The meiotic pathway, way which diploid cells are converted to haploids, is the fundamental mode of sexual reproduction for eucaryotic organisms. This award focuses on a key regulatory decision made during meiosis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast cells can initiate meiosis without being committed to its completions; that is, they retain the ability to directly re-enter the mitotic cell cycle while undergoing premeiotic DNA synthesis and meiotic recombination. However, this ability is lost prior to the first meiotic division: cells which proceed beyond pachytene (a substage of prophase I) may re-enter the vegetative cell cycle only following completion of meiosis and the formation of viable spores. The stage of commitment is analogous to the point of oocyte maturation in higher eucaryotes. Our ultimate goal is to understand the mechanism (s) by which a cell becomes committed to the completion of meiosis. To this end, a genetic search for components of the regulatory network underlying the decision has been initiated. We anticipate that these will include components of both the signal transduction apparatus and the chromosome segregation apparatus. Further characterization, combining genetic, molecular and cytological approaches, will reveal the functions of individual genes and identify components which interact directly with one another. These studies will contribute to the elucidation of a fundamental biological process at the molecular level.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB)
Application #
9018322
Program Officer
Philip Harriman
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1991-07-15
Budget End
1996-06-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
$306,000
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618