Type

Text

Type

Dissertation

Advisor

Neiman, Aaron M | Bliska, James | Leatherwood, Janet | Seeliger, Jessica | Takemaru, Ken-ichi.

Date

2014-12-01

Keywords

Molecular biology | erp2, erp5, knockout collection, Rab GTPase, S. pombe, sporulation

Department

Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology.

Language

en_US

Source

This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.

Identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76545

Publisher

The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.

Format

application/pdf

Abstract

In the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, environmental stress conditions such as nitrogen starvation induce mating of two haploid cells. The newly formed diploid cells immediately undergo meiosis and form spores, which are equivalent to gametes in higher organisms. The packaging of the haploid nuclei, which are formed after two rounds of meiosis, is achieved by the de novo formation of double membranes called forespore membranes, which form adjacent to the meiotic spindle pole bodies (SPBs). This work focuses on the initiation of the forespore membrane at the SPB and the genes that are required for the proper formation of the forespore membrane. To do this, I performed a systematic screen of a set of ~3,300 non-essential S. pombe gene deletion mutants to identify genes required for spore formation. By using high throughput genetic methods, I identified 34 genes whose deletion reduces sporulation. Fifteen genes are defective in forespore membrane morphogenesis. As a secondary project, I found that two Rab-GTPases in S. pombe that are involved in the late steps of the exocytic pathway, ypt3 and ypt2, localize to the SPB and the forespore membrane. This suggests a Rab-cascade model for the initiation and the formation of the forespore membrane in S. pombe sporulation. Additionally, I found that a novel SPB-associated protein Mug79 is required for the localization of the class V myosin motor protein Myo51 to the SPB. | 104 pages

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