Two alleles of the sulfite resistance genes are differentially regulated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The sulfite resistance gene, SSU1-R, is widely distributed in wine yeasts. This gene has an upstream region distinct from that of the allelic gene, SSU1 and SSU1-R is expressed at a much higher level than SSU1. We characterized the promoters of both of these genes by analysis of their activity using the LacZ gene as a reporter. FZF1, the activator gene of SSU1, was shown to regulate SSU1-R expression indirectly. SSU1-R expression was activated under microaerobic conditions, and four 76-bp repeats, present within the SSU1-R promoter region, was essential for high expression. These results indicate that SSU1-R expression is regulated in different manner from that of SSU1. By deletion analysis of the SSU1-R promoter region, we found that at least two of the 76-bp repeats are necessary for promoter activity, and that the number of 76-bp repeats influences the activity. Hence, it was suggested that the number of 76-bp repeats increases in wine yeasts that require strong sulfite resistance.
Yuasa
Noriyuki
N
Division of Biotechnology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Japan.
Nakagawa
Youji
Y
Hayakawa
Masayuki
M
Iimura
Yuzuru
Y
D000483:Alleles; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D013447:Sulfites / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
D017931:DNA Primers; C090870:FZF1 protein, S cerevisiae; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D013447:Sulfites; D014157:Transcription Factors