MEIOTIC INHERITANCE OF FUNCTIONAL GAL80(S) GENE-PRODUCT IN SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

Transcription factors inherited during meiosis play a crucial role dir ecting subsequent gene activity. Factors of maternal origin have been shown to influence the pattern of early zygotic transcription during D rosophila and Xenopus embryogenesis. Nevertheless, little is known reg arding the meiotic inheritance of the vast majority of transcription f actors. In the case of yeast meiosis, for example, it is not yet known whether any of the multitude of transcription factors expressed in th e diploid are transmitted to haploid spores in functional form. Here w e use a GAL1-STE4 reporter whose activity is detectable in single livi ng cells to identify a transcription factor inherited during sporulati on in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that functional Ga180(s) repre ssor is meiotically inherited at levels reflecting its expression in t he diploid parent. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.