To understand the function of eukaryotic cells, it is critical to understand the role of protein-protein interactions and protein localization. Currently, we do not know the importance of global protein localization nor do we understand to what extent the cell is permissive for new protein associations – a key requirement for the evolution of new protein functions. To answer this question, we fused every protein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a partner from each of the major cellular compartments and quantitatively assessed the effects upon growth. This analysis reveals that cells have a remarkable and unanticipated tolerance for forced protein associations, even if these associations lead to a proportion of the protein moving compartments within the cell. Furthermore, the interactions that do perturb growth provide a functional map of spatial protein regulation, identifying key regulatory complexes for the normal homeostasis of eukaryotic cells.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13053.001

The location of proteins within eukaryotic cells is often critical for their function and relocation of proteins forms the mainstay of regulatory pathways. To assess the importance of protein location to cellular homeostasis, we have developed a methodology to systematically create binary physical interactions between a query protein and most other members of the proteome. This method allows us to rapidly assess which of the thousands of possible protein interactions modify a phenotype. As proof of principle we studied the kinetochore, a multiprotein assembly that links centromeres to the microtubules of the spindle during cell division. In budding yeast, the kinetochores from the 16 chromosomes cluster together to a single location within the nucleus. The many proteins that make up the kinetochore are regulated through ubiquitylation and phosphorylation. By systematically associating members of the proteome to the kinetochore, we determine which fusions affect its normal function. We identify a number of candidate kinetochore regulators, including the phosphatase Cdc14. We examine where within the kinetochore Cdc14 can act and show that the effect is limited to regions that correlate with known phosphorylation sites, demonstrating the importance of serine phospho-regulation for normal kinetochore homeostasis.T he relocation of proteins between cellular compartments underlies many regulatory pathways. For example, protein relocation underpins most cell-signaling pathways (1) and the establishment of cell polarity and asymmetric cell division both require highly specialized relocation of proteins within the cell (2). Furthermore, the aberrant localization of proteins underlies the pathology of a number of diseases (3). However, our understanding of the effect of relocalizing members of the proteome is limited to specific studies typically concerning individual proteins, and only a select few studies have globally monitored protein relocation (4, 5).One highly localized structure within the cell is the kinetochore, which in budding yeast forms a single megadalton complex (6-8). The kinetochore attaches chromosomes to the spindle microtubules to drive accurate chromosome segregation. The kinetochore consists of at least 60 unique gene products present in multiple copies that stretch from the specialized H3 histone subunit (Cse4, CENP-A in mammals) to the microtubule binding proteins of the Dam1 complex (9). Kinetochores normally assemble hierarchically from the centromere-bound proteins (10). Once assembled, the structural homeostasis of the kinetochore is regulated by proteins that are recruited to kinetochores. For example, the histone subunit Cse4 is tightly regulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Psh1, which is localized at centromeres. Psh1 prevents excessive Cse4 centromere loading via ubiquitylation-dependent degradation of Cse4 (and at noncentromeric regions) (11). Cse4 is also phosphorylated by Ipl1, likely to destabilize aberrant microtubule interactions and ensure correct sister chromosome biorientation (12...

Evolutionarily conserved polo-like kinase, Cdc5 (Plk1 in humans), associates with kinetochores during mitosis; however, the role of cell cycle–dependent centromeric ( CEN) association of Cdc5 and its substrates that exclusively localize to the kinetochore have not been characterized. Here we report that evolutionarily conserved CEN histone H3 variant, Cse4 (CENP-A in humans), is a substrate of Cdc5, and that the cell cycle–regulated association of Cse4 with Cdc5 is required for cell growth. Cdc5 contributes to Cse4 phosphorylation in vivo and interacts with Cse4 in mitotic cells. Mass spectrometry analysis of in vitro kinase assays showed that Cdc5 phosphorylates nine serine residues clustered within the N-terminus of Cse4. Strains with cse4-9SA exhibit increased errors in chromosome segregation, reduced levels of CEN-associated Mif2 and Mcd1/Scc1 when combined with a deletion of MCM21. Moreover, the loss of Cdc5 from the CEN chromatin contributes to defects in kinetochore integrity and reduction in CEN-associated Cse4. The cell cycle–regulated association of Cdc5 with Cse4 is essential for cell viability as constitutive association of Cdc5 with Cse4 at the kinetochore leads to growth defects. In summary, our results have defined a role for Cdc5-mediated Cse4 phosphorylation in faithful chromosome segregation.

Forcing budding yeast to chromatinize their DNA with human histones manifests an abrupt fitness cost. We previously proposed chromosomal aneuploidy and missense mutations as two potential modes of adaptation to histone humanization. Here, we show that aneuploidy in histone-humanized yeasts is specific to a subset of chromosomes that are defined by their centromeric evolutionary origins but that these aneuploidies are not adaptive. Instead, we find that a set of missense mutations in outer kinetochore proteins drives adaptation to human histones. Furthermore, we characterize the molecular mechanism underlying adaptation in two mutants of the outer kinetochore DASH/Dam1 complex, which reduce aneuploidy by suppression of chromosome instability. Molecular modeling and biochemical experiments show that these two mutants likely disrupt a conserved oligomerization interface thereby weakening microtubule attachments. We propose a model through which weakened microtubule attachments promote increased kinetochore-microtubule turnover and thus suppress chromosome instability. In sum, our data show how a set of point mutations evolved in histone-humanized yeasts to counterbalance human histone-induced chromosomal instability through weakening microtubule interactions, eventually promoting a return to euploidy.

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