Cell
Volume 50, Issue 7, 25 September 1987, Pages 1001-1010
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Article
The yeast SCG1 gene: A Gα-like protein implicated in the a- and α-factor response pathway

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Abstract

We have identified the SCG1 gene by its ability to suppress the pheromone-supersensitive sst2-1 mutation. The nucleotide sequence of SCG1 suggests that it encodes a 54 kd protein homologous to the α subunit of the vertebrate G proteins transducin, Gs, Gi, and Go. SCG1 expression and function are haploid-specific; haploid scg1 cells grow into very small colonies consisting of large, abnormally shaped cells, whereas a/α scg1/scg1 diploids show wild-type morphology, growth, and sporulation. We postulate that the SCG1 product is involved in the pheromone response pathway, and propose two models for the function of the SCG1 product. Expression of the rat αs gene in yeast partially complements both the sst2 and scg1 defects, indicating a high level of conservation of sequence and function between SCG1 and mammalian Gα subunits.

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      The secondary structure predicted for amoeba Gγ has 2.5 helices, like it was in transducin Gγ‐subunit of vertebrates. Two types of Gα‐subunits—Gpa1 and Gpa2—that participate in transduction of signals generated by pheromones (Gpa1) and sugars (Gpa2) are found in the genomes of yeasts S. cerevisiae and S. pombe (Dietzel and Kurjan, 1987; Isshiki et al., 1992; Miyajima et al., 1987; Nakafuku et al., 1987, 1988; Obara et al., 1991; Slessareva and Dohlman, 2006). Both types of Gα‐subunits have a comparatively high homology of the primary structure to Gα in other unicellular organisms and in higher eukaryotes.

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