Overexpression of the STE4 gene leads to mating response in haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The STE4 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the beta subunit of the yeast pheromone receptor-coupled G protein. Overexpression of the STE4 protein led to cell cycle arrest of haploid cells. This arrest was like the arrest mediated by mating pheromones in that it led to similar morphological changes in the arrested cells. The arrest occurred in haploid cells of either mating type but not in MATa/MAT alpha diploids, and it was suppressed by defects in genes such as STE12 that are needed for pheromone response. Overexpression of the STE4 gene product also suppressed the sterility of cells defective in the mating pheromone receptors encoded by the STE2 and STE3 genes. Cell cycle arrest mediated by STE4 overexpression was prevented in cells that either were overexpressing the SCG1 gene product (the alpha subunit of the G protein) or lacked the STE18 gene product (the gamma subunit of the G protein). This finding suggests that in yeast cells, the beta subunit is the limiting component of the active beta gamma element and that a proper balance in the levels of the G-protein subunits is critical to a normal mating pheromone response.

Cloning and characterization of the SKI3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae demonstrates allelism to SKI5.

We have identified a mutant strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae which overproduces killer toxin. This strain contains a single mutation which fails to complement defects in both the SKI3 and SKI5 genes, while a cloned copy of this gene complements both the ski3 and ski5 defects. The level of secreted toxin from a cDNA based plasmid is not increased in a ski3 strain, showing that the overproduction phenotype is dependent upon an increased level of M1 dsRNA.

Expression of MF alpha 1 in MATa cells supersensitive to alpha-factor leads to self-arrest.

MATa cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in both the SST1 and SST2 gene products exhibit self-arrest when they express the MF alpha 1 gene under the control of the GAL1 promoter. This response to endogenously produced pheromone can be alleviated by mutations which prevent the production of, or response to, alpha-factor. Suppressors of the self-arrest phenotype include a class of mutants which remain responsive to low levels of pheromone, but are resistant to high levels of alpha-factor. One of these mutants has been mapped to chromosome X, 31 cM distal to SUP4, and defines a new locus designated STE18.

Cloning of Saccharomyces cerevisiae STE5 as a suppressor of a Ste20 protein kinase mutant: structural and functional similarity of Ste5 to Far1.

The beta and gamma subunits of the mating response G-protein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been shown to transmit the mating pheromone signal to downstream components of the pheromone response pathway. A protein kinase homologue encoded by the STE20 gene has recently been identified as a potential G beta gamma target. We have searched multicopy plasmid genomic DNA libraries for high gene dosage suppressors of the signal transduction defect of ste20 mutant cells. This screen identified the STE5 gene encoding an essential component of the pheromone signal transduction pathway. We provide genetic evidence for a functional interrelationship between the STE5 gene product and the Ste20 protein kinase. We have sequenced the STE5 gene, which encodes a predicted protein of 917 amino acids and is specifically transcribed in haploid cells. Transcription is slightly induced by treatment of cells with pheromone. Ste5 has homology with Far1, a yeast protein required for efficient mating and the pheromone-inducible inhibition of a G1 cyclin, Cln2. A STE5 multicopy plasmid is able to suppress the signal transduction defect of far1 null mutant cells suggesting that Ste5, at elevated levels, is able functionally to replace Far1. The genetically predicted point of function of Ste5 within the pheromone signalling pathway suggests that Ste5 is involved in the regulation of a G beta gamma-activated protein kinase cascade which links a G-protein coupled receptor to yeast homologues of mitogen-activated protein kinases.

Dominant-negative mutants of a yeast G-protein beta subunit identify two functional regions involved in pheromone signalling.

The STE4 gene, which encodes the beta subunit of the mating response G-protein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was subjected to a saturation mutagenesis using 'doped' oligodeoxynucleotides. We employed a genetic screen to select dominant-negative STE4 mutants, which when overexpressed from the GAL1 promoter, interfered with the signalling function of the wild type protein. The identified inhibitory amino acid alterations define two small regions that are crucially involved in transmitting the mating signal from G beta to downstream components of the signalling pathway. These results underline the positive signalling role of yeast G beta and assign for the first time the positive signalling function of a G-protein beta subunit to specific structural features.

Is hypomethylation linked to activation of delta-crystallin genes during lens development?

Expression of many cell type-specific genes is correlated with a reduced level of cytosine methylation and some results argue that genetic programmes may be activated by a reduction in DNA methylation. During embryogenesis, however, when many genes are activated in specific cell lineages, it has not been demonstrated that they are hypomethylated prior to their expression. We have examined the timing of hypomethylation and gene activation during embryonic chick lens development for the two genes encoding delta-crystallin (the major lens-specific protein). We report here that while many of the CCGG sequences analysed become hypomethylated, most do not do so until 2 days after delta-crystallin is first synthesized. However, there is at least one site which is hypomethylated earlier, approximately when transcription is thought to commence. We conclude that hypomethylation in the delta-crystallin genes is probably not a simple process which activates transcription, although early hypomethylation events indicate obvious sites to be examined for a role in gene activation.

The STE4 and STE18 genes of yeast encode potential beta and gamma subunits of the mating factor receptor-coupled G protein.

The STE4 and STE18 genes are required for haploid yeast cell mating. Sequencing of the cloned genes revealed that the STE4 polypeptide shows extensive homology to the beta subunits of mammalian G proteins, while the STE18 polypeptide shows weak similarity to the gamma subunit of transducin. Null mutations in either gene can suppress the haploid-specific cell-cycle arrest caused by mutations in the SCG1 gene (previously shown to encode a protein with similarity to the alpha subunit of G proteins). We propose that the products of the STE4 and STE18 genes comprise the beta and gamma subunits of a G protein complex coupled to the mating pheromone receptors. The genetic data suggest pheromone-receptor binding leads to the dissociation of the alpha subunit from beta gamma (as shown for mammalian G proteins), and the free beta gamma element initiates the pheromone response.