The YJR127C/ZMS1 gene product is involved in glycerol-based respiratory growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A putative yeast mitochondrial upstream activating sequence (UAS) was used in a one-hybrid screening procedure that identified the YJR127C ORF on chromosome X. This gene was previously designated ZMS1 and is listed as a transcription factor on the SGD website. Real time RT-PCR assays showed that expression of YJR127C/ZMS1 was glucose-repressible, and a deletion mutant for the gene showed a growth defect on glycerol-based but not on glucose- or ethanol-based medium. Real time RT-PCR analyses identified severely attenuated transcript levels from GUT1 and GUT2 to be the source of that growth defect, the products of GUT1 and GUT2 are required for glycerol utilization. mRNA levels from a large group of mitochondria- and respiration-related nuclear genes also were shown to be attenuated in the deletion mutant. Importantly, transcript levels from the mitochondrial OLI1 gene, which has an associated organellar UAS, were attenuated in the DeltaYJR127C mutant during glycerol-based growth, but those from COX3 (OXI2), which lacks an associated mitochondrial UAS, were not. Transcriptome analysis of the glycerol-grown deletion mutant showed that genes in several metabolic and other categories are affected by loss of this gene product, including protein transport, signal transduction, and others. Thus, the product of YJR127C/ZMS1 is involved in transcriptional control for genes in both cellular genetic compartments, many of which specify products required for glycerol-based growth, respiration, and other functions.