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Genome-wide quantification of contributions to sexual fitness identifies genes required for spore viability and health in fission yeast. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010462. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous genes required for sexual reproduction remain to be identified even in simple model species like Schizosaccharomyces pombe. To address this, we developed an assay in S. pombe that couples transposon mutagenesis with high-throughput sequencing (TN-seq) to quantitatively measure the fitness contribution of nonessential genes across the genome to sexual reproduction. This approach identified 532 genes that contribute to sex, including more than 200 that were not previously annotated to be involved in the process, of which more than 150 have orthologs in vertebrates. Among our verified hits was an uncharacterized gene, ifs1 (important for sex), that is required for spore viability. In two other hits, plb1 and alg9, we observed a novel mutant phenotype of poor spore health wherein viable spores are produced, but the spores exhibit low fitness and are rapidly outcompeted by wild type. Finally, we fortuitously discovered that a gene previously thought to be essential, sdg1 (social distancing gene), is instead required for growth at low cell densities and can be rescued by conditioned medium. Our assay will be valuable in further studies of sexual reproduction in S. pombe and identifies multiple candidate genes that could contribute to sexual reproduction in other eukaryotes, including humans.
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Neiman AM. Special Issue: Formation and Function of Fungal Ascospores. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080618. [PMID: 34436157 PMCID: PMC8396928 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Neiman
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA
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