Sec3p is a spatial landmark for polarized secretion in budding yeast

Exocytosis in yeast occurs at plasma membrane subdomains whose locations vary with the cell cycle, but the primary protein determinants of these sites are unknown. A functional fusion of Sec3 protein with green fluorescent protein (Sec3-GFP) localizes to the site of polarized exocytosis for each cell-cycle stage, where it colocalizes with Sec4p and Sec8p. Sec3-GFP localization is independent of secretory pathway function, of the actin and septin cytoskeletons, and of the polarity establishment proteins. We propose that Sec3p is a spatial landmark defining sites of exocytosis. Polarized secretion would result from the coupling of actin-dependent vesicle targeting with Sec3p-dependent establishment of the vesicle fusion site.