Functional characterization of the fission yeast phosphatidylserine synthase gene, pps1, reveals novel cellular functions for phosphatidylserine.

ABSTRACT: To investigate the contributions of phosphatidylserine to the growth and morphogenesis of the rod-shaped fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we have characterized the single gene in this organism, pps1, encoding a predicted phosphatidylserine synthase. S. pombe pps1Delta mutants grow slowly in rich medium and are inviable in synthetic minimal medium. They do not produce detectable phosphatidylserine in vivo and possess negligible in vitro phosphatidylserine synthase activity, indicating that pps1 encodes the major phosphatidylserine synthase activity in S. pombe. Supplementation of growth medium with ethanolamine partially suppresses the growth-defective phenotype of pps1Delta cells, reflecting the likely importance of phosphatidylserine as a precursor for phosphatidylethanolamine in

SUBMITTER: Matsuo Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2168418 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature