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. 1978 Apr;134(1):214–220. doi: 10.1128/jb.134.1.214-220.1978

Polyamine auxotrophs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

P A Whitney, D R Morris
PMCID: PMC222237  PMID: 348679

Abstract

Strains of yeast have been constructed that are unable to synthesize ornithine and are thereby deficient in polyamine biosynthesis. These strains were used to develop a protocol for isolation of mutants blocked directly in polyamine synthesis. There were seven mutants isolated that lack ornithine decarboxylase activity; these strains exhibited greatly decreased pool levels of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine when grown in the absence of polyamines. Three of the mutants lack S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity; polyamine limitation of a representative mutant resulted in an accumulation of putrescine and a decrease in spermidine and spermine. When the mutants were cultured in the absence of polyamines, a continuously declining growth rate was observed.

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Selected References

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