Glycosylation and processing of prepro-alpha-factor through the yeast secretory pathway.

Events in the synthesis and processing of prepro-alpha-factor have been assessed with the aid of mutants blocked at various stages in the yeast secretory pathway. In normal cells treated with tunicamycin, a precursor accumulates which is identical in molecular weight to the primary translation product synthesized in vitro. At the restrictive temperature in a mutant blocked early in the pathway (sec53), a molecule of similar molecular weight accumulates. In mutants affecting translocation into (sec59) and passage from (sec 18) the endoplasmic reticulum, a glycosylated form of the precursor containing three N-linked core oligosaccharides accumulates; however, it appears that the signal peptide is not removed. The glycosylated precursor first experiences proteolytic processing when accumulated in a mutant (sec7) blocked at the stage of the Golgi apparatus. Substantially greater amounts of the mature pheromone are seen in mutants that accumulate secretory vesicles (sec1, sec2, sec3, sec5).