Regulation of alpha-factor production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a-factor pheromone-induced expression of the MF alpha 1 and STE13 genes.
Production of the mating pheromone alpha-factor was examined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae MAT alpha cells that had been exposed to the mating pheromone a-factor. A 2-h treatment with a-factor caused a significant increase in alpha-factor concentration in the medium as demonstrated by a halo assay. MF alpha 1 is one of the two genes coding for a precursor of alpha-factor. A Northern (RNA) analysis of total RNA from a-factor-treated MAT alpha cells revealed a rapid two- to threefold increase in MF alpha 1 transcript levels, reaching maximum within 60 min of exposure to the pheromone. Pheromone induction did not require ongoing protein synthesis. a-Factor-induced MF alpha 1 expression was quantitated by analysis of an MF alpha 1::SUC2 fusion gene whose product was assayed for invertase activity. Expression of the MF alpha 1::SUC2 gene in MAT alpha cells responded to the a-factor signal like the chromosomal version of MF alpha 1. Maturation of the alpha-factor precursor involves three proteolytic activities which are encoded by the KEX1, KEX2, and STE13 genes, respectively. Two of these genes, namely, KEX2 and STE13, were examined for pheromone-induced expression. Only the STE13 gene exhibited pheromone induction at the transcriptional level.
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Institut für Botanik, Universität Regensburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases / Q000235:genetics; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000072235:Mating Factor; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D043484:Proprotein Convertases; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D013381:Subtilisins; D013997:Time Factors; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase
D010455:Peptides; D010675:Pheromones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D000072235:Mating Factor; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase; D010450:Endopeptidases; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases; C061833:STE13 protein, S cerevisiae; C053108:carboxypeptidase ysc-alpha; D043484:Proprotein Convertases; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D013381:Subtilisins; C058751:KEX2 protein, S cerevisiae