Meiotic Progeny Research Articles

A study of the transmission and structure of double stranded RNAs associated with the killer phenomenon in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Killer strains contain two double stranded RNAs, L and M. The M dsRNA appears to be necessary for production of a toxin and for resistance to that toxin. Mutant strains have been found that are defective in their ability to kill and in their resistance to toxin. These sensitive, non-killer strains have altered dsRNA composition. One class has no M dsRNA. Another class of sensitive, non-killers called suppressives has no M dsRNA but instead has smaller dsRNAscalledS. Indiploidsresulting from a cross of a wild-type killer by a suppressive the transmission of the M dsRNA is suppressed by the S dsRNA. When a suppressive is crossed by a strain with no M dsRNA, the diploids and all four meiotic spores have the S dsRNA characteristic of the parental suppressive strain. Suppressive strains do not suppress each other. Intercrosses between two different suppressives yields diploids with both parental S dsRNAs. These two S dsRNAs are transmitted to all 4 meiotic progeny. Another class of mutants has been found which is defective for one of the traits but retains the other. One type, temperature-sensitive killers, has a normal dsRNA composition but is unable to kill at 30 degrees. The other type, immunity-minus, has a complex dsRNA pattern. The immunity-minus strain is extremely unstable during mitotic growth and segregates several different types of non-killers. Analysis of the dsRNAs from wild type and the mutants by electron microscopy shows that the L, M, and S dsRNAs are linear. All strains regardless of killer phenotype appear to have the same size L dsRNA.

Assembly of the mitochondrial membrane system. Cytoplasmic mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with lesions in enzymes of the respiratory chain and in the mitochondrial ATPase.

Mutants of Saccharomyces cervisiae with defects in enzymes of the electron transfer chain and in the rutamycin-sensitive ATPase have been isolated. Some of the mutants are specifically affected in either cytochrome oxidase, coenzyme QH2-cytochrome c reductase or ATPase. Other strains are deficient in both cytochrome oxidase and coenzyme QH2-cytochrome c reductase but still have rutamycin-sensitive ATPase. All the mutants reported in this study fail to be complemented by a rho0 tester derived from a respiratory competent strain. The meiotic spore progeny obtained by mating the mutants to a respiratory competent haploid yeast, when scored for growth on glycerol, show a non-Mendelian segregation of the phenotype. These two genetic tests indicate the mutations to be cytoplasmically inherited.

UNIPARENTAL INHERITANCE IN CHLAMYDOMONAS EUGAMETOS (CHLOROPHYCEAE)1,2

SUMMARYThe gene sr‐2 conferring resistance to 500 μ/ml streplomycin exhibits uniparental inheritance in Chlamydomonas eugametos Moewus. The mutation to neamine dependence (nd) is probably of the same type. All meiotic progeny from crosses involving these mutant genes have the phenotype of the historically designated male parent. Unlike C. reinhardtii Dang., no exceptional zygotes have been observed.