scholarly journals FAR1 is required for oriented polarization of yeast cells in response to mating pheromones.

1995 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 863-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Valtz ◽  
M Peter ◽  
I Herskowitz
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Cell Polarization ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
External Signal ◽  
Cyclin Dependent Kinase ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Mating Partner ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
External Signals

Cell polarization involves specifying an area on the cell surface and organizing the cytoskeleton towards that landmark. The mechanisms by which external signals are translated into internal landmarks for polarization are poorly understood. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibits polarized growth during mating: the actin cytoskeleton of each cell polarizes towards its partner, presumably to allow efficient cell fusion. The external signal which determines the landmark for polarization is thought to be a gradient of peptide pheromone released by the mating partner. Here we described mutants that exhibit random polarization. Using two assays, including a direct microscope assay for orientation (Segall, J. 1993. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 90:8332-8337), we show that these mutants cannot locate the source of a pheromone gradient although they are able to organize their cytoskeleton. These mutants appear to be defective in mating because they are unable to locate the mating partner. They carry mutations of the FAR1 gene, denoted far1-s, and identify a new function for the Far1 protein. Its other known function is to promote cell cycle arrest during mating by inhibiting a cyclin-dependent kinase (Peter, M., and I. Herskowitz. 1994. Science (Wash. DC). 265:1228-1232). The far1-s mutants exhibit normal cell cycle arrest in response to pheromone, which suggests that Far1 protein plays two distinct roles in mating: one in cell cycle arrest and the other in orientation towards the mating partner.

scholarly journals Differential Roles for Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors p21 and p16 in the Mechanisms of Senescence and Differentiation in Human Fibroblasts

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 2109-2117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gretchen H. Stein ◽  
Linda F. Drullinger ◽  
Alexandre Soulard ◽  
Vjekoslav Dulić
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cyclin D1 ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Cyclin E ◽  
Human Fibroblasts ◽  
Senescent Cell ◽  
Nuclear Antigen ◽  
Cyclin Dependent Kinase ◽  
Cycle Arrest

ABSTRACT The irreversible G1 arrest in senescent human diploid fibroblasts is probably caused by inactivation of the G1cyclin–cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) complexes responsible for phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). We show that the Cdk inhibitor p21Sdi1,Cip1,Waf1, which accumulates progressively in aging cells, binds to and inactivates all cyclin E-Cdk2 complexes in senescent cells, whereas in young cells only p21-free Cdk2 complexes are active. Furthermore, the senescent-cell-cycle arrest occurs prior to the accumulation of the Cdk4-Cdk6 inhibitor p16Ink4a, suggesting that p21 may be sufficient for this event. Accordingly, cyclin D1-associated phosphorylation of pRb at Ser-780 is lacking even in newly senescent fibroblasts that have a low amount of p16. Instead, the cyclin D1-Cdk4 and cyclin D1-Cdk6 complexes in these cells are associated with an increased amount of p21, suggesting that p21 may be responsible for inactivation of both cyclin E- and cyclin D1-associated kinase activity at the early stage of senescence. Moreover, even in the late stage of senescence when p16 is high, cyclin D1-Cdk4 complexes are persistent, albeit reduced by ≤50% compared to young cells. We also provide new evidence that p21 may play a role in inactivation of the DNA replication factor proliferating cell nuclear antigen during early senescence. Finally, because p16 accumulates in parallel with the increases in senescence-associated β-Gal activity and cell volume that characterize the senescent phenotype, we suggest that p16 upregulation may be part of a differentiation program that is turned on in senescent cells. Since p21 decreases after senescence is achieved, this upregulation of p16 may be essential for maintenance of the senescent-cell-cycle arrest.

Characterization of RAD9 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and evidence that its function acts posttranslationally in cell cycle arrest after DNA damage

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 6554-6564
Author(s):  
T A Weinert ◽  
L H Hartwell
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Protein Synthesis Inhibitor ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Delta Cells

In eucaryotic cells, incompletely replicated or damaged chromosomes induce cell cycle arrest in G2 before mitosis, and in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae the RAD9 gene is essential for the cell cycle arrest (T.A. Weinert and L. H. Hartwell, Science 241:317-322, 1988). In this report, we extend the analysis of RAD9-dependent cell cycle control. We found that both induction of RAD9-dependent arrest in G2 and recovery from arrest could occur in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, showing that the mechanism of RAD9-dependent control involves a posttranslational mechanism(s). We have isolated and determined the DNA sequence of the RAD9 gene, confirming the DNA sequence reported previously (R. H. Schiestl, P. Reynolds, S. Prakash, and L. Prakash, Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:1882-1886, 1989). The predicted protein sequence for the Rad9 protein bears no similarity to sequences of known proteins. We also found that synthesis of the RAD9 transcript in the cell cycle was constitutive and not induced by X-irradiation. We constructed yeast cells containing a complete deletion of the RAD9 gene; the rad9 null mutants were viable, sensitive to X- and UV irradiation, and defective for cell cycle arrest after DNA damage. Although Rad+ and rad9 delta cells had similar growth rates and cell cycle kinetics in unirradiated cells, the spontaneous rate of chromosome loss (in unirradiated cells) was elevated 7- to 21-fold in rad9 delta cells. These studies show that in the presence of induced or endogenous DNA damage, RAD9 is a negative regulator that inhibits progression from G2 in order to preserve cell viability and to maintain the fidelity of chromosome transmission.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document