Serpentine type receptors and heterotrimeric G-proteins in yeasts: Structural-functional organization and molecular mechanisms of action

The signal systems of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, coupled to heterotrimeric G-proteins and sensitive to pheromones and alimentary molecules, are prototypes of hormonal signal systems of the higher vertebrate animals and are widely used in studies on molecular mechanisms of their functioning. This review summarizes and analyzes data on structural-functional organization of the first two components of these systems—receptors of the serpentine type and heterotrimeric G-proteins; mechanisms of functional coupling of receptors and G-proteins both between each other and to other signal proteins are discussed. It has been shown that at the early stages of evolution of signaling systems, at the yeast level, various models of transduction of signals into the cell were tested; many of them differ essentially from the classic model of the three-component, G-protein-coupled signal system of the higher vertebrates.