Wsc1 acts as a piezosensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enhancing glycerol efflux via aquaglyceroporin Fps1 in response to high hydrostatic pressure
The fungal cell wall is the initial barrier for the fungi against diverse external stresses, such as osmolarity changes, harmful drugs, and mechanical injuries. This study explores the roles of osmoregulation and the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway in response to high hydrostatic pressure in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate the roles of the transmembrane mechanosensor Wsc1 and aquaglyceroporin Fps1 in a general mechanism to maintain cell growth under high-pressure regimes. The promotion of water influx into cells at 25 MPa, as evident by an increase in cell volume and a loss of the plasma membrane eisosome structure, promotes the activation of Wsc1, an activator of the CWI pathway. The downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase Slt2 was hyperphosphorylated at 25 MPa. Glycerol efflux increases via Fps1 phosphorylation, which is initiated by downstream components of the CWI pathway and contributes to the reduction in intracellular osmolarity under high pressure. The elucidation of the mechanisms underlying adaption to high pressure through the well-established CWI pathway could potentially translate to mammalian cells and provide novel insights into cellular mechanosensation.