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Mating-Type Cassettes: Structure, Switching and Silencing

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The Molecular Biology of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Abstract

From a single haploid P (plus) or M (minus) cell, S. pombe is able to produce a population of haploids containing both mating types in nearly equal proportions. This ability is widespread among fungi, the presence of both mating types permitting the formation of diploids and eventually spores. Single-cell lineage approaches have revealed the asymmetry and rules of mating-type switching in S. pombe. Genetic and biochemical analyses have identified the organization of the mating-type loci and a number of genes required for the process of switching. They have yielded insights into the molecular mechanism of the switch and into two processes of epigenetic inheritance. The first process exploits the intrinsic asymmetry of DNA synthesis to restrain a gene conversion event to one of two sister chromatids. The second allows the formation and maintenance of a silent chromatin state. The interplay of both epigenetic events provides a striking example of dynamic chromatin choreography allowing progression into the S. pombe developmental program.

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Authors
  1. Benoit Arcangioli
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  2. Geneviève Thon
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Richard Egel

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Arcangioli, B., Thon, G. (2004). Mating-Type Cassettes: Structure, Switching and Silencing. In: Egel, R. (eds) The Molecular Biology of Schizosaccharomyces pombe . Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-10360-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-10360-9_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-05631-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-10360-9

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