Single-cell imaging reveals a key role of Bck2 in yeast cell size adaptation to nutrient challenges.
- 1Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München , Neuherberg, Germany.
Abstract
Cell size is tightly controlled to optimize cell function. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, multiple regulators of cell size in steady-state conditions have been identified, such as the G1/S activators Cln3 and Bck2 and the inhibitor Whi5. Individual deletions of these regulators alter the mean cell volumes. However, size homeostasis remains largely intact. Here, we show that although the roles of Bck2 and Cln3 for cell size regulation appear largely redundant in steady state, a switch from fermentable to nonfermentable growth media reveals a unique role for Bck2 in cell size adaptation. We use live-cell microscopy and machine learning-assisted image analysis to track single cells and their progeny through the nutrient switch. We find that after the switch, bck2Δ cells experience longer cell cycle arrests and more arrest-associated enlargement than wild-type, whi5Δ, or cln3Δ cells, indicating that Bck2 becomes the critical G1/S activator in changing nutrients. Our work demonstrates that studying size regulation during nutrient shifts can resolve apparent redundancies observed in steady state.
Related
- Pseudotime trajectory analysis reveals divergent rod photoreceptor states during dark adaptation
- Performance of the 10X Genomics flex single-cell sequencing assay and its application to overcome challenges in clinical trial samples
- Taxogenomic and Physiological Characterization of Halomonas shizuishanensis sp. nov. Reveals Osmotic-Adaptation Traits and an Ammonium-Utilization Phenotype
- A quantitative imaging framework reveals density-dependent GPCR oligomerization and organization in living cells
- Telomere-to-telomere genome of a dodecaploid desert shrub Prunus pedunculata reveals polyploidy-driven arid adaptation
BibTeX
@article{chadha2026singlecell,
title = {{Single-cell imaging reveals a key role of Bck2 in yeast cell size adaptation to nutrient challenges.}},
author = {Yagya Chadha and Igor V Kukhtevich and Timon Stegmaier and Francesco Padovani and Robert Schneider and Kurt M Schmoller},
journal = {The Journal of cell biology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1083/jcb.202410020},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42853135},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Single-cell imaging reveals a key role of Bck2 in yeast cell size adaptation to nutrient challenges.
AU - Yagya Chadha
AU - Igor V Kukhtevich
AU - Timon Stegmaier
AU - Francesco Padovani
AU - Robert Schneider
AU - Kurt M Schmoller
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - The Journal of cell biology
DO - 10.1083/jcb.202410020
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42853135
AB - Cell size is tightly controlled to optimize cell function. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, multiple regulators of cell size in steady-state conditions have been identified, such as the G1/S activators Cln3 and Bck2 and the inhibitor Whi5. Individual deletions of these regulators alter the mean cell volumes. However, size homeostasis remains largely intact. Here, we show that although the roles of Bck2 and Cln3 for cell size regulation appear largely redundant in steady state, a switch from fermentable to nonfermentable growth media reveals a unique role for Bck2 in cell size adaptation. We use live-cell microscopy and machine learning-assisted image analysis to track single cells and their progeny through the nutrient switch. We find that after the switch, bck2Δ cells experience longer cell cycle arrests and more arrest-associated enlargement than wild-type, whi5Δ, or cln3Δ cells, indicating that Bck2 becomes the critical G1/S activator in changing nutrients. Our work demonstrates that studying size regulation during nutrient shifts can resolve apparent redundancies observed in steady state.
SN - 0021-9525
SN - 1540-8140
ER -