Title: | Coupling of cell identity to signal response in yeast: interaction between the alpha 1 and STE12 proteins |
Author(s): | Yuan YO; Stroke IL; Fields S; |
Address: | "Department of Microbiology, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-5222" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0890-9369 (Print) 0890-9369 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the STE12 protein mediates transcriptional induction of cell type-specific genes in response to pheromones. STE12 binds in vitro to the pheromone response elements (PREs) present in the control region of a-specific genes. STE12 is also required for transcription of alpha-specific genes, but there is no evidence that it binds directly to these genes. Instead, the MAT alpha-encoded protein alpha 1 and the MCM1 product bind to the DNA element that is responsible for alpha-specific and a-factor-inducible expression. To explore the role of STE12 in the pheromone induction of alpha-specific genes, we cloned STE12 and MAT alpha 1 homologs from the related yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. The K. lactis STE12 protein did not cooperate with the S. cerevisiae alpha 1 protein to promote the overall mating process or the induction of transcription of an alpha-specific gene. However, introduction of both K. lactis STE12 along with K. lactis alpha 1 did restore mating, suggesting that an interaction between STE12 and alpha 1 is important for alpha-specific gene activation. We also show that bacterially expressed STE12 and alpha 1 are able to form a complex in vitro. Thus, we demonstrate a coupling in alpha cells between a protein functioning in cell identity, alpha 1, with a protein responsive to the pheromone-induced signal STE12" |
Keywords: | "Amino Acid Sequence Base Sequence Cell Differentiation/genetics Conserved Sequence DNA-Binding Proteins/physiology Fungal Proteins/chemistry/*genetics/*metabolism GTP-Binding Proteins/physiology *Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal Kluyveromyces/genetics M;" |
Notes: | "MedlineYuan, Y O Stroke, I L Fields, S eng 5 T32 CA09176/CA/NCI NIH HHS/ GM49065/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 1993/08/01 Genes Dev. 1993 Aug; 7(8):1584-97. doi: 10.1101/gad.7.8.1584" |