Inhibition of protein synthesis disrupts the Golgi apparatus in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Abstract

Schizosaccharomyces pombe was treated with either cycloheximide or anisomycin at levels sufficient to inhibit > 95% of protein synthesis for periods upon to 3 h, equivalent to one cell cycle. Treatment for as little as 1 h caused significant loss of the Golgi apparatus by both immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. The loss was quantitated by stereology on electron micrographs. Nearly 90% of the stacked Golgi was lost over a 3 h period. No other intracellular membrane compartment seemed to be affected. Measurement of enzyme activities confirmed these observations. The activity of a resident of the Golgi apparatus, alpha-1,2 galactosyltransferase, was reduced over this time, whereas the endoplasmic reticulum marker, BiP, and the cytoplasmic enzyme, hexokinase, were unaffected. The morphological changes associated with cycloheximide addition were reversed on its removal, though there was a lag before cells recommenced growth or secretion of the enzyme, acid phosphatase.