Publications by authors named "Jonathan D Rand"

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is constitutively active in yeast thioredoxin reductase mutants, suggesting a link between cytoplasmic thiol redox control and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) oxidative protein folding. The unique oxidative environment of the ER lumen requires tight regulatory control, and we show that the active UPR depends on the presence of oxidized thioredoxins rather than arising because of a loss of thioredoxin function. Preventing activation of the UPR by deletion of , encoding the UPR transcription factor, rescues a number of thioredoxin reductase mutant phenotypes, including slow growth, shortened longevity, and oxidation of the cytoplasmic GSH pool.

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Marine microalgae represent a potentially valuable feedstock for biofuel production; however, large-scale production is not yet economically viable. Optimisation of productivity and lipid yields is required and the cost of biomass harvesting and dewatering must be significantly reduced. Microalgae produce a wide variety of biologically active metabolites, many of which are involved in inter- and intra-specific interactions (the so-called infochemicals).

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Eukaryotic 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (Prx) are abundant antioxidant enzymes whose thioredoxin peroxidase activity plays an important role in protecting against oxidative stress, aging, and cancer. Paradoxically, this thioredoxin peroxidase activity is highly sensitive to inactivation by peroxide-induced Prx hyperoxidation. However, any possible advantage in preventing Prx from removing peroxides under oxidative stress conditions has remained obscure.

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The yeast Tsa1 peroxiredoxin, like other 2-Cys peroxiredoxins, has dual activities as a peroxidase and as a molecular chaperone. Its peroxidase function predominates in lower-molecular-mass forms, whereas a super-chaperone form predominates in high-molecular-mass complexes. Loss of TSA1 results in aggregation of ribosomal proteins, indicating that Tsa1 functions to maintain the integrity of the translation apparatus.

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We previously showed that thioredoxins are required for dithiothreitol (DTT) tolerance, suggesting they maintain redox homeostasis in response to both oxidative and reductive stress conditions. In this present study, we screened the complete set of viable deletion strains in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for sensitivity to DTT to identify cell functions involved in resistance to reductive stress. We identified 195 mutants, whose gene products are localized throughout the cell.

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Intrinsic antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli is elicited by the gene products of the multidrug efflux acrAB-tolC operon. In this paper, we have shown that acrAB is regulated as a function of the growth rate of E. coli during growth in batch and chemostat culture.

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