LAMMER kinase Lkh1 is an upstream regulator of prk1-mediated non-sexual flocculation in fission yeast

Abstract

The cation-dependent galactose-specific flocculation activity of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe null mutant of lkh1 + , the gene encoding LAMMER kinase homolog, has previously been reported by our group. Here, we show that disruption of prk1 + , another flocculation associated regulatory kinase encoding gene, also resulted in cation-dependent galactosespecific flocculation. Deletion of prk1 increased the flocculation phenotype of the lkh1 + null mutant and its overexpression reversed the flocculation of cells caused by lkh1 deletion. Transcript levels of prk1 + were also decreased by lkh1 + deletion. Cumulatively, these results indicate that Lkh1 is one of the negative regulators acting upstream of Prk1, regulating non-sexual flocculation in fission yeast.