PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kriti Sethi
AU  - Juan C. G. Cortés
AU  - Mamiko Sato
AU  - Masako Osumi
AU  - Naweed I. Naqvi
AU  - Juan Carlos Ribas
AU  - Mohan Balasubramanian
TI  - Fission yeast Smi1p participates in the synthesis of the primary septum by regulating β-1,3-glucan synthase Bgs1p function
AID  - 10.1101/2022.05.23.493069
DP  - 2022 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2022.05.23.493069
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/05/24/2022.05.23.493069.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/05/24/2022.05.23.493069.full
AB  - Cytokinesis is the concluding step of the cell cycle. Coordination between multiple cellular processes is essential for the success of cytokinesis. The fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, like other fungal cells is contained within a cell wall. During cell division, the external cell wall is extended inwards to form a special septum wall structure in continuity with the cell wall. The primary septum, the central component of the three-layered division septum, is enriched with linear β-1,3-glucan formed by Bgs1p, a β-1,3-glucan synthase. In this study we uncover a novel essential protein, Smi1p, that functions as a suppressor of the Bgs1p temperature-sensitive mutant, cps1-191. We observe a rescue in the cell wall composition and ultrastructure and also in actomyosin ring dynamics. Further, we identify a colocalization and physical association between Bgs1p and Smi1p. Altogether, our results indicate that Smi1p regulates the function of Bgs1p during cytokinesis.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.