Open AccessMutation of the non-Mendelian suppressor, Ψ + , in yeast by hypertonic media
Author(s) -
Arjun Singh,
Cynthia Helms,
Fred Sherman
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.76.4.1952
Subject(s) - saccharomyces cerevisiae , biology , extrachromosomal dna , genetics , yeast , mutation , tonicity , frameshift mutation , translational efficiency , suppressor , microbiology and biotechnology , plasmid , biochemistry , translation (biology) , dna , gene , messenger rna
The Ψ+ extrachromosomal determinant in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae suppresses certain UAA markers and increases the efficiency of suppression of UAA suppressors and certain frameshift suppressors. Although the exact nature of Ψ+ determinant is unknown, it is believed to be a self-replicating cytoplasmic factor affecting some component of the translational machinery. In this report we describe growth conditions for efficient mutation or elimination of the Ψ+ determinant. Incubation of Ψ+ cultures in hypertonic nutrient medium resulted in rapid conversion to a culture containing predominantly Ψ- cells during the growth cycle. The kinetics of Ψ+ to Ψ- conversion established that the occurrence of Ψ- cells was due to induction and not to selection of pre-existing Ψ- cells. The results suggest that the replication of the Ψ+ determinant is sensitive to hypertonic conditions.