A transcriptome analysis of isoamyl alcohol-induced filamentation in yeast reveals a novel role for Gre2p as isovaleraldehyde reductase

A transcriptome analysis was performed of Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergoing isoamyl alcohol-induced filament formation. In the crucial first 5 h of this process, only four mRNA species displayed strong and statistically significant increases in their levels of more than 10-fold. Two of these (YEL071w/DLD3 and YOL151w/GRE2) appear to play important roles in filamentation. The biochemical activities ascribed to these two genes (d-lactate dehydrogenase and methylglyoxal reductase, respectively) displayed similarly timed increases to those of their respective mRNAs. Mutants carrying dld3 mutations displayed reduced filamentation in 0.5% isoamyl alcohol and needed a higher concentration of isoamyl alcohol to effect more complete filament formation. Hence, DLD3 seems to be required for a full response to isoamyl alcohol, but is not absolutely essential for it. Mutants carrying gre2 mutations were derepressed for filament formation and formed large, invasive filaments even in the absence of isoamyl alcohol. These results indicate a previously unsuspected and novel role for the GRE2 gene product as a suppressor of filamentation by virtue of encoding isovaleraldehyde reductase activity.