Regulation of the yeast EKI1-encoded ethanolamine kinase by inositol and choline

Abstract

Regulation of the EKI1-encoded ethanolamine kinase by inositol and choline was examined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Transcription of the EKI1 gene was monitored by following the expression of β-galactosidase activity driven by a PEKI1-lacZ reporter gene. The addition of inositol to the growth medium resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in EKI1 expression. Supplementation of choline to inositol-containing growth medium brought about a further decrease in expression, whereas choline supplementation alone had no effect. Analysis of EKI1 expression in ino2Δ, ino4Δ, and opi1Δ mutants indicated that the transcription factors Ino2p, Ino4p, and Opi1p played a role in this regulation. Moreover, mutational analysis showed that the UAS INO element in the EKI1 promoter was required for the inositol-mediated regulation. The regulation of EKI1 expression by inositol and choline was confirmed by corresponding changes in ethanolamine kinase mRNA, protein, and activity levels. The repression of ethanolamine kinase by inositol supplementation correlated with a decrease in the incorporation of ethanolamine into CDP-ethanolamine pathway intermediates and into phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine.