Yeast KEX1 gene encodes a putative protease with a carboxypeptidase B-like function involved in killer toxin and alpha-factor precursor processing - PubMed (original) (raw)

Comparative Study

Yeast KEX1 gene encodes a putative protease with a carboxypeptidase B-like function involved in killer toxin and alpha-factor precursor processing

A Dmochowska et al. Cell. 1987.

Abstract

The yeast KEX1 gene product has homology to yeast carboxypeptidase Y. A mutant replacing serine at the putative active site of the KEX1 protein abolished activity in vivo. A probable site of processing by the KEX1 product is the C-terminus of the alpha-subunit of killer toxin, where toxin is followed in the precursor by 2 basic residues. Processing involves endoproteolysis following these basic residues and trimming of their C-terminal by a carboxypeptidase. Consistent with the KEX1 product being this carboxypeptidase is its role in alpha-factor pheromone production. In wild-type yeast, KEX1 is not essential for alpha-factor production, as the final pheromone repeat needs no C-terminal processing. However, in a mutant in which alpha-factor production requires a carboxypeptidase, pheromone production is KEX1-dependent.

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