Showing papers by "Midori A. Harris published in 1998"
TL;DR: Comparative analysis of predicted protein sequences encoded by the genomes of Caenorhabditis elegans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggests that most of the core biological functions are carried out by orthologous proteins that occur in comparable numbers.
Abstract: Comparative analysis of predicted protein sequences encoded by the genomes of Caenorhabditis elegans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggests that most of the core biological functions are carried out by orthologous proteins (proteins of different species that can be traced back to a common ancestor) that occur in comparable numbers. The specialized processes of signal transduction and regulatory control that are unique to the multicellular worm appear to use novel proteins, many of which re-use conserved domains. Major expansion of the number of some of these domains seen in the worm may have contributed to the advent of multicellularity. The proteins conserved in yeast and worm are likely to have orthologs throughout eukaryotes; in contrast, the proteins unique to the worm may well define metazoans.
433 citations
TL;DR: Surprisingly, a 2-bp mutation in the Mcm1 binding site completely abolishes RE activity in MATa cells; moreover, RE chromatin structure in the MATa mutant becomes very similar to that seen in MATalpha cells with a normal RE, displaying highly ordered nucleosomes despite the absence of Matalpha2.
Abstract: Switching of Saccharomyces mating type by replacement of sequences at the MAT locus involves a choice between two donors, HML and HMR. MATa cells inhibit recombination along the entire left arm of chromosome III, including HML, whereas MATa cells activate this same region. MATa-dependent activation of HML depends on a small, cis-acting DNA sequence designated the recombination enhancer (RE), located 17 kb centromere-proximal to HML. A comparison of RE sequences interchangeable between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis defines a minimum RE of 244 bp. RE activity is repressed in MATa cells by binding of the Mata2‐Mcm1 corepressor to a site within the RE. Mutation of the two Mata2 binding sites removes most, but not all, of this repression, and RE chromatin structure in MATa cells becomes indistinguishable from that seen in MATa. Surprisingly, a 2-bp mutation in the Mcm1 binding site completely abolishes RE activity in MATa cells; moreover, RE chromatin structure in the MATa mutant becomes very similar to that seen in MATa cells with a normal RE, displaying highly ordered nucleosomes despite the absence of Mata2. Further, a mutation that alters the ability of Mcm1 to act with Mata 2i n repressing a-specific genes also alters donor preference in either mating type. Thus, Mcm1 is critically responsible for the activation as well as the Mata2-Mcm1-mediated repression of RE activity.
61 citations
TL;DR: The aim of this review is to familiarize biologists with the type of data resources currently available on the World Wide Web (WWW) to exploit knowledge about yeast genetics and molecular biology data.
Abstract: The completion of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome sequencing project 11 and the continued development of improved technology for large-scale genome analysis have led to tremendous growth in the amount of new yeast genetics and molecular biology data. EYcient organization, presentation, and dissemination of this information are essential if researchers are to exploit this knowledge. In addition, the development of tools that provide eYcient analysis of this information and link it with pertinent information from other systems is becoming increasingly important at a time when the complete genome sequences of other organisms are becoming available. The aim of this review is to familiarize biologists with the type of data resources currently available on the World Wide Web (WWW). ? 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
11 citations