RHO2 — Schizosaccharomyces pombe 972h-

Summary

SPAC16.01 (RHO2) on chromosome 1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe encodes a small GTPase of the Rho family, possessing GTPase activity, GDP and GTP binding, protein serine/threonine kinase activator activity, and signaling adaptor activity. The gene is associated with the positive regulation of 1,3-beta-D-glucan biosynthetic processes, formin-nucleated actin cable assembly, and primary cell septum biogenesis, as well as the regulation of exocytosis, septum digestion after cytokinesis, and cell polarity establishment. RHO2 is linked to the 1,3-beta-glucan synthase complex and localizes to growing cell tips and the cell cortex. Phenotypic associations include delayed vegetative growth and protein secretion, decreased septum formation, absent osmotic stress and alkaline pH resistance, abnormal shmoo formation and cell fusion, increased polyploidy, and decreased necrotic cell death. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to loss of pathogenicity.