Genetically Engineered Transvestites Reveal Novel Mating Genes in Budding Yeast
Genetically Engineered Transvestites Reveal Novel Mating Genes in Budding Yeast
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DOI：
10.1534/genetics.113.155846
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发表时间：
2013-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Murray, Andrew W.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Huberman, Lori B.;Murray, Andrew W.
单倍体发芽酵母有两种交配类型，由MAT基因座的等位基因MAT和MAT定义。两个交配类型相反的单倍体细胞通过使用相互的信息素和受体相互传递信号进行交配，相互极化并朝着对方生长，最终融合形成一个二倍体细胞。信息素和受体是确定交配类型的必要条件和充分条件，但其他交配类型特定的蛋白质使交配更有效率。我们通过对易装癖者细胞进行基因工程，将一种交配类型的信息素、信息素受体和信息素处理因子交换为另一种交配类型，从而检验了这些蛋白质的作用。这些细胞彼此交配，但交配效率低下。通过鉴定它们的交配缺陷和检测它们的转录本，我们发现了Afb1(a因子屏障)，这是一种新的MAT特异性蛋白，它干扰a因子，a因子是Mata细胞分泌的信息素。强烈的信息素分泌对于有效交配是必不可少的，而易装癖者的弱交配可以通过增加它们的信息素来改善。合成生物学可以表征生物过程中控制效率的因素。在酵母中，提高交配效率的选择可能会不断提高信息素水平，以及区分产生更多和更少信息素的伴侣的能力。这种歧视是有代价的：在所有潜在伴侣都产生较少信息素的情况下，交配很弱。
Haploid budding yeast has two mating types, defined by the alleles of the MAT locus, MATa and MAT. Two haploid cells of opposite mating types mate by signaling to each other using reciprocal pheromones and receptors, polarizing and growing toward each other, and eventually fusing to form a single diploid cell. The pheromones and receptors are necessary and sufficient to define a mating type, but other mating-type-specific proteins make mating more efficient. We examined the role of these proteins by genetically engineering transvestite cells that swap the pheromone, pheromone receptor, and pheromone processing factors of one mating type for another. These cells mate with each other, but their mating is inefficient. By characterizing their mating defects and examining their transcriptomes, we found Afb1 (a-factor barrier), a novel MAT-specific protein that interferes with a-factor, the pheromone secreted by MATa cells. Strong pheromone secretion is essential for efficient mating, and the weak mating of transvestites can be improved by boosting their pheromone production. Synthetic biology can characterize the factors that control efficiency in biological processes. In yeast, selection for increased mating efficiency is likely to have continually boosted pheromone levels and the ability to discriminate between partners who make more and less pheromone. This discrimination comes at a cost: weak mating in situations where all potential partners make less pheromone.