Schizophyllum commune a alpha mating-type proteins, y and Z, form complexes in all combinations in vitro
Asada, Y.; Yue, C.; Wu, J.; Shen, G.P.; Novotny, C.P.; Ullrich, R.C.
Genetics 147(1): 117-123
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-6731 PMID: 9286672 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/147.1.117
Accession: 047310596
Tha A alpha locus of the basidiomycete fungus, Schizophyllum commune, regulates sexual development via proteins Y and Z. Each A alpha mating type encodes unique Y and Z isoforms. We used two isoforms of Y (Y4 and Y5) and two isoforms of Z (Z4 and Z5) in affinity assays of protein binding. These assays identified two types of protein interactions. Each full-length Y or Z protein binds to itself and other Y or Z proteins regardless of the A alpha mating type from which they are encoded (i.e., mating-type independent binding). A second type of binding, detected with partial-length polypeptides, occurs only between N-terminal regions of Y and Z proteins encoded from different A alpha mating types (e.g., Y4Z5 or Y5Z4); we refer to this binding as mating-type dependent binding. Deletion analysis shows that the Y4 specificity domain (an N-terminal region conferring recognition uniqueness to the Y4 isoform) is essential for mating-type dependent binding. Other regions of Y and Z are involved in mating-type independent binding. These results, obtained in vitro, raise the possibility that either of several protein complexes composed of Y and/or Z proteins may occur in vivo.