The protein phosphatase 2A B'-regulatory subunit par1p is implicated in regulation of the S. pombe septation initiation network.

In order to identify regulators of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe septation initiation network (SIN), which signals the onset of cell division, we have isolated extragenic suppressors of mutations in the GTPase spg1p, which is a central element in this pathway. One of these encodes the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) B'-regulatory subunit par1p. Loss of par1p function rescues mutants in cdc11, cdc7, and spg1, but no other SIN mutants. Our data suggest that PP2A-par1p acts as a negative regulator of SIN signalling.