title: A sex recognition glycoprotein is encoded by the plus mating-type gene fus1 of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
abstract: Sexual fusion between plus and minus gametes of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii entails adhesion between plus-specific and minus-specific "fringe" proteins displayed on the plasma membrane of gametic mating structures. We report the identification of the gene (fus1) encoding the plus fringe glycoprotein, which resides in a unique domain of the mating-type plus (mt+) locus, and which was identified by transposon insertions in three fusion-defective mutant strains. Transformation with fus1+ restores fringe and fusion competence to these mutants and to the pseudo-plus mutant imp11 mt-, defective in minus differentiation. The fus1 gene is remarkable in lacking the codon bias found in all other nuclear genes of C. reinhardtii.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Woessner
authors.forename: U W
authors.initials: UW
authors.lastname: Goodenough
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D016825:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010940:Plant Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D017931:DNA Primers; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C105676:fus1 protein, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii