Overexpression of the novel F - box protein Ymr 258 c confers resistance to methyimercury in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

VVe searched a yeast genomic library fbr genes that conferred methylmercury resistance to yeast, Ymr258c was identified as a factor that conferred strong methylmercury resistance when overexpressed in budding yeast. Ymr258c is regarded as one of the F-box proteins, i.e,, component factors of the SkpllCullin!F-box protein (SCF) complex that functions as a ubiquitin ligase in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In this study, Ymr258c was demonstrated to function as an F-box protein to reduce methylmercury toxicity, The overexpression ofYmr258c might promote the ubiquitination ofproteins that are involved in the enhancement ofmethylmereury toxicity, and thereby promote their degradation by proteasomes to reduce methylmercury toxicity,