Asymmetric distribution of phosphatidylserine is generated in the absence of phospholipid flippases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In eukaryotic cells, phosphatidylserine (PS) is predominantly located in the cytosolic leaflet of the plasma membrane; this asymmetry is generated by an unknown mechanism. In this study, we used the PS-specific probe mRFP-Lact-C2 to investigate the possible involvement of type 4 P-type ATPases, also called phospholipid flippases, in the generation of this asymmetry in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PS was not found in the trans-Golgi Network in wild-type cells, but it became exposed when vesicle formation was compromised in the sec7 mutant, and it was also exposed on secretory vesicles (SVs), as reported previously. However, flippase mutations did not reduce the exposure of PS in either case, even at low levels that would only be detectable by quantitative analysis of mRFP-Lact-C2 fluorescence in isolated SVs. Furthermore, no reduction in the PS level was observed in a mutant with multiple flippase mutations. Because PS was not exposed in a mutant that accumulates ER or cis/medial-Golgi membranes, Golgi maturation seems to be a prerequisite for PS translocation. Our results suggest that an unknown mechanism, possibly a protein with flippase-like activity, acts in conjunction with known flippases to regulate PS translocation.