Global Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Gene Expression Programs Regulated by α-Factor in Yeast

Abstract

In yeast, the mating pheromone alpha-factor triggers a signaling cascade in haploid "a" cells, leading to G1 cell cycle arrest, polarized growth ("shmoo" formation), cell wall remodeling, and ultimately cell fusion. While the physiological responses to alpha-factor are well established, a genome-wide analysis of transcriptional changes in response to alpha-factor has not been previously reported. Here, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to profile gene expression changes in "a" mating type yeast cells treated with alpha-factor. We identified 957 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 448 upregulated and 509 downregulated genes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed enrichment of upregulated genes in pheromone signaling, cell wall biogenesis, and cell shape regulation. In contrast, downregulated genes were mainly associated with cell cycle progression, chromatin remodeling, histone gene expression, and nucleosome organization. Our dataset validates known pheromone-responsive genes and identifies novel candidates potentially involved in mating responses. These findings provide a valuable resource for understanding how transcriptional regulation and chromatin dynamics are coordinated during pheromone signaling in yeast.