Schizosaccharomyces japonicus has low levels of CoQ10 synthesis, respiration deficiency, and efficient ethanol production

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 82; no. 6; pp. 1031 - 1042
• Main Authors: Kaino, Tomohiro, Tonoko, Kai, Mochizuki, Shiomi, Takashima, Yuriko, Kawamukai, Makoto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 03.06.2018; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: CoQ; energy; ethanol; ethanol production; fermentation; Fission yeast; mitochondria; NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone); oxygen consumption; respiration; S. pombe; Schizosaccharomyces japonicus; Schizosaccharomyces pombe; sulfides; temperature; ubiquinones; Fission yeast; CoQ; respiration
• ISSN: 0916-8451; 1347-6947; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2017.1401914

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is essential for mitochondrial respiration and as a cofactor for sulfide quinone reductase. Schizosaccharomyces pombe produces a human-type CoQ 10 . Here, we analyzed CoQ in other fission yeast species. S. cryophilus and S. octosporus produce CoQ 9 . S. japonicus produces low levels of CoQ 10 , although all necessary genes for CoQ synthesis have been identified in its genome. We expressed three genes (dps1, dlp1, and ppt1) for CoQ synthesis from S. japonicus in the corresponding S. pombe mutants, and confirmed that they were functional. S. japonicus had very low levels of oxygen consumption and was essentially respiration defective, probably due to mitochondrial dysfunction. S. japonicus grows well on minimal medium during anaerobic culture, indicating that it acquires sufficient energy by fermentation. S. japonicus produces comparable levels of ethanol under both normal and elevated temperature (42 °C) conditions, at which S. pombe is not able to grow. Schizosaccharomyces japonicus and Schizosaccharomyces pome are distinct in mitochondrial-related functions.