α-Factor leader sequence-directed transport of Escherichia coli β-galactosidase in the secretory pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Abstract
The constuction of two fused genes is described. One involves the in-frame fusion of the yeast prepro-α-factor coding sequence, and the Escherichia coli lac Z gene. The second gene fusion utilizes a 103 bp yeast invertase NH2-terminal coding sequence at the fusion junction of the hybrid gene described above. The gene fusions, under the control of the α-factor promoter, expressed active β-galactosidase in α haploid yeast cells. The activity could be regulated in a temperature-sensitive sir3 mutant. The incorporation of the invertase coding sequence at the MFα1-lacZ fusion junction provided significantly higher levels of β-galactosidase activity. A substantial quantity of the hybrid proteins generated from the gene fusions was primarily localized in the intracellular membranes of yeast cells, while a processed form could be secreted into the periplasm.