Multiple transduction pathways regulate the sodium-extrusion gene PMR2/ENA1 during salt stress in yeast.

The yeast PMR2/ENA1 gene encodes an ATPase involved in sodium extrusion and induced by NaCl. At low salt concentrations (0.3 M) induction is mediated by the HOG-MAP kinase pathway, a system activated by non-specific osmotic stress. At high salt concentrations (0.8 M) induction is mediated by the protein phosphatase calcineurin and is specific for sodium. Protein kinase A and Sis2p/Hal3p modulate PMR2/ENA1 expression as negative and positive factors, respectively but Sis2p/Hal3p does not participate in the transduction of the salt signal. Salt stress decreases the level of cAMP and the resulting decrease in protein kinase A activity may contribute to HOG-mediated induction.