Coupling of septins to the axial landmark by Bud4 in budding yeast

Cells of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae select a site for polarized growth in a specific pattern that depends on their cell type. Haploid a and α cells bud in the axial budding pattern, which requires assembly of a landmark that includes the Bud4 protein. To understand how an axial bud site is established, we performed a structure-function analysis of Bud4. Bud4 contains DUF1709 (domain of unknown function), which is similar to a part of the anillin-homology domain, and a putative Pleckstrin homology (PH) domain near to its C terminus. Although its localization depends on septins, a conserved family of GTP-binding proteins, Bud4 is necessary for the stable inheritance of septin rings during cell division. Although some anillins interact directly with septins, we find that neither DUF1709 nor the PH domain is necessary for targeting Bud4 to the mother-bud neck. Instead, this C-terminal region is crucial for association of Bud4 with Bud3 and other components of the axial landmark. Remarkably, septins colocalize with Bud4 mutant proteins that lack these C-terminal domains, forming an arc or a single ring instead of a double ring during and after cytokinesis. Interestingly, overexpression of Bud4 also induces formation of extra Bud4 rings and arcs that are associated with septins. Analyses of a series of bud4 truncation mutants suggest that at least two domains in the central region play a redundant role in targeting Bud4 to the mother-bud neck and are thus likely to interact with septins. Taken together, these results indicate that Bud4 functions as a platform that links septins to the axial landmark.