Bgs3p, a putative 1,3-beta-glucan synthase subunit, is required for cell wall assembly in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
beta-Glucans are the main components of the fungal cell wall. Fission yeast possesses a family of beta-glucan synthase-related genes. We describe here the cloning and characterization of bgs3(+), a new member of this family. bgs3(+) was cloned as a suppressor of a mutant hypersensitive to Echinocandin and Calcofluor White, drugs that interfere with cell wall biosynthesis. Disruption of the gene is lethal, and a decrease in Bgs3p levels leads to rounded cells with thicker walls, slightly reduces the amount of the beta-glucan, and raises the amount of alpha-glucan polymer. These cells finally died. bgs3(+) is expressed in vegetative cells grown in different conditions and during mating and germination and is not enhanced by stress situations. Consistent with the observed expression pattern, Bgs3-green fluorescence protein (GFP-Bgs3p) was found at the growing tips during interphase and at the septum prior to cytokinesis, always localized to growth areas. We also found GFP-Bgs3p in mating projections, during the early stages of zygote formation, and at the growing pole during ascospore germination. We conclude that Bgs3p localization is restricted to growth areas and that Bgs3p is a glucan synthase homologue required for cell wall biosynthesis and cell elongation in the fission yeast life cycle.
Martín
Victoria
V
Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, and Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
García
Blanca
B
Carnero
Elena
E
Durán
Angel
A
Sánchez
Yolanda
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics; D005936:Glucans / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005936:Glucans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C020570:1,3-beta-glucan synthase