MATING REACTION IN HANSENULA WINGEI

Abstract

The components responsible for the strong attraction between heterothallic mating types of this yeast have been shown to reside on the cell wall. The two mating types are not attracted to each other because of differences in electrostatic charge. Both strains are negatively charged over the pH range where agglutination occurs. Agglutination is probably due to an antibody-antigen-like reaction between the 2 types. One mating type, strain 21, has been shown to possess a protein component which is necessary for agglutination, and which can be removed by trypsin. The other mating type, strain 5, does not require a protein. Instead, it appears to possess a carbohydrate substance which is destroyed by periodate oxidation. The mating agglutination is probably due to the interaction between these 2 complementary macromolecules, and the cells are probably held together by hydrogen bonds.