors disrupting cell wall integrity (Calcofluor white, Congo red, zymolyase). By means of zymolyase assay, I have confirmed the..