Analysis of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cyclin puc1: evidence for a role in cell cycle exit

The puc1+ gene, encoding a G1-type cyclin from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, was originally isolated by complementation in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we report the molecular characterization of this gene and analyse its role in S. pombe. We fail to identify any function of this cyclin at the mitotic G1/S transition in S. pombe, but demonstrate that it does function in exit from the mitotic cycle. Expression of the puc1+ gene is increased during nitrogen starvation, and puc1 affects the timing of sexual development in response to starvation. Overexpression of the puc1 protein blocks sexual development, and rescues pat1ts cells, which would otherwise undergo a lethal meiosis. We conclude that puc1 contributes to negative regulation of the timing of sexual development in fission yeast, and functions at the transition between cycling and non-cycling cells.