Regulation of alpha-factor production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a-factor pheromone-induced expression of the MF alpha 1 and STE13 genes.

Achstetter, Tilman

doi:10.1128/mcb.9.10.4507

Cited by 37 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…In S. cerevisiae, many genes involved in the mating pathway are induced when the cells are exposed to mating pheromones (33), an induction that is believed to be mediated by the STE12 transcription factor (10). Even fold induced by a pheromone signal (1,55). A preliminary experiment suggested that a similar mechanism may exist in S. pombe, a homothallic h90 strain showing a higher level of mfin3 transcription than a heterothallic h-strain (data not shown).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Analysis of the structural genes encoding M-factor in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: identification of a third gene, mfm3.

Kjærulff¹,

Davey²,

Nielsen³

1994

Mol. Cell. Biol.

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We previously identified two genes, mfinl and mfin2, with the potential to encode the M-factor mating pheromone of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (J. Davey, EMBO J. 11:951-960, 1992), but further analysis revealed that a mutant strain lacking both genes still produced active M-factor. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of a third M-factor gene, mfm3. A mutant lacking all three genes fails to produce M-factor, indicating that all functional M-factor genes now have been identified. The triple mutant exhibits an absolute mating defect in M cells, a defect that is not rescued by addition of exogenous M-factor. A mutational analysis reveals that all three mJfm genes contribute to the production of M-factor. Their transcription is limited to M cells and requires the matl-Mc and stell gene products. Each gene is induced when the cells are starved of nitrogen and further induced by a pheromone signal. Additionally, the signal transduction machinery associated with the pheromone response is required for transcription of the mfm genes in both stimulated and unstimulated cells.The fission yeast Schizosaccharomycespombe exists in one of two mating types, minus (M) or plus (P), and under the appropriate conditions, cells of opposite mating type can conjugate to form a diploid zygote (reviewed in reference 45). Prior to conjugation, the cells communicate with each other via diffusible mating pheromones that prime the recipient cell for mating; M cells release M-factor, which prepares P cells for mating, and P cells secrete P-factor, which stimulates M cells. Pheromone-induced changes include a G1 arrest of the cell cycle (9, 26), an altered pattern of gene transcription (46), and elongation of the cell (7,19,36).The response begins when the pheromone binds to a Gprotein-coupled receptor on the surface of the target cell; receptors for P-factor are encoded by the mam2 gene (29), while those for M-factor are encoded by map3 (58). Stimulation of the receptor is thought to cause dissociation of the G protein such that the Got subunit (encoded bygpal [49]) is able to trigger an intracellular signalling pathway which includes a cascade of protein kinases encoded by the byrl, byr2, and spkl genes (42,44,56,59,61). A number of these enzymes are functionally homologous to the mitogen-activated protein kinases believed to be involved in controlling the proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells (reviewed in reference 16). Transmission of the pheromone signal also requires the rasl gene product, the S. pombe homolog of the mammalian ras oncogene (20,46).The M-factor pheromone is a nonapeptide in which the C-terminal cysteine residue is S farnesylated and carboxyl methylated (7,8,60); P-factor is a peptide made of 23 residues and is probably unmodified (26). Although the biogenesis of M-factor is not fully characterized, it is likely to be similar to * Corresponding author. Mailing address:

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Analysis of the structural genes encoding M-factor in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: identification of a third gene, mfm3.

Kjærulff¹,

Davey²,

Nielsen³

1994

Mol. Cell. Biol.

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“…In the halo assay, a lawn of cells is treated with a localized source of pheromone to determine if cell growth is inhibited (1). A small amount of cell mass was taken from a fresh opaque colony and transferred to a 1.5-ml Eppendorf tube containing 1 ml of sterile water.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

SST2 , a Regulator of G-Protein Signaling for the Candida albicans Mating Response Pathway

Dignard

Whiteway

2006

Eukaryot Cell

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Candida albicans contains a functional mating response pathway that is similar to the well-studied system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have characterized a regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) homolog in C. albicans with sequence similarity to the SST2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Disruption of this gene, which had been designated SST2, causes an opaque MTLa/MTLa derivative of strain SC5314 to show hypersensitivity to the C. albicans ␣-factor. This hypersensitivity generates an enhanced cell cycle arrest detected in halo assays but reduces the overall mating efficiency of the cells. Transcriptional profiling of the pheromone-regulated gene expression in the sst2 mutant shows a pattern of gene induction similar to that observed in wild-type cells, but the responsiveness is heightened. This involvement of an RGS in the sensitivity to pheromone is consistent with the prediction that the mating response pathway in C. albicans requires the activation of a heterotrimeric G protein.

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“…The pheromone precursor protein ␣-factor is comprised of 2 to 5 identical repeat sequences flanked by Kex2 cleavage sites (KK or KR). Once processed by Kex2, the released peptides (9 to 13 amino acid residues) are matured by the proteases Kex1 and Ste13 in the Golgi internal membrane and then released to the extracellular space (33).…”

Section: Identification Of Sex-related Genesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular and Morphological Data Support the Existence of a Sexual Cycle in Species of the Genus Paracoccidioides

et al. 2013

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The genus Paracoccidioides includes the thermodimorphic species Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii, both of which are etiologic agents of paracoccidioidomycosis, a systemic mycosis that affects humans in Latin America. Despite the common occurrence of a sexual stage among closely related fungi, this has not been observed with Paracoccidioides species, which have thus been considered asexual. Molecular evolutionary studies revealed recombination events within isolated populations of the genus Paracoccidioides, suggesting the possible existence of a sexual cycle. Comparative genomic analysis of all dimorphic fungi and Saccharomyces cerevisiae demonstrated the presence of conserved genes involved in sexual reproduction, including those encoding mating regulators such as MAT, pheromone receptors, pheromone-processing enzymes, and mating signaling regulators. The expression of sex-related genes in the yeast and mycelial phases of both Paracoccidioides species was also detected by realtime PCR, with nearly all of these genes being expressed preferentially in the filamentous form of the pathogens. In addition, the expression of sex-related genes was responsive to the putative presence of pheromone in the supernatants obtained from previous cocultures of strains of two different mating types. In vitro crossing of isolates of different mating types, discriminated by phylogenetic analysis of the ␣-box (MAT1-1) and the high-mobility-group (HMG) domain (MAT1-2), led to the identification of the formation of young ascocarps with constricted coiled hyphae related to the initial stage of mating. These genomic and morphological analyses strongly support the existence of a sexual cycle in species of the genus Paracoccidioides.

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Regulation of alpha-factor production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a-factor pheromone-induced expression of the MF alpha 1 and STE13 genes.

Cited by 37 publications

References 37 publications

Analysis of the structural genes encoding M-factor in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: identification of a third gene, mfm3.

Analysis of the structural genes encoding M-factor in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: identification of a third gene, mfm3.

SST2 , a Regulator of G-Protein Signaling for the Candida albicans Mating Response Pathway

Molecular and Morphological Data Support the Existence of a Sexual Cycle in Species of the Genus Paracoccidioides

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