Through our efforts to understand the physiology of the unfolded protein response, a variety of functions were uncovered that are monitored and/or regulated by the pathway. Using a genetic approach, we identified genes affecting
N- and
O-linked glycosylation, protein translocation, folding, glycosylphosphatidylinositol addition, quality control, and ERAD (
Ng et al., 2000 
and our unpublished data). Together, these account for most requisite functions used for ER protein maturation. The discovery of
COD1 expanded the breadth of our analysis because it likely functions to maintain ion homeostasis of the luminal environment.
Cod1p belongs to the P-type ATPase family of enzymes that primarily catalyze the ATP-dependent transport of ions across membranes (
Catty and Goffeau, 1996 
). Common to all P-type ATPases is the formation of a phosphorylated aspartyl-intermediate during the reaction cycle (
Catty et al., 1997 
), a residue that was recently shown to be important for suppressing the SMKT-resistant phenotype of
cod1/spf1 mutants (
Suzuki and Shimma, 1999 
). Based on primary sequence, Cod1p has been placed in the type V subfamily of these enzymes (
Axelsen and Palmgren, 1998 
). Although the molecules transported by Cod1p are not yet conclusively determined, recent evidence from Hampton and colleagues suggest that calcium might be among them (
Cronin et al., 2000 
,
2002 
). Our data showing functions requiring luminal Mn
2+ and Ca
2+ to be compromised in
Δcod1 cells support that view. In mammals, type IIa P-type ATPases called sarco [endoplasmic] reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pumps are responsible for the maintenance of ER luminal Ca
2+. However, SERCA pumps are absent from a large number of eukaryotic organisms, including fungi and plants. In yeast, two calcium ATPases, Pmr1p and Pmc1p, were previously identified. Pmr1p belongs to the family of type IIa P-type ATPases, but exhibits properties that are distinct from those of the SERCA pumps. The Golgi-localized Pmr1p was shown to also transport Mn
2+ (
Durr et al., 1998 
). The other calcium P-type ATPase found in yeast is the vacuolar Pmc1p, which is closely related to the mammalian plasma membrane P-type ATPase (
Cunningham and Fink, 1994 
). The yeast vacuole accumulates >95% of the total cell-associated calcium (
Eilam et al., 1985 
). Strains lacking both calcium pumps are not viable (
Cunningham and Fink, 1994 
).
Due to the lack of any SERCA pumps in yeast, it was suggested that
PMR1 is responsible for maintaining the supply of calcium to the ER. This hypothesis was supported by the observations that CPY* degradation is inhibited in
PMR1 mutants, and the expression of the rabbit SERCA1a pump can abrogate low Ca
2+ and EGTA sensitivity in
pmr1 null cells (
Durr et al., 1998 
). In addition, the measurement of free Ca
2+ in the ER revealed a 50% decrease in
pmr1 null mutants (
Strayle et al., 1999 
). Taken together, these studies demonstrate an important role for Pmr1p in maintaining ER Ca
2+ homeostasis, but did not rule out the possibility of other transporters.
The
COD1 gene was initially identified as
SPF1; mutations in this gene result in resistance to
Pichia farinosa killer toxin (
Suzuki and Shimma, 1999 
). A noted phenotype of
SPF1 mutants was expression of underglycosylated invertase although the precise nature of the defect was unclear. In an independent genetic study,
COD1 was discovered for its involvement in regulating the degradation of Hmg2p (
Cronin et al., 2000 
). Although its role in Hmg2p regulation is not yet understood, adjustment of Ca
2+ concentrations in the media partially restored regulation in a
COD1-deficient strain, whereas Ca
2+ depletion in the media of wild-type cultures was disruptive. In addition, a
cod1Δ mutant activates calcium responsive genes and strongly increases intracellular calcium levels when combined with a
PMR1 deletion (
Cronin et al., 2002 
). Taken together with our results, the data implicate a requirement for
COD1 in Ca
2+ homeostasis. To identify the ion(s) transported by Cod1p, Hampton and coworkers used a biochemical approach that took advantage of the substrate-coupled ATPase activity of most P-type ATPases (
Cronin et al., 2002 
). Surprisingly, neither Ca
2+ nor Mn
2+ stimulated the ATPase activity of purified Cod1p. Although their results do not rule out these ions as substrates, they raised the possibility of accessory factors or substrates of Cod1p yet to be determined.
Our study extends and integrates observations of previous studies of the
COD1 and
PMR1 genes. We show that
COD1 mutants share several phenotypes with a strain deleted of
PMR1, raising the possibility that the two genes perform similar functions even as they are localized to distinct compartments. In ERAD, both genes are needed for the degradation of CPY*, but are dispensable for Ste6-166p and Hmg2p. As these are all substrates of ERAD, the seemingly contradictory observation could be explained by a common defect in oligosaccharide processing. By analyzing protein-linked oligosaccharides, we determined that Man
9GlcNAc
2 to Man
8GlcNAc
2 carbohydrate trimming is compromised in strains lacking either or both transporters. The enzyme responsible for this processing step, ER mannosidase I, requires Ca
2+ for activity (
Vallee et al., 2000 
). As the effect on trimming is nearly identical when either gene is lacking (Figure ), it seems likely that loss of
COD1 compromises ER Ca
2+ levels as was shown for a
pmr1 strain. As CPY* degradation requires N-glycan trimming (
Knop et al., 1996 
;
Jakob et al., 1998 
) and neither Ste6-166p nor Hmg2p have this requirement (Figure B and C.A. Jakob, unpublished data), it likely account for most, if not all, of the ERAD phenotype. The trimming defect is most severe in the double mutant, suggesting that Cod1p functions independently of Pmr1p rather than as a factor that regulates Pmr1p activity. In addition, a second-site suppression screen to identify further genes involved in protein degradation was performed. The screening procedure was based on the observation that the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of the
stt3-7 allele can be suppressed by inactivating nonessential genes involved in ERAD (
Jakob et al., 2001 
). The Stt3 protein, an essential subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex, is N-glycosylated and spans the ER membrane at least 10 to 12 times. In this genetic screen, multiple mutant alleles of the
COD1 gene were isolated (R. Szathmary and C.A. Jakob, unpublished data). The fact that inactivation of
COD1 not only reduced the degradation of a soluble glycoprotein (CPY*; Figure ) but also of a membrane-spanning mutant glycoprotein (stt3-7p) indicates the importance of Ca
2+ homeostasis in efficient degradation of glycoproteins.
In the Golgi apparatus, Pmr1p is needed for correct outer chain processing of carbohydrate chains (
Durr et al., 1998 
). This requirement is attributed to the maintenance of luminal Mn
2+, a cofactor of the processing enzymes. Surprisingly, we found that
COD1 mutants are similarly defective in this function despite its ER localization (Figure ). This is the reciprocal relationship to
PMR1 and ER carbohydrate processing. Furthermore, cells lacking both genes are the most compromised and are entirely ineffective in converting proCPY from the ER P1 form to the Golgi P2 form. From these data, we conclude that luminal homeostasis of each compartment is dependent, not only on its own resident transporter, but also on the transporter of the other organelle. The importance of the partnership is underscored by the exacerbation of functional phenotypes as well as severely impaired growth in the double mutant. Despite the extent of the defects, they are specific because other ER functions, including the transfer of oligosaccharides to asparagine side chains and protein import, are unaffected even in the double mutant (Figure ).
Despite phenotypic similarities between
COD1 and
PMR1 mutants, there are important differences. We identified
COD1 through a synthetic lethality screen with
IRE1, a key component of the unfolded protein response. Activation of the UPR is believed to alleviate disequilibrium caused by ER stress. Loss of
COD1 function leads to the constitutive activation of the UPR (
Ng et al., 2000 
). This phenotype is consistent with our data that ER functions are perturbed. We also demonstrated that
COD1 is part of the UPR program because its expression is induced through the pathway during ER stress (Figure ). By contrast,
Δpmr1 Δire1 mutants are viable and
Δpmr1 mutants do not constitutively activate the UPR, suggesting that critical ER functions are not as compromised as in
Δcod1 mutants (
Durr et al., 1998 
and our unpublished data). Consistent with this view, the regulation of Hmg2p degradation in the ER is disrupted in
Δcod1 strains, but is unaffected in strains lacking
PMR1 (
Cronin et al., 2000 
). In addition, a recent report showed that mutants lacking
COD1 exhibit defects in membrane protein orientation, whereas a strain lacking
PMR1 was unaffected (
Tipper and Harley, 2002 
). Conversely, the Golgi-localized modification of carbohydrates is more compromised in
Δpmr1 than in a
Δcod1 mutant (Figure ). These data show that although both proteins are needed to maintain homeostasis of the ER/Golgi membrane system, each is less dispensable for their respective organelles.
Our study reveals a functional partnership of two related but distinctly localized proteins in maintaining the luminal homeostasis of two organelle systems. It was previously shown that one of these proteins, Pmr1p, is needed for ER function, although localized primarily in the Golgi (
Durr et al., 1998 
). The extensive exchange of luminal contents through anterograde and retrograde transport can explain how disequilibrium of one compartment can affect the other. The reciprocal relationship with the ER-localized Cod1p provides another facet of this homeostatic mechanism. Although our studies support a role of Cod1p as part of the UPR regulatory program in maintaining the ER, future work will focus on how both genes are coordinately regulated to maintain homeostasis in the ER/Golgi membrane system.