Schizosaccharomyces pombe sxa1+ and sxa2+ encode putative proteases involved in the mating response.

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe sxa1 and sxa2 mutants showed an exaggerated response to mating pheromones, producing excessively long conjugation tubes and exhibiting mating deficiency. This phenotype was similar to phenotypes of cells bearing an activated allele of ras1, such as ras1Val-17 or ras1Leu-66, and phenotypes of cells defective in gap1. However, genetic evidence suggested that the sxa1 and sxa2 gene products are not directly involved in the Ras1 pathway. The gene products of sxa1 and sxa2, as deduced from their nucleotide sequences, were homologous to aspartyl proteases and serine carboxypeptidases, respectively. The sxa1 gene function was required for efficient mating only in h+ cells, although even disruption of sxa1 did not completely abolish the mating ability. Conversely, the sxa2 gene function was required only in h- cells. Wild-type cells produced a diffusible substance, which may be the sxa2 gene product itself, that could confer fertility to sxa2 mutant cells placed at a distance. These observations are consistent with the possibility that the sxa gene products are involved in degradation or processing of the mating pheromones and that their loss cause a persistent response to the pheromones.     

Sxa2 is a serine carboxypeptidase that degrades extracellular P-factor in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Stimulating the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe with mating pheromones brings about responses that lead to cell conjugation. Persistent stimulation does not, however, induce a continuous response as the cells become desensitized to the presence of the pheromone. One mechanism that contributes to desensitization in M-cells is the release of a carboxypeptidase that inactivates the extracellular P-factor pheromone. Production of the carboxypeptidase requires a functional sxa2 gene. In this study, we report the first molecular characterization of the Sxa2 protein and provide direct evidence that it is the carboxypeptidase that degrades P-factor. Sxa2 is synthesized as a precursor that undergoes an internal cleavage event catalysed by a protease with specificity for basic residues. This generates a series of catalytically active N-terminal fragments and an inactive C-terminal fragment. Cleavage is essential for activation of the carboxypeptidase and, although the C-terminal fragment is inactive, it is required for the N-terminal fragment to attain activity.     

Autocrine response of Schizosaccharomyces pombe haploid cells to mating pheromones

Abstract The mating response of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is mediated by mating pheromones, M-factor and P-factor, produced by h⁻ and h⁺ cells, respectively. When the M-factor receptor (Map3) was ectopically expressed in h⁻ cells lacking the P-factor receptor (Mam2), they acquired mating competence in response to M-factor which they secreted. The autocrine response to P-factor in h⁺ cells was so weak that mating competence was not acquired, although expression of the pheromone-responsive gene mat1-Pm was detected. These observations support the notion that the intensity of cellular response to mating pheromones is different between h⁻ and h⁺ cells, although downstream pathways of the pheromone receptors are shared by the two mating types.     

P-Factor,a New Peptidic Growth Factor for Pediococcus soyae

The P-factor a new growth factor for Ped. soyae, is found in partial acid and enzymic hydrolysates of Hammersten’s milk casein, and is therefore, supposed to be a kind of peptide. The well-known peptidic growth promoting substance for Lact. casei, strepogenin and its relating substances, are quite ineffective to the author’s organism. P-factor exists along with the S-factor which is another growth promoting-factor for this lactic acid bacterium, in soy mash juice and in the water extract of Aspergillus sojae mycelium. The former substance is also found in various kinds of commercial peptones. The factor was not substitutable with all of the 19 synthetic peptides tested. S-factor is effective, only in the presence of the P-factor.     

Betaine as a Growth Factor for Pediococcus soyae

Besides P-factor, Pediococcus soyae requires betaine (glycine-betaine) as a specific growth promotant. The maximal growth is obtained with the supplementation of both betaine and P-factor to the synthetic medium, while betaine only gives the half-maximal growth. When the organism is cultured in 18% salted media, the addition of both betaine and P-factor is essential for the occurrence of growth. Thus, betaine is requisite for Ped. soyae as a growth promoting factor and also as a factor bestowing the osmotelerant ability.     

Rearrangements at the mating type locus in fission yeast

Summary Crosses involving the partially defective mating type mutant B102 (functional in conjugation, defective in meiosis) have confirmed the notion that, in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, certain mating type mutations can arise by transposition. A copy of the mat2 ^P segment (specifying + mating type) is transposed and inserted into the mat1 ^M segment (usually specifying mating type). The mat1 ^M segment affected by the insertion loses its former function entirely. The function is, however, fully regained upon excision of the transposed and inserted mat2 ^P segment.At either position, the mat2 ^P segments can undergo inactivations to different states of residual activity. These events can occur about as frequent as other mutations of the mating type locus (ca. 10^–4 per cell division). In certain diploid strains, such inactivations were significantly correlated with recombination. Spontaneous reversions to full activity were also observed.     

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe mam1 gene encodes an ABC transporter mediating secretion of M-factor

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, cells of opposite mating type communicate via diffusible peptide pheromones prior to mating. We have cloned the S. pombe mam1 gene, which encodes a 1336-amino acid protein belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. The mam1 gene is only expressed in M cells and the gene product is responsible for the secretion of the mating pheromone, M-factor, a nonapeptide that is S-farnesylated and carboxy-methylated on its C-terminal cysteine residue. The predicted Mam1 protein is highly homologous to mammalian multiple drug-resistance proteins and to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae STE6 gene product, which mediates export of a-factor mating pheromone. We show that STE6 can also mediate secretion of M-factor in S. pombe. Received: 20 December 1996 / Accepted: 29 January 1997     

The sixth transmembrane region of a pheromone G-protein coupled receptor,Map3, is implicated in discrimination of closely related pheromones in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Most sexually reproducing organisms have the ability to recognize individuals of the same species. In ascomycete fungi including yeasts, mating between cells of opposite mating type depends on the molecular recognition of two peptidyl mating pheromones by their corresponding G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Although such pheromone/receptor systems are likely to function in both mate choice and prezygotic isolation, very few studies have focused on the stringency of pheromone receptors. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has two mating types, Plus (P) and Minus (M). Here, we investigated the stringency of the two GPCRs, Mam2 and Map3, for their respective pheromones, P-factor and M-factor, in fission yeast. First, we switched GPCRs between S. pombe and the closely related species Schizosaccharomyces octosporus, which showed that SoMam2 (Mam2 of S. octosporus) is partially functional in S. pombe, whereas SoMap3 (Map3 of S. octosporus) is not interchangeable. Next, we swapped individual domains of Mam2 and Map3 with the respective domains in SoMam2 and SoMap3, which revealed differences between the receptors both in the intracellular regions that regulate the downstream signaling of pheromones and in the activation by the pheromone. In particular, we demonstrated that two amino acid residues of Map3, F214 and F215, are key residues important for discrimination of closely related M-factors. Thus, the differences in these two GPCRs might reflect the significantly distinct stringency/flexibility of their respective pheromone/receptor systems; nevertheless, species-specific pheromone recognition remains incomplete.     

Binding sites for horseradish peroxidase on the cell surface

Summary The cytochemical reaction for surface-bound horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on cultured HeLa cells, GH₃ cells, and isolated rat liver cells was suppressed by 30 M monosialoganglioside, by 30 M trisialoganglioside, or by 5 mM CMP-neurminic acid. The reaction was also suppressed by 10 mM chitotriose or by 10 mM UDP-galactose, a galactose acceptor and donor, respectively, for galactosyltransferase. The addition of 2 mM Mn²⁺ to the incubation medium with HRP suppressed the reaction for surfacebound HRP, and the addition of 10–20 mM Ca²⁺ intensified the reaction. The addition of 2 mM Zn²⁺ caused less inhibition than that of 2 mM Mn²⁺, and the addition of 2 mM Co²⁺ caused either a slight inhibition, or no inhibition. These observations support the hypothesis that HRP may be bound to a glycosyltransferase at the cell surface.     

Cyclin-specific START events and the G1-phase specificity of arrest by mating factor in budding yeast

The START cell cycle transition in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is catalyzed by the Cdc28 cyclin-dependent kinase associated with Cln-type cyclins. Since ectopic expression of the B-type cyclin CLB5 can efficiently rescue the inviability that results from CLN depletion, we tested the specificity of the CLN and CLB classes of cyclins for promoting START-associated events. Several aspects of the regulation of the mating factor response were compared for cells in which START activity was provided by either Cln-cyclins or Clb5. Unlike Cln1 and Cln2, high level expression of Clb5 was unable to repress the activity of the mating factor response pathway at START. Downregulation of Far1 protein at START is normal in cln−GAL1::CLB5 cells. Even though the Clb5-Cdc28 kinase activity in cln−GAL1::CLB5 cells is not downregulated in response to mating factor, cells arrest in the first cycle after addition of mating factor with a similar sensitivity as wild-type cells. However, whereas wild-type cells treated with mating factor arrest specifically in G1 phase as unbudded cells with unreplicated DNA (pre-START), most cln−GAL1::CLB5 cells arrest as budded post-START cells with replicated DNA. Our findings demonstrate the ability of post-START cells to arrest in response to mating factor and provide novel evidence for mechanisms that contribute to restrict mating factor-induced arrest in wild-type cells to the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Received: 25 September 1997 / Accepted: 9 November 1997     

Evidence for Gene Duplication and Allelic Codominance (not Hierarchical Dominance) at the Mating‐Type Locus of the Ciliate,Euplotes crassus

The high‐multiple mating system of Euplotes crassus is known to be controlled by multiple alleles segregating at a single locus and manifesting relationships of hierarchical dominance, so that heterozygous cells would produce a single mating‐type substance (pheromone). In strain L‐2D, now known to be homozygous at the mating‐type locus, we previously identified two pheromones (Ec‐α and Ec‐1) characterized by significant variations in their amino acid sequences and structure of their macronuclear coding genes. In this study, pheromones and macronuclear coding genes have been analyzed in strain POR‐73 characterized by a heterozygous genotype and strong mating compatibility with L‐2D strain. It was found that POR‐73 cells contain three distinct pheromone coding genes and, accordingly, secrete three distinct pheromones. One pheromone revealed structural identity in amino acid sequence and macronuclear coding gene to the Ec‐α pheromone of L‐2D cells. The other two pheromones were shown to be new and were designated Ec‐2 and Ec‐3 to denote their structural homology with the Ec‐1 pheromone of L‐2D cells. We interpreted these results as evidence of a phenomenon of gene duplication at the E. crassus mating‐type locus, and lack of hierarchical dominance in the expression of the macronuclear pheromone genes in cells with heterozygous genotypes.     

Studies on chloroplast development in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii IV. Control of rapid chlorophyll formation in greening y-1 cells

Effects of protein synthesis inhibitors, CAP and CHI, on diegreening of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii y-1 cells, particularlyon die P-factor formation (19) in the early phase, were studied.Chlorophyll synthesis in the normal greening process, whichis divided into three phases, was strongly inhibited by bothantibiotics, although the inhibition by CAP was weaker in themiddle and late phases. The development of potential for rapidchlorophyll formation (P-factor formation) that takes placein dark-grown cells during dark incubation following brief illuminationwas completely blocked by CHI, but not by CAP. A "CHI-sensitive"period for the P-factor formation was restricted to the initial30 min during the dark incubation following brief illumination(10 min). This initial 30-min period appeared to correspondto the time of protochlorophyll(ide) formation which was inhibitedby CHI. Light-dependent conversion of protochlorophyll(ide) to chlorophylland also the subsequent protochlorophyll(ide) synthesis, whichis "CHI-sensitive" seem to be prerequisite for the inductionof P-factor synthesis. A possible control mechanism involvedin the early phase of the greening process in y-1 cells is discussed. (Received February 12, 1976; )     

Dependence of the resting [Ca2+]cyt of RBL-1 cells on Ca2+ entry

The cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_cyt) in resting cells in an equilibrium between several influx and efflux mechanisms. Here we address the question of whether capacitative Ca²⁺ entry to some extent is active at resting conditions and therefore is part of processes that guarantee a constant [Ca²⁺]_cyt. We measured changes of [Ca²⁺]_cyt in RBL-1 cells with fluorometric techniques. An increase of the extracellular [Ca²⁺] from 1.3 mM to 5 mM induced an incrase in [Ca²⁺]_cyt from 105±10 nM to 145±8.5 nM. This increase could be inhibited by 10 μM Gd³⁺, 10 μM La³⁺ or 50 μM 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, blockers of capacitative Ca²⁺ entry. Application of those blockers to a resting cell in a standard extracellular solution (1.3 mM Ca²⁺) resulted in a decrease of [Ca²⁺]_cyt from 105±10 nM to 88.5±10 nM with La³⁺, from 103±12 to 89±12 nM with Gd³⁺ and from 102±12 nM to 89.5±5 nM with 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate. From these data, we conclude that capacitative Ca²⁺ entry beside its function in Ca²⁺ signaling contributes to the regulation of resting [Ca²⁺]_cyt.     

Development of depolarization‐induced calcium transients in insect glial cells is dependent on the presence of afferent axons

Changes in the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) induced by depolarization have been measured in glial cells acutely isolated from antennal lobes of the moth Manduca sexta at different postembryonic developmental stages. Depolarization of the glial cell membrane was elicited by increasing the external K⁺ concentration from 4 to 25 mM. At midstage 5 and earlier stages, less than 20% of the cells responded to 25 mM K⁺ (1 min) with a transient increase in [Ca²⁺]_i of approximately 40 nM. One day later, at late stage 5, 68% of the cells responded to 25 mM K⁺, the amplitude of the [Ca²⁺]_i transients averaging 592 nM. At later stages, all cells responded to 25 mM K⁺ with [Ca²⁺]_i transients with amplitudes not significantly different from those at late stage 5. In stage 6 glial cells isolated from deafferented antennal lobes, i.e., from antennal lobes chronically deprived of olfactory receptor axons, only 30% of the cells responded with [Ca²⁺]_i transients. The amplitudes of these [Ca²⁺]_i transients averaged 93 nM and were significantly smaller than those in normal stage 6 glial cells. [Ca²⁺]_i transients were greatly reduced in Ca²⁺‐free, EGTA‐buffered saline, and in the presence of the Ca²⁺ channel blockers cadmium and verapamil. The results suggest that depolarization of the cell membrane induces Ca²⁺ influx through voltage‐activated Ca²⁺ channels into antennal lobe glial cells. The development of the depolarization‐induced Ca²⁺ transients is rapid between midstage 5 and stage 6, and depends on the presence of afferent axons from the olfactory receptor cells in the antenna. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 52: 85–98, 2002     

Sex pheromones of the yeast Hansenula wingei and their relationship to sex pheromones in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces kluyveri

The yeast, Hansenula wingei has two mating types designated 5 and 21. Cells of each mating type were found to produce mating type-specific sex pheromone which induces sexual agglutinability of the opposite mating type. Crude fractions of these pheromones were prepared by using an Amberlite CG 50 (H⁺ type) column. The agglutinability-inducing action of the pheromones required glucose as carbon source, but no external nitrogen source. The action of the pheromones was inhibited by 5 g/ml cycloheximide. The optimum pH for the pheromone action was 4.0. Pheromones of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces kluyveri induced sexual agglutinability of 5 mating type cells but did not that of 21 mating type cells. a Pheromones of the Saccharomyces yeasts had no effect on both 5 and 21 mating type cells. The sex pheromones of H. wingei had no effect on the sexual agglutinability of inducible a cells of S. cerevisiae. From the experimental results obtained so far, we propose to call 5 and 21 mating types in H. wingei a and mating types, respectively.     

Selective Inhibition of the Expression of Signal Transduction Proteins by Lithium in Nerve Growth Factor-Differentiated PC12 Cells

Abstract: Muscarinic receptor in human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2)C cells was identified and characterized. Treatment of the cells with carbachol evoked the generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃) with a peak level reached at 1 min after stimulation. Carbachol increased intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) with an EC₅₀ value of 35 µM. In addition, carbachol produced a 1.3–3-fold increase in the cyclic AMP (cAMP) level compared with untreated control and elevated synergistically the cAMP level in the treatment with prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). The M₃ antagonist p-fluorohexahydrosiladifenidol (IC₅₀ = 0.5–0.8 µM) inhibited the increases in [Ca²⁺]_i, IP₃, and cAMP more effectively than the M₁ antagonist pirenzepine (IC₅₀ = 5–9 µM) and the M₂ antagonist methoctramine (IC₅₀ = 20–30 µM). The involvements of [Ca²⁺]_i elevation and protein kinase C activation induced by phospholipase C activation were tested in the carbachol-induced cAMP production. The calcium chelator BAPTA/AM (75 µM) inhibited significantly the synergistic effects of carbachol and PGE₂ on the production of cAMP, whereas the Ca²⁺ ionophore ionomycin (1 µM) clearly enhanced PGE₂-induced cAMP production. However, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate did not enhance PGE₂-stimulated cAMP production. These data suggest that phospholipase C-linked M₃ receptors are present and that stimulation of the receptors activates adenylyl cyclase, at least in part, by the Ca²⁺-dependent system in the neuronal cells.     

Isolation of the mating-inducing factor of the ciliate Euplotes

Numerous strains of different mating types of the marine ciliate Euplotes raikovi have been found to be autonomous excreters into the surrounding medium of specific mating-inducing factors (gamones) (Luporini, P et al., J exp zool 226 (1983) 1 [9]). The gamone from the mating type represented by strain 13 has been isolated and identified as a glycoprotein with a molecular weight (MW) of about 12 kD and a pI of 4. It has been termed euplomone r 13. At a concentration of 3 × 10⁻¹² M, euplomone r 13 specifically induces cells of a complementary mating type to unite in conjugation within 2 h.     

Ca2+ responses to acetylcholine and adenosine triphosphate in the otocyst of chick embryo

The action of acetylcholine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) on cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) was studied in the otocyst epithelium of embryonic day 3 chicks with Ca²⁺-sensitive fluorescence measurements. Increases in [Ca²⁺]_i were evoked by the bath application of acetylcholine (1 μM or higher). The rise in [Ca²⁺]_i was due to the release of Ca²⁺ from intracellular Ca²⁺ stores, since the Ca²⁺ response occurred even in a Ca²⁺-free medium. The Ca²⁺ response to acetylcholine was mediated by muscarinic receptors. Atropine of 1 μM abolisehd the response to 10 μM acetylcholine; muscarine and carbamylcholine (100 μM each) evoked Ca²⁺ rises. Increases in [Ca²⁺]_i were also evoked by the bath application of ATP (10 μM or higher). The Ca²⁺ rise by ATP was evoked even in a Ca²⁺-free medium. Adenosine (500 μM) did not cause any Ca²⁺ response. Suramin and reactive blue 2 (200 μM each) completely blocked the Ca²⁺ response to 500μM ATP. Uridine triphosphate (500 μM) caused comparable Ca²⁺ responses with those to 500 μM ATP. These results suggested the involvement of P_2U purinoceptors. The potentiation of Ca²⁺ rise was observed when acetylcholine and ATP were co-applied at submaximal concentrations (10 μM and 100 μM, respectively). We conclude that undifferentiated cells in the otocyst epithelium have CaCa²⁺ mobilizing systems activated by acetylcholine and ATP. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Regular systems of inbreeding

Regular systems of inbreeding with discrete, nonoverlapping generations and the same number of individuals and mating pattern in every generation are studied. The matrix Q that specifies the recursion relations satisfied by the probabilities of identity is expressed in terms of the matrix M that describes the mating system. Necessary and sufficient conditions for convergence to genetic uniformity are given, and it is determined which probabilities of identity approach one. If the mating system has certain symmetries and these are imposed initially, then a matrix R, of lower dimension than Q, specifies the recursion relations. For such a mating system, for generic initial conditions, the condensed matrix R suffices for determining whether convergence to uniformity occurs and which probabilities of identity approach one. If Q is irreducible, the maximal eigenvalue of R is the same as that of Q. If Q is also aperiodic, this implies that the asymptotic rate of convergence to homogeneity of the condensed system is the same as that of the complete one. The above results apply to autosomal loci in monoecious (with or without selfing) and dioecious populations and to X-linked loci. As an example, all the eigenvalues and right and left eigenvectors of Q for circular mating are found.Supported by National Science Foundation Grant BSR-8512844