Developmentally regulated MAPK pathways modulate heterochromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

ABSTRACT: Variegated expression of genes contributes to phenotypic variation within populations of genetically identical cells. Such variation plays a role in development and host pathogen interaction and can be important in adaptation to harsh environments. The expression state of genes placed near telomeres shows a variegated pattern of inheritance due to heterochromatin formation, a phenomenon that is called telomere position effect (TPE). We show that in budding yeast, TPE is controlled by the a1/alpha2 developmental repressor, which dictates developmental decisions in response to environmental changes. Two a1/alpha2 repressed genes, STE5, a MAPK scaffold and HOG1, a stress-activated MAPK, are the targets of this heterochromatin regulation pathway. We provide new evidence that link MAPK signalin

SUBMITTER: Mazor Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2724302 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature