The Transcriptional Program of Sporulation in Budding Yeast

TLDR

Sporulation in budding yeast converts diploid cells into haploid spores through meiosis and spore morphogenesis. The authors profiled genome‑wide transcriptional changes during sporulation using DNA microarrays covering almost all yeast genes. They identified at least seven distinct temporal expression patterns, revealed that the transcription factor Ndt80 drives a large late‑meiotic gene cluster, uncovered consensus regulatory motifs, and linked temporal profiles to potential functions of hundreds of uncharacterized genes, including vertebrate homologs that may act in gametogenesis.

Abstract

Diploid cells of budding yeast produce haploid cells through the developmental program of sporulation, which consists of meiosis and spore morphogenesis. DNA microarrays containing nearly every yeast gene were used to assay changes in gene expression during sporulation. At least seven distinct temporal patterns of induction were observed. The transcription factor Ndt80 appeared to be important for induction of a large group of genes at the end of meiotic prophase. Consensus sequences known or proposed to be responsible for temporal regulation could be identified solely from analysis of sequences of coordinately expressed genes. The temporal expression pattern provided clues to potential functions of hundreds of previously uncharacterized genes, some of which have vertebrate homologs that may function during gametogenesis.