The Involvement of Sec71 in S. Pombe: A Possible Protein Trafficking Gene

Schizosaccharomyces pombe, possible model yeast for studying genes homologous to humans has many unknown functions. Sec71 expressed in S. pombe. is thought to be homologous to the human BIG2 gene. Activities of sec71 in S. pombe. is not well known; however, the identification of sec71 process in Schizosaccharomyces pombe may provide insight to human diseases linked to BIG2 activities. BIG2 roles in humans are thought to facilitate intracellular trafficking at the trans-golgi and to the cell surface; additionally, BIG2 is thought to provide endosomal organization. By identifying temperature and drug sensitivity, vacuolar morphology, protein secretion, vacuolar pH, cell septation, endocytosis, as well as the cell cycle, the presence of a intracellular trafficking protein that is coded by sec71 in S. pombe. would be identified. Results from secretion analysis of wildtype and mutant cultures showed no significant differences; however, a trend was found to approach significance as incubation time increased. Sec71 may play a role in intracellular trafficking between the trans-golgi and the cell surface in S. pombe.