Identification and characterization of the Komagataella phaffii mating pheromone genes

The methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) is a haploid yeast that is able to form diploid cells by mating once nitrogen becomes limiting. Activation of the mating response requires the secretion of a- and α-factor pheromones, which bind to G-protein coupled receptors on cells of opposite mating type. In K. phaffii, the genes coding for the α-factor (MFα), the pheromone surface receptors and the conserved a-factor biogenesis pathway have been annotated previously. Initial homology-based search failed to identify potential a-factor genes (MFA). By using transcriptome data of heterothallic strains under mating conditions, we found two K. phaffiia-factor genes. Deletion of both MFA genes prevented mating of a-type cells. MFA single mutants were still able to mate and activate the mating response pathway in α-type cells. A reporter assay was used to confirm the biological activity of synthetic a- and α-factor peptides. The identification of the a-factor genes enabled the first characterization of the role and regulation of the mating pheromone genes and the response of K. phaffii to synthetic pheromones and will help to gain a better understanding of the mating behavior of K. phaffii.