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Molecular and Cellular Biology, September 1999, p. 6110-6119, Vol. 19, No. 9
0270-7306/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
The Yeast Trimeric Guanine Nucleotide-Binding Protein
Subunit, Gpa2p, Controls the Meiosis-Specific Kinase Ime2p Activity
in Response to Nutrients
Mariel
Donzeau
and
Wolfhard
Bandlow*
Institut für Genetik und Mikrobiologie,
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80638 Munich,
Germany
Received 19 January 1999/Returned for modification 6 April
1999/Accepted 9 June 1999
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gpa2p, the
subunit of a
heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein), is
involved in the regulation of vegetative growth and
pseudohyphal development. Here we report that Gpa2p also
controls sporulation by interacting with the regulatory domain of Ime2p
(Sme1p), a protein kinase essential for entrance of meiosis and
sporulation. Protein-protein interactions between Gpa2p and Ime2p
depend on the GTP-bound state of Gpa2p and correlate with
down-regulation of Ime2p kinase activity in vitro. Overexpression of
Ime2p inhibits pseudohyphal development and enables diploid
cells to sporulate even in the presence of glucose or nitrogen. In
contrast, overexpression of Gpa2p in cells simultaneously overproducing
Ime2p results in a drastic reduction of sporulation efficiency,
demonstrating an inhibitory effect of Gpa2p on Ime2p function.
Furthermore, deletion of GPA2 accelerates sporulation on
low-nitrogen medium. These observations are consistent with the
following model. In glucose-containing medium, diploid cells do not
sporulate because Ime2p is inactive or expressed at low levels. Upon
starvation, expression of Gpa2p and Ime2p is induced but sporulation is
prevented as long as nitrogen is present in the medium. The negative
control of Ime2p kinase activity is exerted at least in part through
the activated form of Gpa2p and is released as soon as nutrients are
exhausted. This model attributes a switch function to Gpa2p in the
meiosis-pseudohyphal growth decision.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institut
für Genetik und Mikrobiologie,
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Maria-Ward
Strasse 1a, D-80638 Munich, Germany. Phone: 49-89-17919840. Fax:
49-89-17919820. E-mail: W.Bandlow{at}lrz.uni-muenchen.de.

Present address: Adolf Butenandt Institut für Physiologische
Chemie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-80336
Munich,
Germany.
Molecular and Cellular Biology, September 1999, p. 6110-6119, Vol. 19, No. 9
0270-7306/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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