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Eukaryotic Cell, August 2002, p. 526-537, Vol. 1, No. 4
1535-9778/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/EC.1.4.526-537.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Isolation and Characterization of YlBEM1, a Gene Required for Cell Polarization and Differentiation in the Dimorphic Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Cleofe A. R. Hurtado1 and Richard A. Rachubinski1*

Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada

Received 13 March 2002/ Accepted 17 May 2002

The ability to switch between a unicellular yeast form and different filamentous forms (fungal dimorphism) is an important attribute of most pathogenic fungi. Dimorphism involves a series of events that ultimately result in dramatic changes in the polarity of cell growth in response to environmental factors. We have isolated and characterized YlBEM1, a gene encoding a protein of 639 amino acids that is essential for the yeast-to-hypha transition in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and whose transcription is significantly increased during this event. Cells with deletions of YlBEM1 are viable but show substantial alterations in morphology, disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, delocalization of cortical actin and chitin deposition, multinucleation, and loss of mating ability, thus pointing to a major role for YlBEM1 in the regulation of cell polarity and morphogenesis in this fungus. This role is further supported by the localization of YlBem1p, which, like cortical actin, appears to be particularly abundant at sites of growth of yeast, hyphal, and pseudohyphal cells. In addition, the potential involvement of YlBem1p in septum formation and/or cytokinesis is suggested by the concentration of a green fluorescent protein-tagged version of this protein at the mother-bud neck during the last stages of cell division. Interestingly, overexpression of MHY1, YlRAC1, or YlSEC31, three genes involved in filamentous growth of Y. lipolytica, induced hyphal growth of bem1 null mutant cells.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Medical Sciences Building 5-14, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada. Phone: (780) 492-9868. Fax: (780) 492-9278. E-mail: rick.rachubinski{at}ualberta.ca.

Eukaryotic Cell, August 2002, p. 526-537, Vol. 1, No. 4
1535-9778/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/EC.1.4.526-537.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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