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Ammonia mediates communication between yeast colonies

Nature volume 390, pages 532–536 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

Under certain growth conditions unicellular organisms behave as highly organized multicellular structures. For example, the fruiting bodies of myxobacteria1 and of the slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum2 form structures composed of non-dividing motile cells. Although non-motile, yeasts can create organized structures, colonies in which cells communicate and act in a coordinated fashion. Colony morphologies are characteristic for different species and strains. Here we describe that, in addition to short-range intracolony cell–cell communication, yeasts exhibit long-distance signals between neighbouring colonies. The volatile alkaline compound ammonia, transmitted by yeast colonies in pulses, has been identified as a substance mediating the intercolony signal. The first alkaline pulse produced by neighbouring colonies is non-directed and is followed by acidification of the medium. The second pulse seems to be enhanced and is oriented towards the neighbour colony. Ammonia signalling results in growth inhibition of the facing parts of both colonies. This phenomenon is observed in different yeast genera. The presence of amino acids in the medium is required for ammonia production. Colonies derived from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae shr3 mutant, defective in localization of amino-acid permeases3, do not produce detectable amounts of ammonia and do not exhibit asymmetric growth inhibition.

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Figure 1: Oriented turbid zones between yeast colonies (a) and ‘giant colonies’ (b–g) on GM agar.
Figure 2: A volatile compound mediates intercolony signalling.
Figure 3: pH changes during C.mogii colony development over time.
Figure 4: Ammonia generated in pulses by yeast colonies (A), and inhibiting their growth (B).
Figure 5: Ammonia production, turbid zone formation and colony morphology of the S.cerevisiae shr3 mutant and SHR3 strains.
Figure 6: Giant colonies of C.mogii growing on MA medium (a) or on MACA medium (b).

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Acknowledgements

We thank V. Závada and J. Závada for comments, B. E. Griffin for help in improving this manuscript and I. Mocová for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, the Grant Agency of Charles University and by the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Charles University, Vinin 5, Czech, Prague, 12844 2, Republic

    Zdena Palková, Blanka Janderová, Blanka Zikánová, Martin Pospíŝek & Jitka Forstová

  2. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videsk 1083, Czech, Prague, 14220 4, Republic

    Jir̂í Gabriel

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  1. Zdena Palková
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Correspondence to Zdena Palková.

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Palková, Z., Janderová, B., Gabriel, J. et al. Ammonia mediates communication between yeast colonies. Nature 390, 532–536 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/37398

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