title: Coding repeat instability in the FLO11 gene of Saccharomyces yeasts.
abstract: In Saccharomyces yeasts, the FLO11 gene encodes an adhesin involved in filamentation, invasive growth, flocculation and adherence to solid surfaces. In wild Saccharomyces flor yeasts, a particularly expanded FLO11 allele also confers to these yeasts the ability to float under stressing liquid environments. We report here that, under optimal laboratory conditions, the repeats domain of the FLO11 gene in these wild yeasts is extremely unstable. Changes in length in the FLO11 coding repeats domain affected Flo11p-associated functions but, interestingly, some of these functions were affected more than others. Therefore, length variations in this single gene provide a combinatorial diversity, which may contribute to a very rapid adaptation to fluctuating environments. Functional analysis of contracted alleles indicated that buoyancy was not associated to FLO11 length. In contrast, this property depended on the different types of repetitive units found in this gene. Thus, not only variations in the number of intragenic repeats but also the abundance and/or distribution of the different repetitive units may have phenotypic and evolutionary implications.
authors.affiliation: Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, Universidad Pablo de Olavide/CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fidalgo
authors.forename: Ramon R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Barrales
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jimenez
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D012440:Saccharomyces / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C110690:FLO11 protein, S cerevisiae; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins