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PLoS One

Title:		Distal and proximal actions of peptide pheromone M-factor control different conjugation steps in fission yeast
Author(s):		Seike T; Nakamura T; Shimoda C;
Address:		"Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan. saysay@sci.osaka-cu.ac.jp"
Journal Title:		PLoS One
Year:		2013
Volume:		20130716
Issue:		7
Page Number:		e69491 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pone.0069491
ISSN/ISBN:		1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Mating pheromone signaling is essential for conjugation between haploid cells of P-type (P-cells) and haploid cells of M-type (M-cells) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. A peptide pheromone, M-factor, produced by M-cells is recognized by the receptor of P-cells. An M-factor-less mutant, in which the M-factor-encoding genes are deleted, is completely sterile. In liquid culture, sexual agglutination was not observed in the mutant, but it could be recovered by adding exogenous synthetic M-factor, which stimulated expression of the P-type-specific cell adhesion protein, Map4. Exogenous M-factor, however, failed to recover the cell fusion defect in the M-factor-less mutant. When M-factor-less cells were added to a mixture of wild-type P- and M-cells, marked cell aggregates were formed. Notably, M-factor-less mutant cells were also incorporated in these aggregates. In this mixed culture, P-cells conjugated preferentially with M-cells secreting M-factor, and rarely with M-factor-less M-cells. The kinetics of mating parameters in liquid culture revealed that polarized growth commenced from the contact region of opposite mating-type cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that M-factor at a low concentration induces adhesin expression, leading to initial cell-cell adhesion in a type of 'distal pheromone action', but M-factor that is secreted directly in the proximity of the adhered P-cells may be necessary for cell fusion in a type of 'proximal pheromone action'"
Keywords:		"Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal Peptides/genetics/*metabolism Pheromones/genetics/*metabolism Schizosaccharomyces/genetics/*metabolism Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins/genetics/*metabolism;"
Notes:		"MedlineSeike, Taisuke Nakamura, Taro Shimoda, Chikashi eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2013/07/23 PLoS One. 2013 Jul 16; 8(7):e69491. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069491. Print 2013"