The mating-type locus Bα1 of Schizophyllum commune contains a pheromone receptor gene and putative pheromone genes

J. Wendland, L. J. Vaillancourt, J. Hegner, K. B. Lengeler, K. J. Laddison, C. A. Specht, C. A. Raper, E. Kothe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

107 Scopus citations

Abstract

Analysis of the multispecific Bα mating-type locus of Schizophyllum commune provided evidence that pheromones and pheromone receptors govern recognition of self versus non-self and sexual development in this homobasidiomycetous fungus. Four subclones of an 8.2 kb genomic fragment carrying Bα1 specificity induced B-regulated sexual morphogenesis when introduced into a strain with one of the eight compatible Bα specificities that are known to exist in nature. One of these clones, which activated all other Bα specificities, contains a gene termed bar1. The predicted protein product of bar1, as well as that of bar2, a homologous gene isolated from a Bα2 strain, has significant homology to known fungal pheromone receptor proteins in the rhodopsin-like superfamily of G protein-linked receptors. The other three active Bα1 clones were subcloned further to identify the minimal active element in each clone. Every active subclone contains a putative pheromone gene ending in a signal for possible isoprenylation. A message of ~600 bp was observed for one of these genes, bap1(1). This paper presents the first evidence for a system of multiple pheromones and pheromone receptors as a basis for multispecific mating types in a fungus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5271-5278
Number of pages8
JournalEMBO Journal
Volume14
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - 1995

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Childhood Cancer Registry – National Cancer InstituteP30CA014051

    Keywords

    • Basidiomycete
    • Development
    • G protein-coupled receptor
    • Mating type
    • Pheromones

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Neuroscience
    • Molecular Biology
    • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
    • General Immunology and Microbiology

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