Date of Award
Spring 6-13-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.S. in Molecular Biology
Organizational Unit
College of Natural Science and Mathematics, Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Xi Yang
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Cell biology, Genetics, Lysosomes, Yeast lysosome remodeling
Abstract
Under stress conditions, the lysosome adapts its metabolic and autophagic processes. One way the lysosome accomplishes this is by regulating its proteome through the activation of transcription factor EB (TFEB). However, little is known about TFEB-independent lysosome adaptation. Here we show that yeast transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 play a significant role in yeast lysosome (vacuole) remodeling during glucose starvation. We conducted glucose starvation assays on the vacuolar proteome and performed RT-pCR and Western blotting to analyze changes to vacuolar proteins at the transcriptional and translational levels. Our findings indicated that vacuole remodeling is selective. Downregulation of vacuole membrane proteins was due to ubiquitin-dependent degradation, while upregulation of vacuole lumenal enzymes and E3-ubiquitin enzymes was transcriptionally mediated. In a msn2msn4 knockout, this upregulation was significantly impaired. Our results characterize the Msn2/4 glucose starvation response pathway and open new avenues for TFEB-independent lysosome biogenesis and remodeling.
Copyright Date
6-13-2026
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Isabel Woo
Provenance
Received from Author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
24 pgs
File Size
1.22 MB
Recommended Citation
Woo, Isabel, "Dual Role of Transcription Factors Msn2 and Msn4 in Lysosomal Remodeling Under Glucose Starvation in Yeast" (2026). Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals. 83.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/undergraduate_theses/83