Studies on the yeast α-mating factor: A model for mammalian peptide hormones

✍ Scribed by Fred Naider; John Gounarides; Chu-Biao Xue; Effimia Bargiota; Jeffrey M. Becker

• Book ID: 101719095
• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 390 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3525
• DOI: 10.1002/bip.360320407

✦ Synopsis

Small peptides initiate sexual conjugation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and this phenomenon is an ideal paradigm for studying the mode of action of mammalian peptide hormones. 'H-nmr spectroscopy was used to examine the conformation of linear and cyclic analogues of the a-factor (WHWLQLKPGQPMY) in aqueous solution. In all cases peptides that exhibit nmr parameters expected for a type I1 @-turn have higher biological activities than those that do not appear to assume this conformation. Based on a simple model for the interaction of the pheromone with its receptor, we prepared fragments of the a-factor. Several of these fragments either antagonize or potentiate the activity of the a-factor. The latter represent the first example of peptide fragments that synergize the activity of the parent pheromone.

' Not applicable.