Compete globally, bud locally.
How cells generate a single axis of polarity for mating, division, and movement is unknown. In this issue, Howell et al. (2009) use a synthetic biology approach to demonstrate that rapid competition for a soluble signaling component (Bem1) is essential to ensure a unique axis of polarity in budding yeast.
Houk
Andrew R
AR
Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
Millius
Arthur
A
Weiner
Orion D
OD
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020846:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein, Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C073129:BEM1 protein, S cerevisiae; D020846:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein, Saccharomyces cerevisiae