Plugging it in: Signaling circuits and the yeast cell cycle

Signal transduction pathways provide the means to transmit information and elicit specific responses. Modulation of the cell cycle machinery is one such response. Molecular genetic approaches with budding yeast have been instrumental in elucidating the components of these complex signaling pathways and the inter-relationships among these components. Recent progress has revealed pathways that link extracellular signals with the machinery governing both cell cycle progression and morphogenesis. The nature of the interface between nutritional and checkpoint signals with the cell cycle apparatus is just now emerging.