scholarly journals A SUPPRESSOR OF MATING-TYPE LOCUS MUTATIONS IN SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE: EVIDENCE FOR AND IDENTIFICATION OF CRYPTIC MATING-TYPE LOCI

Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 877-901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasper Rine ◽  
Jeffrey N Strathern ◽  
James B Hicks ◽  
Ira Herskowitz

ABSTRACT A mutation has been identified that suppresses the mating and sporulation defects of all mutations in the mating-type loci of S. cereuisiae. This suppressor, sir1-1, restores mating ability to matαl and matα2 mutants and restores sporulation ability to matα2 and mata1 mutants. MATa sir1-1 strains exhibit a polar budding pattern and have reduced sensitivity to α-factor, both properties of a/α diploids. Furthermore, sir1-1 allows MATa/MATa, matα1/matα1, and MATα/MATα strains to sporulate efficiently. All actions of sir1-1 are recessive to SIR1. The ability of sir1-1 to supply all functions necessary for mating and sporulation and its effects in a cells are explained by proposing that sir1-1 allows expression of mating type loci which are ordinarily not expressed. The ability of sir1-1 to suppress the matαl-5 mutation is dependent on the HMa gene, previously identified as required for switching of mating types from a to α. Thus, as predicted by the cassette model, HMa is functionally equivalent to MATα since it supplies functions of MATα. We propose that sir1-1 is defective in a function, Sir ("Silent-information regulator"), whose role may be to regulate expression of HMa and HMα.

Genetics ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 373A-393
Author(s):  
James B Hicks ◽  
Ira Herskowitz

ABSTRACT The two mating types of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be interconverted in both homothallic and heterothallic strains. Previous work indicates that all yeast cells contain the information to be both a and α and that the HO gene (in homothallic strains) promotes a change in mating type by causing a change at the mating type locus itself. In both heterothallic and homothallic strains, a defective α mating type locus can be converted to a functional a locus and subsequently to a functional α locus. In contrast, action of the HO gene does not restore mating ability to a strain defective in another gene for mating which is not at the mating type locus. These observations indicate that a yeast cell contains an additional copy (or copies) of α information, and lead to the "cassette" model for mating type interconversion. In this model, HM  a and hmα loci are blocs of unexpressed α regulatory information, and HMα and hm  a loci are blocs of unexpressed a regulatory information. These blocs are silent because they lack an essential site for expression, and become active upon insertion of this information (or a copy of the information) into the mating type locus by action of the HO gene.


Genetics ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
James B Hicks ◽  
Jeffrey N Strathern ◽  
Ira Herskowitz

ABSTRACT Mating type interconversion in homothallic Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied in diploids homozygous for the mating type locus produced by sporulation of a/a/a/α and a/a/α/α tetraploid strains. Mating type switches have been analyzed by techniques including direct observation of cells for changes in α-factor sensitivity. Another method of following mating type switching exploits the observation that a/α cells exhibit polar budding and a/a and α/α cells exhibit medial budding.—These studies indicate the following: (1) The allele conferring the homothallic life cycle (HO) is dominant to the allele conferring the heterothallic life cycle (ho). (2) The action of the HO gene is controlled by the mating type locus—active in a/a and α/α cells but not in a/α cells. (3) The HO (or HO-controlled) gene product can act independently on two mating type alleles located on separate chromosomes in the same nucleus. (4) A switch in mating type is observed in pairs of cells, each of which has the same change.


1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 958-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Rine ◽  
G F Sprague ◽  
I Herskowitz

Sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae normally occurs only in MATa/MAT alpha diploids. We show that mutations in RME1 bypassed the requirements for both a and alpha mating type information in sporulation and therefore allowed MATa/MATa and MAT alpha/MAT alpha diploids to sporulate. RME1 was located on chromosome VII, between LEU1 and ADE6.


Genetics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
pp. 503-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
H S Judelson ◽  
L J Spielman ◽  
R C Shattock

Abstract DNA markers linked to the determinants of mating type in the oomycete, Phytophthora infestans, were identified and used to address the genetic basis of heterothallism in the normally diploid fungus. Thirteen loci linked to the A1 and A2 mating types were initially identified by bulked segregant analysis using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers (RAPDs) and subsequently scored in three crosses polymorphisms (SSCP), cleaved amplified polymorphisms (CAPS), or allele-specific polymerase chain reaction markers (AS-PCR). All DNA markers mapped to a single region, consistent with a single locus determining both mating types. Long-range restriction mapping also demonstrated the linkage of the markers to one region and delimited the mating type locus to a 100-kb region. The interval containing the mating type locus displayed non-Mendelian segregation as only two of the four expected genotypes were detected in progeny. This is consistent with a system of balance lethal loci near the mating type locus. A model for mating type determination is presented in which the balanced lethals exclude form progeny those with potentially conflicting combinations of mating type alleles, such as those simultaneously expressing A1 and A2 functions.


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.


Genetics ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-288
Author(s):  
Vivian Mackay ◽  
Thomas R Manney

ABSTRACT Rare diploids formed by sterile mutants have been studied by tetrad analysis. Sixteen classes of mutants representing at least five distinct genetic loci have been defined. One group of mutations, isolated only in α, maps at the mating-type locus, while none of the others shows any linkage to mating type. Some of the mutations are nonspecific for mating type, while others act only on a or α. In addition, mutations were found that prevent sporulation when heterozygous in diploids. These appear to be mutations of the mating-type alleles.


Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 777-782
Author(s):  
Amar J S Klar ◽  
Seymour Fogel ◽  
Karin Lusnak

ABSTRACT Tetrad analysis of MAT  a/MATα diploids of Saccharomyces cerevisiae generally yields 2 MATa:2MATα meiotic products. About 1 to 1.8% of the tetrads yield aberrant segregations for this marker. Described here are experiments that determine whether the aberrant meiotic segregations at the mating-type locus are ascribable to gene conversions or to MAT switches, that is, to mating-type interconversions. Diploid strains incapable of switching MAT  a to MATα, or the converse, nevertheless display changes of MAT  a to MATα, or the reverse. These events must be attributed to gene conversion. Further, we suggest that MAT  a and MATα alleles may represent nonhomologous sequences of DNA since they fail to display postmeiotic segregations.


1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 958-960
Author(s):  
J Rine ◽  
G F Sprague ◽  
I Herskowitz

Sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae normally occurs only in MATa/MAT alpha diploids. We show that mutations in RME1 bypassed the requirements for both a and alpha mating type information in sporulation and therefore allowed MATa/MATa and MAT alpha/MAT alpha diploids to sporulate. RME1 was located on chromosome VII, between LEU1 and ADE6.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 2142-2152
Author(s):  
H E Smith ◽  
A P Mitchell

Two signals activate meiosis in yeast: starvation and expression of the a1 and alpha 2 products of the mating-type locus. Prior studies suggest that these signals stimulate expression of an activator of meiosis, the IME1 (inducer of meiosis) product. We have cloned a gene, IME2, with properties similar to those of IME1: both genes are required for meiosis, and both RNAs are induced in meiotic cells. Elevated dosage of IME1 or IME2 stimulates the meiotic recombination pathway without starvation; thus, the IME products may be part of the switch that activates meiosis. IME1 was found to be required for IME2 expression, and a multicopy IME2 plasmid permitted meiosis in an ime1 deletion mutant. Accordingly, we propose that the IME1 product stimulates meiosis mainly through activation of IME2 expression.


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