Activation of Rab GTPase Sec4 by its GEF Sec2 is required for prospore membrane formation during sporulation in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

Sec2 activates Sec4 Rab GTPase as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the recruitment of downstream effectors to facilitate tethering and fusion of post-Golgi vesicles at the plasma membrane. During the meiosis and sporulation of budding yeast, post-Golgi vesicles are transported to and fused at the spindle pole body (SPB) to form a de novo membrane, called the prospore membrane. Previous studies have revealed the role of the SPB outer surface called the meiotic outer plaque (MOP) in docking and fusion of post-Golgi vesicles. However, the upstream molecular machinery for post-Golgi vesicular fusion that facilitates prospore membrane formation remains enigmatic. Here, we demonstrate that the GTP exchange factor for Sec4, Sec2, participates in the formation of the prospore membrane. A conditional mutant in which the SEC2 expression is shut off during sporulation showed sporulation defects. Inactivation of Sec2 caused Sec4 targeting defects along the prospore membranes, thereby causing insufficient targeting of downstream effectors and cargo proteins to the prospore membrane. These results suggest that the activation of Sec4 by Sec2 is required for the efficient supply of post-Golgi vesicles to the prospore membrane and thus for prospore membrane formation/extension and subsequent deposition of spore wall materials.

Keywords: Rab GTPase; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; sporulation.