Mechanisms for signal transduction of meiotic pheromone in yeast

交配型为a/ α的酿酒酵母二倍体细胞在缺乏营养条件下发生减数分裂。在这项研究中，我们证明了通过减数分裂信息素（MEP）进行的社会交流对分化至关重要。我们获得了4000个不表达ime2-lacZ的突变克隆。从突变克隆中，有5个克隆与野生型细胞杂交时表达了ime2-lacZ。这些突变体被认为有缺陷，特别是在MEP生产中。发现5个突变克隆在相同的位点，社会（社会交流）有突变。纯合子的社会二倍体没有发育成减数分裂，表明MEP在减数分裂中起重要作用。通过筛选socl-2.4的抑制突变，我们进一步获得了MEP产生的调控基因（SOC2、SOC3和SOC4）。SOC2-4基因编码调控TCA循环的蛋白，提示MEP是一种有机酸。

Diploid cells of the yeast S.cerevisiae with mating type a/alpha differentiate into meiosis when starved for nutrients. In this study, we demonstrated that social communication via meiotic pheromone (MEP) is essential for the differentiation.1. We obtained 4,000 mutant clones which do not express ime2-lacZ.From the mutant clones, 5 clones expressed the ime2-lacZ when crossed with wild-type cells. These mutants were considered to have defects especially in MEP production.2. Five mutant clones were found to have mutations in the same locus, socl (social communication). Homozygous socl diploids did not develop into meiosis, suggesting the essential role for MEP in meiosis.3. We further obtained regulatory genes (SOC2, SOC3, and SOC4) for MEP production by screening suppressor mutations of the socl-2.4. The SOC2-4 genes encode proteins regulating TCA cycle, suggesting that MEP is an organic acid.