Substitution F659G in the Irr1p/Scc3p cohesin influences the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The sister chromatid cohesion complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is composed of proteins termed cohesins. The complex forms a ring structure that entraps sister DNAs, probably following replication. The mechanism of cohesion is universal and the proteins participating in this process are evolutionarily highly conserved. We investigated the Irr1p/ Scc3p cohesin subunit, an under- studied protein. We show that the presence of a mutated copy of IRR1 gene, encoding the F658G substitution in Irr1p, changes the sensitivity of the heterozygous irr1- 1/ IRR1 diploid to cell wall- affecting compounds. Microscopic images indicate that chitin distribution in the mutant cell wall is affected, although the biochemical composition of the cell wall is not drastically changed. This observation suggests that irr1- 1 mutation in heterozygous state may influence the cell wall integrity and indicates a possible link between mechanisms regulating the cell wall biosynthesis, nuclear migration and chromosome segregation.