Abstract
Elucidating the biology of yeast in its full complexity has major implications
for science, medicine and industry. One of the most critical processes
determining yeast life and physiology is cellular demise. However, the
investigation of yeast cell death is a relatively young field, and a widely
accepted set of concepts and terms is still missing. Here, we propose unified
criteria for the definition of accidental, regulated, and programmed forms of
cell death in yeast based on a series of morphological and biochemical
criteria. Specifically, we provide consensus guidelines on the differential
definition of terms including apoptosis, regulated necrosis, and autophagic
cell death, as we refer to additional cell death routines that are relevant
for the biology of (at least some species of) yeast. As this area of
investigation advances rapidly, changes and extensions to this set of
recommendations will be implemented in the years to come. Nonetheless, we
strongly encourage the authors, reviewers and editors of scientific articles
to adopt these collective standards in order to establish an accurate
framework for yeast cell death research and, ultimately, to accelerate the
progress of this vibrant field of research.