GATA-type transcriptional factor SpGAT1 interacts with SpMIG1 and promotes lipid accumulation in the oleaginous yeast [Formula: see text] zwy-2-3

BACKGROUND: In oleaginous yeast, nitrogen limitation is a critical parameter for lipid synthesis. GATA-family transcriptional factor GAT1, a member of the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway and nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR), regulates nitrogen uptake and utilization. Therefore, it is significant to study the SpGAT1 regulatory mechanism of lipid metabolism for conversion of biomass to microbial oil in [Formula: see text] zwy-2-3. RESULTS: Compared with WT, [Formula: see text] , and OE::gat1, the lipid yield of OE::gat1 increased markedly in the low carbon and nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio) mediums, while the lipid yield and residual sugar of [Formula: see text] decreased in the high C/N ratio medium. According to yeast two-hybrid assays, SpGAT1 interacted with SpMIG1, and its deletion drastically lowered SpMIG1 expression on the high C/N ratio medium. MIG1 deletion has been found in earlier research to affect glucose metabolic capacity, resulting in a prolonged lag period. Therefore, we speculated that SpGAT1 influenced glucose consumption rate across SpMIG1. Based on yeast one-hybrid assays and qRT-PCR analyses, SpGAT1 regulated the glyoxylate cycle genes ICL1, ICL2, and pyruvate bypass pathway gene ACS, irrespective of the C/N ratio. SpGAT1 also could bind to the ACAT2 promoter in the low C/N medium and induce sterol ester (SE) accumulation. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that SpGAT1 positively regulated lipid metabolism in S.podzolica zwy-2-3, but that its regulatory patterns varied depending on the C/N ratio. When the C/N ratio was high, SpGAT1 interacted with SpMIG1 to affect carbon absorption and utilization. SpGAT1 also stimulated lipid accumulation by regulating essential lipid anabolism genes. Our insights might spur more research into how nitrogen and carbon metabolism interact to regulate lipid metabolism. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13068-022-02177-z.