The Identification of a Second Cell Cycle Control on the HO Promoter in Yeast: Cell Cycle Regulation of SW15 Nuclear Entry

HO encodes a site-specific endonuclease that initiates mating type switching in S. cerevisiae. It is expressed only transiently during the cell cycle of mother cells, as they undergo Start, but not in daughter cells. Since SWI5 appears to be the only HO transcription factor missing when daughter cells undergo Start, we were interested in the intracellular distribution of SWI5 at cell division. We discovered that SWI5 is found equally concentrated in the nuclei of both mother and daughter cells at the end of anaphase, suggesting that its subsequent fate must somehow differ. Prior to the end of anaphase, SWI5 accumulates in the cytoplasm and only moves into the nucleus when cells enter G1. A version of the HO promoter that has lost its dependence on Start is nevertheless still strongly cell cycle regulated and is activated when SWI5 moves into the nucleus.