Saccharomyces cerevisiae Genetic Screen: “A Tale of SEC6” Billie Mills and Kaitlyn Burke Faculty mentor: Ellen France Georgia College & State University
Polarized protein secretion is a fundamental process for all eukaryotic cells mediated by hundreds of proteins. Our interest lies on yeast Sec6 protein, a component of the exocyst complex, which is required for the proper delivery of secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. Sec6 surface patch mutants have severe growth and secretion defects at 37°C. We currently hypothesize that Sec6 anchors the complex, and the Sec6-49 temperature sensitive phenotype stems from disruption of Sec6’s surface interaction with unknown factor(s) on the plasma membrane. We employed a genetic screen using a genomic library to identify genes that rescue the growth defect of sec6-49 cells at 37°C, allowing mutant cells to grow. We have isolated approximately 30 potential suppressor plasmids and have identified a few potential candidate genes. Validation of these individual candidate genes leading to discovery of new interacting proteins will allow us to explore Sec6 function within the exocyst further. Billie Mills is a senior biology major from Moultrie, Georgia currently planning to attend medical school or a graduate program in cellular and molecular biology after graduation. Kaitlyn Burke is a third year biology major from Dacula, Georgia. After graduation, she’s thinking about being a high school teacher.
