α-Factor Mating Pheromone, yeast (Mating Factor α) is a 13-amino acid peptide hormone that is continuously synthesized and secreted by MATα-type cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and can specifically act on MATa-type cells [1]. α-Factor Mating Pheromone, yeast (Mating Factor α) binds to the G protein-coupled receptor Ste2p on the surface of MATa cells, triggering cell cycle arrest, morphological changes, and the expression of mating-related genes. This factor can compete with radiolabeled ³⁵S-α-factor for binding (Kd = 0.3μM). The binding of α-Factor Mating Pheromone, yeast (Mating Factor α) to the thermosensitive ste2 mutant is thermally unstable, while the binding to other mutants (ste4, ste5, ste7, ste11 and ste12) is not thermally unstable [2]. α-Factor Mating Pheromone, yeast (Mating Factor α) is often used to induce yeast to enter a mating state and is widely used in the secretion and expression of foreign proteins [3].
References:
[1]. Naider F, Becker JM. The α-factor mating pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a model for studying the interaction of peptide hormones and G protein-coupled receptors. Peptides. 2004 Sep 1; 25(9): 1441-1463.
[2]. Jenness DD, Burkholder AC, Hartwell LH. Binding of α-factor pheromone to yeast a cells: chemical and genetic evidence for an α-factor receptor. Cell. 1983 Dec 1; 35(2): 521-529.
[3]. Sieber B, Coronas-Serna JM, Martin SG. A focus on yeast mating: From pheromone signaling to cell-cell fusion. InSeminars in Cell & Developmental Biology 2023 Jan 15; 133: 83-95.