S. cerevisiae alpha pheromone receptors activate a novel signal transduction pathway for mating partner discrimination

Abstract

Wild-type S. cerevisiae cells of both mating types prefer partners producing high levels of pheromone and mate very infrequently to cells producing no pheromone. However, some mutants that are supersensitive to pheromone lack this ability to discriminate. In this study, we provide evidence for a novel role of alpha pheromone receptors in mating partner discrimination that is independent of the known G protein-mediated signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, in response to pheromone, receptors become localized to the emerging region of morphogenesis that is positioned adjacent to the nucleus, suggesting that receptor localization may be involved in mating partner discrimination. Actin, myosin 2, and clathrin heavy chain are involved in mating partner discrimination, since strains carrying mutations in the genes encoding these proteins result in a small but significant defect in mating partner discrimination.