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Transcriptional regulation of meiosis in budding yeast

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VI. <strong>Transcriptional</strong> <strong>regulation</strong> <strong>of</strong> late <strong>meiosis</strong>-specific genes<br />

A. Early late genes.<br />

SGA1 is an early-late gene encod<strong>in</strong>g a glucoamylase whose transcription <strong>in</strong> growth media is<br />

silenced by a negative element, NRE SGA , which exhibits no UAS activity (Kihara et al., 1991;<br />

Mai and Breeden, 2000). Expression under meiotic conditions depends on a UAS element present<br />

<strong>in</strong> its promoter region (Kihara et al., 1991). In addition, it carries 4 STRE elements (Mai and<br />

Breeden, 2000), but their role <strong>in</strong> the transcription <strong>of</strong> SGA1 is not known. Relief <strong>of</strong> repression by<br />

the NRE SGA element depends on Ime1 and Ime2. However, the activity <strong>of</strong> the UAS element is<br />

<strong>in</strong>dependent <strong>of</strong> these regulators, because it does not require the presence <strong>of</strong> both MATa and<br />

MATα alleles that are required for the expression <strong>of</strong> Ime1 (Kihara et al., 1991). The activity <strong>of</strong> the<br />

positive element requires nitrogen depletion (Kihara et al., 1991), demonstrat<strong>in</strong>g that the effect <strong>of</strong><br />

nitrogen on <strong>meiosis</strong> is mediated not only through Ime1.<br />

Silenc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> SGA1 <strong>in</strong> vegetative growth media depends on the chromat<strong>in</strong>-remodel<strong>in</strong>g factor<br />

Isw2 (Goldmark et al., 2000). As described above (section IVA5), Isw2 is also a negative<br />

regulator <strong>of</strong> EMG, and it is recruited by Ume6 to their promoters. S<strong>in</strong>ce the URS1 element to<br />

which Ume6 b<strong>in</strong>ds is not present <strong>in</strong> SGA1, it is not known how Isw2 is recruited to SGA1. The<br />

identities <strong>of</strong> the positive regulators promot<strong>in</strong>g transcriptional activation <strong>of</strong> SGA1 are not known.<br />

However, one positive regulator, SME2, when present on a multi-copy plasmid, <strong>in</strong>creases the<br />

transcription <strong>of</strong> SGA1 <strong>in</strong> the presence <strong>of</strong> nitrogen, thus bypass<strong>in</strong>g also the nitrogen signal<br />

<strong>in</strong>hibit<strong>in</strong>g spore formation (Kawaguchi et al., 1992). Deletion <strong>of</strong> SME2 has no effect on the<br />

regulated expression <strong>of</strong> SGA1, or on the efficiency <strong>of</strong> sporulation. The sequence and mode <strong>of</strong><br />

function <strong>of</strong> SME2 are not known.<br />

B. Mid-late genes. The transcription <strong>of</strong> the mid-late sporulation-specific genes DIT1 and DIT2<br />

is <strong>in</strong>duced upon completion <strong>of</strong> meiotic divisions (Friesen et al., 1997). Time <strong>of</strong> expression is<br />

compatible with function, s<strong>in</strong>ce these divergently transcribed genes (Friesen et al., 1997) encode<br />

enzymes required for biosynthesis <strong>of</strong> the dityros<strong>in</strong>e precursor that is <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to the<br />

outermost layer <strong>of</strong> the spore wall (Briza et al., 1990). A negative element, designated NRE DIT is<br />

required for repression dur<strong>in</strong>g vegetative growth (Friesen et al., 1997) (Note that NRE DIT is not<br />

identical to NRE SGA1 ). This region carries the middle sporulation-like element MSE, and the DRE<br />

element (Bogengruber et al., 1998; Friesen et al., 1997) that are required for repression <strong>in</strong> growth<br />

conditions and activation under meiotic conditions. Two additional positive elements are required<br />

for high expression under meiotic conditions (Friesen et al., 1997).<br />

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