Functional Equivalence and Co-dominance of Homothallic Genes HM Alpha/hm Alpha and HMa/hma in Saccharomyces Yeasts

Overview

Journal Genetics

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Genetics

Date 1980 Aug 1

PMID 7009317

Citations 1

Authors

S Harashima

Y Oshima

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The specificity of mating type in Saccharomyces yeasts is controlled by a pair of alleles, a and alpha, on chromosome III. They are mutually interconverted by the function of three kinds of homothallic genes, each consisting of a single pair of alleles, HO/ho, HM alpha/hma alpha and HMa/hma. For the a to alpha conversion, HO HM alpha, HMa, HO hm alpha HMa and HO hma alpha hma genotypes are effective; whereas the alpha to a conversion occurs in HO HM alpha HMa, HO HM alpha hma and HO hm alpha hma cells. To explain these observations, NAUMOV and TOLSTORUKOV (1973) and HARASHIMA, NOGI and OSHIMA (1974) suggested that hma and HM alpha are functionally equivalent and effective for the alpha to a conversion in combination with HO; whereas, hm alpha and HMa are functionally equivalent and effective for the a to alpha conversion with the function of HO. To test this idea and to compare it with two other possible mechanisms, some of the tetrad segregants from four kinds of a/a/alpha/alpha tetraploids homozygous for the HO allele and for one of the HM alpha/hm alpha and HMa/hma loci, while heterozygous for the other one with +/+/-/- configuration, were investigated with respect to their thallism by self-sporulation. Results indicated the functional equivalence of both the HM alpha and hma alleles and the hm alpha and HMa alleles in mating-type conversion, and the co-dominance of the alleles of each locus. From the findings and other data, we agree with the revision of the nomenclature of the HM alpha/hm alpha and HMa/hma genes to HMRa/HMR alpha and HML alpha/HMLa, respectively.

Citing Articles

A position effect on the expression of a tRNA gene mediated by the SIR genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Schnell R, Rine J Mol Cell Biol. 1986; 6(2):494-501.

PMID: 3023851 PMC: 367538. DOI: 10.1128/mcb.6.2.494-501.1986.

References

Harashima S, Oshima Y . Mapping of the homothallic genes, HM alpha and HMa, in Saccharomyces yeasts. Genetics. 1976; 84(3):437-51. PMC: 1213588. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/84.3.437. View

Holliday R, Pugh J . DNA modification mechanisms and gene activity during development. Science. 1975; 187(4173):226-32. View

Takano I, Kusumi T, Oshima Y . An alpha mating-type allele insensitive to the mutagenic action of the homothallic gene system in Saccharomyces diastaticus. Mol Gen Genet. 1973; 126(1):19-28. DOI: 10.1007/BF00333478. View

Klar A, Fogel S . The Action of Homothallism Genes in Saccharomyces Diploids during Vegetative Growth and the Equivalence of hma and HMalpha Loci Functions. Genetics. 1977; 85(3):407-16. PMC: 1224576. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/85.3.407. View

Oshima T, Takano I . Mutants Showing Heterothallism from a Homothallic Strain of SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE. Genetics. 1980; 94(4):841-57. PMC: 1214184. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/94.4.841. View

Haber J, George J . A mutation that permits the expression of normally silent copies of mating-type information in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 1979; 93(1):13-35. PMC: 1217820. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/93.1.13. View

Takano I, Arima K . Evidence of the Insensitivity of the alpha-inc Allele to the Function of the Homothallic Genes in Saccharomyces Yeasts. Genetics. 1979; 91(2):245-54. PMC: 1216364. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/91.2.245. View

Harashima S, Nogi Y, Oshima Y . The genetic system controlling homothallism in Saccharomyces yeasts. Genetics. 1974; 77(4):639-50. PMC: 1213156. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/77.4.639. View

Mascioli D, Haber J . A CIS-Acting Mutation within the MATa Locus of SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE That Prevents Efficient Homothallic Mating-Type Switching. Genetics. 1980; 94(2):341-60. PMC: 1214147. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/94.2.341. View

10.

Arima K, Takano I . Evidence for Co-Dominance of the Homothallic Genes, HMalpha/hmalpha and HMa/hma, IN SACCHAROMYCES YEASTS. Genetics. 1979; 93(1):1-12. PMC: 1217817. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/93.1.1. View

11.

Takano I, Oshima Y . An allele specific and a complementary determinant controlling homothallism in Saccharomyces oviformis. Genetics. 1967; 57(4):875-85. PMC: 1211775. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/57.4.875. View

12.

Hicks J, Herskowitz I . Interconversion of Yeast Mating Types II. Restoration of Mating Ability to Sterile Mutants in Homothallic and Heterothallic Strains. Genetics. 1977; 85(3):373-93. PMC: 1224574. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/85.3.373b. View

13.

Hopper A, Hall B . Mutation of a heterothallic strain to homothallism. Genetics. 1975; 80(1):77-85. PMC: 1213321. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/80.1.77. View

14.

Rine J, Strathern J, Hicks J, Herskowitz I . A suppressor of mating-type locus mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidence for and identification of cryptic mating-type loci. Genetics. 1979; 93(4):877-901. PMC: 1214119. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/93.4.877. View

15.

Manuilova E, Shapiro N . [Genetic control of sensitivity of mammalian cells to the lethal and mutagenic action of ultraviolet rays]. Genetika. 1973; 9(11):82-9. View

16.

Hicks J, Strathern J, Klar A . Transposable mating type genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nature. 1979; 282(5738):478-3. DOI: 10.1038/282478a0. View