Transcriptional regulation in the yeast GAL gene family: a complex genetic network

Regulation of the GAL structural genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is implemented by the products of GAL‐specific ( GAL4 , GAL80 , GAL3 ) and general ( GAL11 , SWI1 , 2, 3 , SNF5 , 6, numerous glucose repression) genes. Recent work has 1 ) yielded significant new insights on the DNA binding and transcription activation/Gal80 protein binding functions of the Gal4 activator protein, 2 ) described the characterization of purified Gal4 protein‐Gal80 protein complexes, 3 ) deconvoluted the multiple and complex glucose repression pathways acting on GAL genes, 4 ) suggested a new mechanism for the Gal3 protein‐mediated induction of GAL structural gene expression, 5 ) introduced Gall protein, a structural gene product, into the regulation scheme, and 6 ) extended our already substantial understanding of GAL regulatory gene control. The mechanisms which control structural and regulatory gene expression in the GAL family are compared and GAL structural/regulatory gene chromatin structure is discussed.—Lohr, D., Venkov, P., Zlatanova, J. Transcriptional regulation in the yeast GAL gene family: a complex genetic network. FASEB J. 9, 777‐787 (1995)