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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2006.09.038 Byline: Cintia F. Hongay (1), Paula L. Grisafi (1), Timothy Galitski (2), Gerald R. Fink (1) Abstract: Entry into meiosis is a key developmental decision. We show here that meiotic entry in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled by antisense-mediated regulation of IME4, a gene required for initiating meiosis. In MAT a/[alpha] diploids the antisense IME4 transcript is repressed by binding of the a1/[alpha]2 heterodimer at a conserved site located downstream of the IME4 coding sequence. MAT a/[alpha] diploids that produce IME4 antisense transcript have diminished sense transcription and fail to initiate meiosis. Haploids that produce the sense transcript have diminished antisense transcription and manifest several diploid phenotypes. Our data are consistent with transcription interference as a regulatory mechanism at the IME4 locus that determines cell fate. Author Affiliation: (1) Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA (2) Institute for Systems Biology, 1441 N. 34th Street, Seattle, WA 98103, USA Article History: Received 8 June 2006; Revised 25 July 2006; Accepted 14 September 2006 Article Note: (miscellaneous) Published: November 16, 2006

The meiotic entry in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled by antisense-mediated regulation of Initiator of Meiosis 4 (IME4), a gene required for initiating meiosis. The strength of the promoter driving either sense or antisense transcription from the IME4 locus is found to be cell-type specific and IME4 sense transcription has determined a cell-type capable of meiosis, whereas IME4 antisense transcription has determined a cell-type incapable of meiosis.