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Updated: May 16, 2026
07:47
Microscopy of Fission Yeast Sexual Lifecycle
Published on: March 9, 2016
Cdc42 explores the cell periphery for mate selection in fission yeast
Felipe O Bendezú1, Sophie G Martin
1Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Current Biology : CB
|December 4, 2012
Summary
Yeast cells use Cdc42 (a small GTPase) to explore their environment for mating partners. Low pheromone levels initiate exploration, while high levels trigger growth, ensuring accurate mate selection and potentially promoting genetic diversity.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Molecular biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Cell polarization is crucial for processes like yeast mating.
- The small GTPase Cdc42 regulates polarity, cytoskeleton organization, and vesicle transport.
- Mechanisms of polarity establishment and mate selection in complex environments remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Cdc42 in fission yeast mating and partner selection.
- To elucidate the mechanisms of cell polarization in response to pheromone gradients.
- To understand how low-level and high-level pheromone signaling influence cell growth and mate choice.
Main Methods:
- Observation of active Cdc42 localization and dynamics in fission yeast.
- Analysis of Cdc42 effector colocalization, including actin cables and the exocyst complex.
- Assessment of cell wall synthase exocytosis and polarized growth under varying pheromone concentrations.
- Investigation of cell mating behavior and partner preference.
Main Results:
- Low-level pheromone signaling induces dynamic Cdc42 zones for peripheral sampling, but blocks growth.
- High-level pheromone stabilizes Cdc42 zones, enabling exocytosis and polarized growth.
- Absence of initial exploration leads to default polarization and altered mating partner preference (sister cells).
- Cdc42-mediated exploration is essential for orienting growth towards the correct mating partner.
Conclusions:
- Cdc42-dependent exploration is a key mechanism for accurate yeast mating partner selection.
- The study reveals a novel polarization state regulated by low-level pheromone signaling.
- Proper mate selection mediated by Cdc42 may contribute to genetic diversification.
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