Time course gene expression profiling of yeast spore germination reveals a network of transcription factors orchestrating the global response

Cecilia Geijer, Ivan Pirkov, Wanwipa Vongsangnak, Abraham Ericsson, Jens Nielsen, Marcus Krantz, Stefan Hohmann

Spore germination of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a multi-step developmental path on which dormant spores re-enter the mitotic cell cycle and resume vegetative growth. Upon addition of a fermentable carbon source and nutrients, the outer layers of the protective spore wall are locally degraded, the tightly packed spore gains volume and an elongated shape, and eventually the germinating spore re-enters the cell cycle. The regulatory pathways driving this process are still largely unknown. Here we characterize the global gene expression profiles of germinating spores and identify potential transcriptional regulators of this process with the aim to increase our understanding of the mechanisms that control the transition from cellular dormancy to proliferation.