MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
and MICROBIOLOGY

Research:
Determinants of Bud Site Selection in S. cerevisiae.
Yeast zygotes represent a biologically distinct intermediate in the life cycle of S. cerevisiae, as haploid cells become diploid. The current investigation aims to elucidate the mechanisms governing zygote budding patterns, i.e. the molecular landmarks and processes which determine the sites chosen for bud generation. Bud site selection proteins are essential for the distinctive budding patterns observed in haploid and diploid yeast cells. Preliminary findings suggest that some of these cellular landmarks also contribute to patterns of initial bud formation in the zygote. The yeast zygote provides a convenient model system for genetic and cell biological investigation of polarity and asymmetric cell division in eukaryotic cells.