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Sensory input attenuation allows predictive sexual response in yeast

Author

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  • Alvaro Banderas

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology & LOEWE Research Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO)
    Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance)

  • Mihaly Koltai

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology & LOEWE Research Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO))

  • Alexander Anders

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology & LOEWE Research Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO))

  • Victor Sourjik

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology & LOEWE Research Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO))

Abstract

Animals are known to adjust their sexual behaviour depending on mate competition. Here we report similar regulation for mating behaviour in a sexual unicellular eukaryote, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate that pheromone-based communication between the two mating types, coupled to input attenuation by recipient cells, enables yeast to robustly monitor relative mate abundance (sex ratio) within a mixed population and to adjust their commitment to sexual reproduction in proportion to their estimated chances of successful mating. The mechanism of sex-ratio sensing relies on the diffusible peptidase Bar1, which is known to degrade the pheromone signal produced by mating partners. We further show that such a response to sexual competition within a population can optimize the fitness trade-off between the costs and benefits of mating response induction. Our study thus provides an adaptive explanation for the known molecular mechanism of pheromone degradation in yeast.

Suggested Citation

  • Alvaro Banderas & Mihaly Koltai & Alexander Anders & Victor Sourjik, 2016. "Sensory input attenuation allows predictive sexual response in yeast," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-9, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12590
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12590
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    Cited by:

    1. Alexander Anders & Bhaswar Ghosh & Timo Glatter & Victor Sourjik, 2020. "Design of a MAPK signalling cascade balances energetic cost versus accuracy of information transmission," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.

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