Carbon source induces growth of stationary phase yeast cells, independent of carbon source metabolism.

Nutrients regulate the proliferation of many eukaryotic cells: in the absence of sufficient nutrients vegetatively growing cells will enter stationary (G0 like) phase; in the presence of sufficient nutrients non-proliferative cells will begin growth. Previously we have shown that glucose is the critical nutrient which stimulates a variety of growth-related events in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Granot and Snyder, 1991). This paper describes six new aspects of the induction of cell growth events by nutrients in S. cerevisiae. First, all carbon sources tested, both fermentable and non-fermentable, induce growth-related events in stationary phase cells, suggesting that the carbon source is the critical nutrient which stimulates growth. Second, the continuous presence of glucose is not necessary for the induction of growth events, but rather a short 'pulse' of glucose followed by an incubation period in water will induce growth events. Third, growth stimulation by glucose occurs in the absence of the SNF3 high affinity glucose transporter. Fourth, growth stimulation occurs independent of carbon source phosphorylation and carbon source metabolism. Fifth, growth induction by carbon source does not require protein synthesis or extracellular calcium. Sixth, following stimulation by carbon source, the cells remain induced for more than 2 h after removal of the carbon source. We suggest a general model in which different carbon sources act as signals to induce the earliest growth events during or following its entry into the cell and that these growth events do not depend upon metabolism of the carbon source.