Rewiring Transcriptional Circuitry: Mating-Type Regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans as a Model for Evolution

摘要: This chapter discusses insights into transcriptional evolution that have arisen from detailed comparisons of the mating circuitry in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and related ascomycete Candida albicans. The reviews major concepts mating-type regulation S. which been established over past several decades. It then more recent work describing determination C. albicans, a pathogenic yeast last shared common ancestor with some 200 to 800 million years ago. Close comparison two circuits reveals multiple changes regulation, fall distinct mechanistic classes, also provides examples both phenotypic variance conservation accompanying regulatory evolution. a, α, a/α cells each follow programs. α are specialized for other: express a-specific genes (asgs), include pheromone communicating (a-factor) receptor detects signals (STE2). albicans share important overall similarities their circuits. First, can mate cells, forming nonmating cells. Second, type is determined by orthologous site-specific DNA binding proteins encoded at MAT locus. Mating-type has long served as model system understand principles gene cell-to-cell signaling, polarized growth, cell fusion, many other aspects molecular biology.