Ethanol stress impairs protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum and activates Ire1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

Impaired protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) evokes the unfolded protein response (UPR), which is triggered in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, by the ER-located transmembrane protein Ire1. Here, we report that ethanol stress damages protein folding in the ER, causing activation of Ire1 in yeast cells. The UPR likely contributes to the ethanol tolerance of yeast cells.