Current Genetics

Viable hybrids of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were obtained by transfer of isolated diploid nuclei into haploid protoplasts using a polyethylene glycol (PEG) fusion procedure.

The DNA of Saccharomyces exiguus was analyzed by Southern hybridization using cloned MATa, MATα, and HO genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as probes. It was shown that S. exiguus has a DNA sequence homologous with the HO gene of S. cerevisiae and that this DNA sequence is on a chromosome of about 940 kb of DNA in S. exiguus. However, there is no DNA sequence in S. exiguus that is homologous with the MAT genes of S. cerevisiae.

A diploid yeast strain with extensive sequence dissimilarity in homologous regions near the LYS2 locus was sporulated, and spontaneous lys2 and lys5 mutant spores, selected on α-amino adipate, were analyzed. As many as 50% of the mutant spores contained a deletion in LYS2. These deletions occurred at a frequency of 5.0 × 10−7. While deletions of various sizes and endpoints were obtained, all the deletions recovered in this study included the border between homologous and non-homologous sequences located 4 kb upstream of LYS2. Large lys2 deletions that extended into an adjacent CYH2 duplication occurred at a frequency of 2.0 × 10−7, more than 1,000 times the frequency of the CYH2-LYS2 deletions found in a related haploid strain. This high frequency of CYH2-LYS2 deletions was observed only after sporulation of the diploid strain, and was dependent upon extensive sequence dissimilarity near the LYS2 locus.

The mitochondrial genome of a filamentous brown alga Pylaiella littoralis (strain CCMP 1907) has been reported to contain four group IIB introns in the LSU rRNA gene and three group IIA introns in the cox1 gene. We found extreme variability in the number of group II introns for these two genes by analyzing eight P. littoralis specimens collected at worldwide habitats. The first intron of the LSU rRNA gene from a specimen collected in France and the fourth intron from a specimen harvested in Japan exhibited an exceptionally long evolutionary distance when compared with the cognate introns found in P. littoralis specimens. Moreover, these introns harbored an intact or nearly intact tripartite ORF, suggesting they are the result of a recent invasion of cognate introns. Based on the fact that many of the target sites were intronless, we propose that opportunity of intron infection is the bottleneck step of the group II intron cycle which consists of invasion, degeneration, and complete loss from the target site.

Antisuppressor mutations were isolated in a strain containing the omnipotent suppressor suaC109. The antisuppressors reduce the activity of translational suppressors in vivo and counteract most aspects of the pleiotropic phenotype associated with the suaC and the suaA suppressor mutations. Using an homologous system for cell-free translation, we have measured translational accuracy in two antisuppressor strains with the genotype suaC109 and either the asuB11 or the asuD14 antisuppressor mutation. Ribosomes from antisuppressor mutants have higher levels of translational accuracy than those from the suppressor strain (suaC109, asu +). Mistranslation levels depended solely on the source of the sucrose-cleaned ribosomes. However, the increased accuracy associated with sucrose-cleaned ribosomes from antisuppressor strains can be nullified by salt-washing, suggesting that the component responsible can be washed off.

We have employed the analysis of spontaneous forward mutations that confer the ability to utilize L-α-aminoadipate as a nitrogen source (α-Aa+) to discern the events that contribute to mitotic segregation of spontaneous recessive mutations by diploid cells. α-Aa- diploid cells yield α-Aa+ mutants at a rate of 7.8±3.6×10-9. As in haploid strains, approximately 97% (30/31) of α-Aa+ mutants are spontaneous lys2-x recessive mutations. α-Aa+ mutants of diploid cells reflect mostly the fate of LYS2/lys2-x heterozygotes that arise by mutation within LYS2/LYS2 populations at a rate of 1.2±0.4×10-6. Mitotic recombination occurs in nonrandom association with forward mutation of LYS2 at a rate of 1.3±0.6×10-3. This mitotic recombination rate is tenfold higher than that of a control LYS2/lys2-1 diploid. Mitotic segregation within LYS2/lys2-x subpopulations yields primarily lys2-x/lys2-x diploids and a minority of lys2-x aneuploids. Fifteen percent of lys2-x/lys2-x diploids appear to have arisen by gene conversion of LYS2 to lys2-x; 85% of lys2-x/lys2-x diploids appear to have arisen by mitotic recombination in the CENII-LYS2 interval. lys2-1/lys2-1 mitotic segregants of a control LYS2/lys2-1 diploid consist similarly of 18% of lys2-1/lys2-1 diploids that appear to have arisen by gene conversion of LYS2 to lys2-1 and 82% of lys2-1/lys2-1 diploids that appear to have arisen by mitotic recombination in the CENII-LYS2 interval. The methods described can be used to simultaneously monitor the effects of yeast gene mutations and carcinogens on the principal parameters affecting the genomic stability of diploid mitotic cells: mutation, gene conversion, intergenic recombination, and chromosomal loss or rearrangement.

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) and the proteasomal LID are conserved macromolecular complexes composed of at least eight subunits with molecular weights of approximately 350 kDa. CSN and LID are part of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and cleave isopeptide linkages of lysine side chains on target proteins. CSN cleaves the isopeptide bond of ubiquitin-like protein Nedd8 from cullins, whereas the LID cleaves ubiquitin from target proteins sentenced for degradation. CSN and LID are structurally and functionally similar but the order of the assembly pathway seems to be different. The assembly differs in at least the last subunit joining the pre-assembled subcomplex. This review addresses the similarities and differences in structure, function and assembly of CSN and LID.