Research Mentor(s)

Pollard, Dan A.

Description

Traits are commonly influenced by environmental and genetic factors, yet the contribution of each is often poorly understood. An important life history trait in baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is the rate at which cells prepare for mating in response to environmentally released pheromones. Wild strains of yeast differ in mating pheromone response and alleles of the G-Protein alpha subunit of the pheromone receptor have been shown to affect both pheromone response and fitness. It is known that pheromone response depends on pheromone concentration, but the effects of environmental factors are largely unknown. In order to characterize the effects of environmental and genetic factors on pheromone response, we are focusing on an easily measured morphological transition that cells undergo during pheromone response. Less than an hour after exposure to pheromone, yeast cells elongate and attempt to find mating partners in a process that is called shmooing. We are investigating the norm of reaction to environmental factors for rate of shmooing in genetically distinct yeast isolates. For each isolate we are measuring how the fraction of shmooing cells in a culture changes with time after exposure to pheromone and across temperatures. Initial results suggest isolates follow unique norms of reaction. Understanding norms of reaction for pheromone response will facilitate future analysis of genetic mechanisms and help the larger community of researchers studying this model environmental response network.

Document Type

Event

Start Date

17-5-2017 9:00 AM

End Date

17-5-2017 12:00 PM

Department

Biology

Genre/Form

student projects; posters

Subjects – Topical (LCSH)

Pheromones; Pheromones--Receptors; Neurotransmitter receptors

Type

Image

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Included in

Biology Commons

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May 17th, 9:00 AM May 17th, 12:00 PM

Norms of reaction for pheromone response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates

Traits are commonly influenced by environmental and genetic factors, yet the contribution of each is often poorly understood. An important life history trait in baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is the rate at which cells prepare for mating in response to environmentally released pheromones. Wild strains of yeast differ in mating pheromone response and alleles of the G-Protein alpha subunit of the pheromone receptor have been shown to affect both pheromone response and fitness. It is known that pheromone response depends on pheromone concentration, but the effects of environmental factors are largely unknown. In order to characterize the effects of environmental and genetic factors on pheromone response, we are focusing on an easily measured morphological transition that cells undergo during pheromone response. Less than an hour after exposure to pheromone, yeast cells elongate and attempt to find mating partners in a process that is called shmooing. We are investigating the norm of reaction to environmental factors for rate of shmooing in genetically distinct yeast isolates. For each isolate we are measuring how the fraction of shmooing cells in a culture changes with time after exposure to pheromone and across temperatures. Initial results suggest isolates follow unique norms of reaction. Understanding norms of reaction for pheromone response will facilitate future analysis of genetic mechanisms and help the larger community of researchers studying this model environmental response network.

 

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