Regulatory gene INO4 of yeast phospholipid biosynthesis is positively autoregulated and functions as a transactivator of fatty acid synthase genes FAS1 and FAS2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The sequence motif 5' TYTTCACATGY 3' functions as an upstream activation site common to both yeast fatty acid synthase genes, FAS1 and FAS2. In addition, this UASFAS element is shared by all so far characterized genes of yeast phospholipid biosynthesis. We have investigated the influence of a functional INO4 gene previously described as a regulator of inositol biosynthesis on the expression of FAS1 and FAS2. In a delta ino4 null allele strain, both genes are expressed at only 50% of wild type level. Using individual UASFAS sequence motifs inserted into a heterologous test system, a drastic decrease of reporter gene expression to 2-10% of the wild type reference was observed in the delta ino4 mutant. In gel retardation assays, the protein-DNA complex involving the previously described FAS binding factor 1, Fbf1, was absent when using a protein extract from the delta ino4 mutant. On the other hand, this signal was enhanced with an extract from cells grown under conditions of inositol/choline derepression. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that INO4 expression is itself affected by phospholipid precursors, mediated by an UASFAS element in the INO4 upstream region. Thus, in addition of being an activator of phospholipid biosynthetic genes, INO4 is also subject to a positive autoregulatory loop in its own biosynthesis.