Cell cycle parameters in radiation sensitive strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary Cell cycle parameters in different radiation-sensitive strains of diploid yeast were determined by flow cytofluorometry. The cell generation time was increased in homozygous rad2 and rad51 mutants but was not significanty different from the wild type in rad9 and rad6 mutants. All mutants had a longer G1-phase than the wild type. A lengthened S-phase was found in rad2 cells. Rad51 mutants displayed a considerably longer duration of G2.     

Fluphenazine-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants defective in the cell division cycle.

An fls1 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which did not grow in the presence of 30 micrograms of fluphenazine per ml, was isolated. Mutants that were resistant to 90 micrograms of fluphenazine per ml and temperature sensitive for growth were obtained from the fls1 mutant. One fluphenazine-resistance mutation, fsr1, was located near the his7 locus on chromosome II. Growth of the fsr1 mutants at 35 degrees C was arrested after nuclear division. The other group of fluphenazine-resistant mutants, carrying fsr2 mutations, showed Ca2+-dependent growth at 35 degrees C. Growth of the fsr2 mutants at 35 degrees C was arrested at the G2 stage of the cell cycle in Ca2+-poor medium.     

Decreased mitochondrial biogenesis in temperature-sensitive cell division cycle mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The temperature-sensitive cell division cycle (cdc) G1 mutants cdc28 and cdc35 show decreased mitochondrial volumes with respect to the wild type strain A364A (WT) at the restrictive temperature. Of the three criteria of mitochondrial biogenesis studied, that is, number of mitochondria per cell, relative area of the cell occupied by mitochondria, or relative area of mitochondria occupied by inner membranes, only the second indicator was significantly lower in cdc mutants than in the WT. The mitochondrial inner membranes development did not compensate for the decrease in the organelles volume. Apparently, the reduced mitochondrial biogenesis was not due to the temperature shift because the relative area of the cell occupied by mitochondria was already significantly lower at 25°C in cdc mutants. The specific fluxes of oxygen consumption confirmed that the respiratory capacity of cdc mutants is largely impaired in respect to the WT. Cdc28 and cdc35 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae had been previously shown to exhibit high respiratory quotients (from 3 to 7) in respect to the WT (RQ 1.0), which correlated with carbon and energy uncoupling probably the result of glucose-induced catabolite repression [Aon MA, Mónaco ME, Cortassa S (1995) Exp Cell Res 217, 42–51; Mónaco ME, Valdecantos PA, Aon MA (1995) Exp Cell Res 217, 52–56].     

Chitin synthesis and localization in cell division cycle mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle mutants cdc3, cdc4, cdc7, cdc24, and cdc28 at a nonpermissive temperature (37 degrees C) resulted in increased accumulation of chitin relative to other cell wall components, as compared with that observed at a permissive temperature (25 degrees C). Wild-type cells showed the same chitin/carbohydrate ratio at both temperatures, whereas mutants cdc13 and cdc21 yielded only a small increase in the ratio at 37 degrees C. These results confirm and extend those reported by B. F. Sloat and J. R. Pringle (Science 200:1171-1173, 1978) for mutant cdc24. The distribution of chitin in the cell wall was studied by electron microscopy, by specific staining with wheat germ agglutinin-colloidal gold complexes. At the permissive temperature, chitin was restricted to the septal region in all strains, whereas at 37 degrees C a generalized distribution of chitin in the cell wall was observed in all mutants. These results do not support a unique interdependence between the product of the cdc24 gene and localization of chitin deposition; they suggest that unbalanced conditions created in the cell by arresting the cycle at different stages result in generalized activation of the chitin synthetase zymogen. Thus, blockage of an event in the cell cycle may lead to consequences that are not functionally related to that event under normal conditions.     

Meiotic effects of DNA-defective cell division cycle mutations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The meiotic effects of several cell division cycle (cdc) mutations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been investigated by electron microscopy and by genetic and biochemical methods. Diploid strains homozygous for cdc mutations known to confer defects on vegetative DNA synthesis were subjected to restrictive conditions during meiosis. Electron microscopy revealed that all four mutants were conditionally arrested in meiosis after duplication of the spindle pole bodies but before spindle formation for the first meiotic division. None of these mutants became committed to recombination or contained synaptonemal complex at the meiotic arrest. — The mutants differed in their ability to undergo premeiotic DNA synthesis under restrictive conditions. Both cdc8 and cdc21, which are defective in the propagation of vegetative DNA synthesis, also failed to undergo premeiotic DNA synthesis. The arrest of these mutants at the stage before meiosis I spindle formation could be attributed to the failure of DNA synthesis because inhibition of synthesis by hydroxyurea also caused arrest at this stage. — Premeiotic DNA synthesis occurred before the arrest of cdc7, which is defective in the initiation of vegetative DNA synthesis, and of cdc2, which synthesizes vegetative DNA but does so defectively. The meiotic arrest of cdc7 homozygotes was partially reversible. Even if further semiconservative DNA replication was inhibited by the addition of hydroxyurea, released cells rapidly underwent commitment to recombination and formation of synaptonemal complexes. The cdc7 homozygote is therefore reversibly arrested in meiosis after DNA replication, whereas vegetative cultures have previously been shown to be defective only in the initiation of DNA synthesis.     

Killer double-stranded ribonucleic acid synthesis in cell division cycle mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The synthesis of killer double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined in seven different cell division cycle mutants (cdc) that are defective in nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid replication and contain the "killer character." In cdc28, cdc4, and cdc7, which are defective in the initiation of nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, and in cdc23 or in cdc14, defective in medial or late nuclear division, an overproduction of dsRNA at the restrictive temperature was observed. In contrast to the above mutants, the synthesis of killer dsRNA is not enhanced at the restrictive temperature in either cdc8 or cdc21, which are defective in deoxyribonucleic acid chain elongation. Examination of killer sensitive strains (cdc7 K- and cdc4 K-) has shown that the complete killer dsRNA genome is essential for the overproduction of dsRNA at the restrictive temperature.     

Production of petites by cell cycle mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in DNA synthesis.

Summary Mutations in two genes (cdc8 and cdc21) required for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae result in a 6- to 11-fold increase in the rate of mitotic segregation of petites at the permissive temperature. The defect in DNA replication and the increased rate of petite production result from the same mutation since the two phenotypes cosegregate and corevert. Most of the petites isolated from strains carrying mutations in cdc8 and cdc21 contain mtDNA. Therefore, the petites do not result simply from an underreplication of mitochondrial DNA. The mutation rates for nuclear and mitochondrial genes are the same in cdc8, cdc21 and their wild-type parent. Therefore the petites are unlikely to result from an increase in the rate of base pair substitution.     

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants sensitive to the antimalarial and antiarrhythmic drug, quinidine

Abstract Mutations at three loci in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been shown to confer increased sensitivity to the antimalarial and antiarrhythmic alkaloid, quinidine. Two of these groups are composed of strains carrying recessive mutations, the other group contains two dominant alleles. The largest complementation group has been designated QDS1 , for increased quinidine-sensitivity. Exposure of qds1 cells to lethal concentrations of quinidine results in a novel small-budded terminal morphology in about 70% of the cells in the culture. Strains which carry qds1 alleles share other pleiotropic phenotypes. qds1 mutants are incapable of mating as α but not a cells, due to a defect in α-factor production. Homozygous diploid qds1 strains cannot sporulate. Genetic evidence indicates that QDS1 is allelic to KEX2 , a precursor processing protease. Loss of QDS1 / KEX2 function results in quinidine sensitivity.     

Glucose regulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle genes

Nutrient-limited Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells rapidly resume proliferative growth when transferred into glucose medium. This is preceded by a rapid increase in CLN3, BCK2, and CDC28 mRNAs encoding cell cycle regulatory proteins that promote progress through Start. We have tested the ability of mutations in known glucose signaling pathways to block glucose induction of CLN3, BCK2, and CDC28. We find that loss of the Snf3 and Rgt2 glucose sensors does not block glucose induction, nor does deletion of HXK2, encoding the hexokinase isoenzyme involved in glucose repression signaling. Rapamycin blockade of the Tor nutrient sensing pathway does not block the glucose response. Addition of 2-deoxy glucose to the medium will not substitute for glucose. These results indicate that glucose metabolism generates the signal required for induction of CLN3, BCK2, and CDC28. In support of this conclusion, we find that addition of iodoacetate, an inhibitor of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase step in yeast glycolysis, strongly downregulates the levels CLN3, BCK2, and CDC28 mRNAs. Furthermore, mutations in PFK1 and PFK2, which encode phosphofructokinase isoforms, inhibit glucose induction of CLN3, BCK2, and CDC28. These results indicate a link between the rate of glycolysis and the expression of genes that are critical for passage through G₁.     

Aluminum-sensitive mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We are developing budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a genetic system for the study of tolerance to the trivalent aluminum cation (Al³⁺). We have isolated eight mutants that are more sensitive to Al³⁺ than the wild type. Each mutant represented a different complementation group. A number of the mutants were pleiotropic, and showed defects in other stress responses, changes in tolerance to other metal cations, or abnormal morphology. Two mutants also showed increased dependence on supplemental Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺. One mutant with a relatively specific sensitivity to Al³⁺ was chosen for molecular complementation. Normal Al³⁺ tolerance was restored by expression of the MAP kinase gene SLT2. Strains carrying deletions of the SLT2 gene, or of the gene for the corresponding MAP kinase–kinase SLK1, showed sensitivity to Al³⁺. These results indicate that the SLT2 MAP kinase signal transduction pathway is required for yeast to sense and respond to Al³⁺ stress.     

Ethanol-sensitive mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants unable to grow at ethanol concentrations at which the wild type strain S288C does grow, have been isolated. Some of them show additional phenotypic alterations in colony size, temperature sensitivity and viability in ethanol, which cosegregate with the growth sensitivity in ethanol. 21 selected monogenic ethanol-sensitive mutants define 20 complementation groups, denominated ETA1 to ETA20, which indicates that there is a high number of genes involved in the ethanol tolerance/sensitivity mechanism.Out of 21 selected monogenic mutants, 20 are not altered in the glycolytic pathway since, when maintained in glucosesupplemented medium, they can produce as much ethanol as the wild type and at about the same velocity. Nor do any of the mutants seem to be altered in the lipid biosynthetic pathway since, whether grown in the absence or in the presence of ethanol, their concentration of fatty acids and ergosterol is similar to that of the wild type under the same conditions. Therefore growth sensitivity to ethanol does not seem necessarily to be related to carbohydrate or lipid metabolism.Non-common abbreviations YP yeast extract peptone medium - YPD yeast extract peptone dextrose agar or medium - YPG yeast extract peptone glycerol agar - YPDE yeast extract peptone dextrose ethanol agar or medium - SD yeast nitrogen base dextrose agar - SPO yeast extract potassium acetate glucose agar - PD parental ditype - NPD non-parental ditype - TT tetratype     

Density fluctuation during the cell cycle in the defective vacuolar morphology mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The buoyant densities of the yeast cells of defective vacuolar morphology mutants were examined by equilibrium sedimentation centrifugation in a Percoll density gradient. These vacuoleless mutants also show density fluctuation as wild-type cells during the cell cycle. This suggests that morphological changes of the vacuole are not related to cyclic density fluctuation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Process characteristics of cell lysis mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Several temperature-sensitive lysis mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were selected according to their ability to release alkaline phosphatase when incubated at a nonpermissive temperature. For two mutants, cell lysis and release of alkaline phosphatase reached a maximum when cells in the logarithmic growth phase were shifted to the nonpermissive temperature. Morphological changes, as well as changes in macromolecular composition of the cells, were observed. Growth is necessary and oxygen is important for the expression of cell lysis at the nonpermissive temperature.