Stochastic galactokinase expression underlies GAL gene induction in a GAL3 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

GAL1 and GAL3 are paralogous signal transducers that functionally inactivate Gal80p to activate the Gal4p-dependent transcriptional activation of GAL genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in response to galactose. Unlike a wild-type strain, the gal3∆ strain shows delayed growth kinetics as a result of the signaling function of GAL1. The mechanism ensuring that GAL1 is eventually expressed to turn on the GAL switch in the gal3∆ strain remains a paradox.