Interaction of Knr4 protein, a protein involved in cell wall synthesis, with tyrosine tRNA synthetase encoded by TYS1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Knr4 protein, known to be involved in the regulation of cell wall assem bly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, strongly interacts with the tyrosine tRNA synthetase protein encoded by TYS1 as demonstrated by the genetic two-hybri d system and a biochemical al pull-down experiment using GST-Tyslp fusion. Data reported here raise the possibility that this physical interaction bet ween these proteins is required for dityrosine formation during the sporula tion process. In addition, it is shown that the efficiency of sports format ion was drastically reduced in diploid cells homozygous for the disruption of KNR4 or for a temperature-sensitive mutation of TYS1, although this effe ct could be independent of their protein interaction. Altogether, these dat a provide novel functions of Knr4p and Tyslp to those that were known befor e. (C) 2001 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.