The PRE and PQ box are functionally distinct yeast pheromone response elements.

AUTOR(ES)

Sengupta, P

RESUMO

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mating pheromones function by binding to cell surface receptors and activating signal transduction processes which regulate gene expression. In this report, we have analyzed the minimum sequence requirements for conferring both a and alpha mating pheromone inducibilities onto a heterologous promoter. Here we show that the repetitive pheromone response element (PRE) which binds to STE12 protein is sufficient to confer pheromone responsiveness only when present in multiple copies. Moreover, by itself, it is preferentially responsive to alpha factor in a cells. In contrast, a single copy of the PQ box of the STE3 upstream activation sequence (UAS) is sufficient to confer a-factor responsiveness in alpha cells. The PQ box binds both MCM1 and MAT alpha 1 in a cooperative manner, and neither the P nor Q site alone is sufficient to confer a-factor responsiveness. In a cells, however, even multiple copies of the PQ box fail to confer alpha-factor responsiveness. Therefore, the PRE and the PQ box are functionally distinct pheromone-responsive elements with opposite cell type specificities. Moreover, these results indicate that the MCM1 protein functions in a signal transduction pathway in a manner analogous to that of its mammalian homolog, the serum response factor, which regulates the expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene in mammals.

Documentos Relacionados

• The yeast his3 promoter contains at least two distinct elements.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae HSP70 heat shock elements are functionally distinct.
• Functionally distinct elements are required for expression of the AMPD1 gene in myocytes.
• Pheromone response elements are necessary and sufficient for basal and pheromone-induced transcription of the FUS1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
• Site-Directed Mutations Altering the Caax Box of Ste18, the Yeast Pheromone-Response Pathway Gγ Subunit