scholarly journals Cell type-specific chromatin organization of the region that governs directionality of yeast mating type switching

1997 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 4352-4360 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Weiss
Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 146 (4) ◽  
pp. 1221-1238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiv I S Grewal ◽  
Amar J S Klar

Cells of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe switch mating type by replacing genetic information at the transcriptionally active mat1 locus with sequences copied from one of two closely linked silent loci, mat2-P or mat3-M. By a process referred to as directionality of switching, cells predominantly switch to the opposite mat1 allele; the mat1-P allele preferentially recombines with mat3, while mat1-M selects the mat2. In contrast to efficient recombination at mat1, recombination within the adjoining mat2-mat3 interval is undetectable. We defined the role of sequences between mat2 and mat3, designated the K-region, in directionality as well as recombinational suppression. Cloning and sequencing analysis revealed that a part of the K-region is homologous to repeat sequences present at centromeres, which also display transcriptional and recombinational suppression. Replacement of 7.5 kb of the K-region with the ura4  + gene affected directionality in a variegated manner. Analysis of the swi6-mod locus, which was previously shown to affect directionality, in KΔ::ura4  + strains suggested the existence of at least two overlapping directionality mechanisms. Our work furthers the model that directionality is regulated by cell-type-specific organization of the heterochromatin-like structure in the mating-type region and provides evidence that the K-region contributes to silencing of the mat2-mat3 interval.


PLoS Genetics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e1002630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Li ◽  
Eric Coïc ◽  
Kihoon Lee ◽  
Cheng-Sheng Lee ◽  
Jung-Ae Kim ◽  
...  

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 3185-3193
Author(s):  
K Inokuchi ◽  
A Nakayama ◽  
F Hishinuma

The MF alpha 1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a major structural gene for mating pheromone alpha factor, is an alpha-specific gene whose expression is regulated by the mating-type locus. To study the role of sequences upstream of MF alpha 1 in its expression and regulation, we generated two sets of promoter deletions: upstream deletions and internal deletions. By analyzing these deletions, we have identified a TATA box and two closely related, tandemly arranged upstream activation sites as necessary elements for MF alpha 1 expression. Two upstream activation sites were located ca. 300 and 250 base pairs upstream of the MF alpha 1 transcription start points, which were also determined in this study. Each site contained a homologous 22-base-pair sequence, and both sites were required for maximum transcription level. The distance between the upstream activation sites and the transcription start points could be altered without causing loss of transcription efficiency, and the sites were active in either orientation with respect to the coding region. These elements conferred cell type-specific expression on a heterologous promoter. Analysis with host mating-type locus mutants indicates that these sequences are the sites through which the MAT alpha 1 product exerts its action to activate the MF alpha 1 gene. Homologous sequences with these elements were found in other alpha-specific genes, MF alpha 2 and STE3, and may mediate activation of this set of genes by MAT alpha 1.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 2247-2260 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Y Roth ◽  
A Dean ◽  
R T Simpson

The yeast alpha 2 repressor suppresses expression of a-mating-type-specific genes in haploid alpha and diploid a/alpha cell types. We inserted the alpha 2-binding site into the multicopy TRP1/ARS1 yeast plasmid and examined the effects of alpha 2 on the chromatin structure of the derivative plasmids in alpha cells, and a/alpha cells. Whereas no effect on nucleosome position was observed in a cells, nucleosomes were precisely and stably positioned over sequences flanking the alpha 2 operator in alpha and a/alpha cells. In addition, when the alpha 2 operator was located upstream of the TRP1 gene, an extended array of positioned nucleosomes was formed in alpha cells and a/alpha cells, with formation of a nucleosome not present in a cells, and TRP1 mRNA production was substantially reduced. These data indicate that alpha 2 causes a positioning of nucleosomes over sequences proximal to its operator in TRP1/ARS1 chromatin and suggest that changes in chromatin structure may be related to alpha 2 repression of cell-type-specific genes.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 2247-2260
Author(s):  
S Y Roth ◽  
A Dean ◽  
R T Simpson

The yeast alpha 2 repressor suppresses expression of a-mating-type-specific genes in haploid alpha and diploid a/alpha cell types. We inserted the alpha 2-binding site into the multicopy TRP1/ARS1 yeast plasmid and examined the effects of alpha 2 on the chromatin structure of the derivative plasmids in alpha cells, and a/alpha cells. Whereas no effect on nucleosome position was observed in a cells, nucleosomes were precisely and stably positioned over sequences flanking the alpha 2 operator in alpha and a/alpha cells. In addition, when the alpha 2 operator was located upstream of the TRP1 gene, an extended array of positioned nucleosomes was formed in alpha cells and a/alpha cells, with formation of a nucleosome not present in a cells, and TRP1 mRNA production was substantially reduced. These data indicate that alpha 2 causes a positioning of nucleosomes over sequences proximal to its operator in TRP1/ARS1 chromatin and suggest that changes in chromatin structure may be related to alpha 2 repression of cell-type-specific genes.


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