Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1980 Jan;77(1):527–530. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.1.527

"Superkiller" mutations suppress chromosomal mutations affecting double-stranded RNA killer plasmid replication in saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A Toh-E, R B Wickner
PMCID: PMC348305  PMID: 6987655

Abstract

Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains carrying a 1.5 x 10(6)-dalton double-stranded RNA genome in virus-like particles (killer plasmid) secrete a protein toxin that kills strains not carrying this plasmid. At least 28 chromosomal genes (mak genes) are required to maintain or replicate this plasmid. Recessive mutations in any of four other chromosomal genes (ski for superkiller) result in enhanced toxin production. We report that many ski- mak- double mutants are able to maintain the killer plasmid, indicating that the SKI products have an effect on plasmid replication. The ski1-1 mutation suppresses (bypasses) all mak mutations tested except mak16-1. A variant killer plasmid is described that confers the superkiller phenotype and, like chromosomal ski mutations, makes several mak genes dispensable for plasmid replication.

Full text

PDF
527

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adler J., Wood H. A., Bozarth R. F. Virus-like particles from killer, neutral, and sensitive strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Virol. 1976 Feb;17(2):472–476. doi: 10.1128/jvi.17.2.472-476.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bevan E. A., Herring A. J., Mitchell D. J. Preliminary characterization of two species of dsRNA in yeast and their relationship to the "killer" character. Nature. 1973 Sep 14;245(5420):81–86. doi: 10.1038/245081b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bevan E. A., Somers J. M. Somatic segregation of the killer (k) and neutral (n) cytoplasmic genetic determinants in yeast. Genet Res. 1969 Aug;14(1):71–77. doi: 10.1017/s0016672300001865. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bussey H. Effects of yeast killer factor on sensitive cells. Nat New Biol. 1972 Jan 19;235(55):73–75. doi: 10.1038/newbio235073a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Clark A. J. Recombination deficient mutants of E. coli and other bacteria. Annu Rev Genet. 1973;7:67–86. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.07.120173.000435. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cohn M. S., Tabor C. W., Tabor H., Wickner R. B. Spermidine or spermine requirement for killer double-stranded RNA plasmid replication in yeast. J Biol Chem. 1978 Aug 10;253(15):5225–5227. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Conde J., Fink G. R. A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective for nuclear fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Oct;73(10):3651–3655. doi: 10.1073/pnas.73.10.3651. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fink G. R., Styles C. A. Curing of a killer factor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Oct;69(10):2846–2849. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.10.2846. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fried H. M., Fink G. R. Electron microscopic heteroduplex analysis of "killer" double-stranded RNA species from yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978 Sep;75(9):4224–4228. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.9.4224. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Goldring E. S., Grossman L. I., Krupnick D., Cryer D. R., Marmur J. The petite mutation in yeast. Loss of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid during induction of petites with ethidium bromide. J Mol Biol. 1970 Sep 14;52(2):323–335. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(70)90033-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Herring A. J., Bevan E. A. Virus-like particles associated with the double-stranded RNA species found in killer and sensitive strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Gen Virol. 1974 Mar;22(3):387–394. doi: 10.1099/0022-1317-22-3-387. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hopper J. E., Bostian K. A., Rowe L. B., Tipper D. J. Translation of the L-species dsRNA genome of the killer-associated virus-like particles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Biol Chem. 1977 Dec 25;252(24):9010–9017. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Leibowitz M. J., Wickner R. B. Pet18: a chromosomal gene required for cell growth and for the maintenance of mitochondrial DNA and the killer plasmid of yeast. Mol Gen Genet. 1978 Oct 4;165(2):115–121. doi: 10.1007/BF00269899. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Palfree R. G., Bussey H. Yeast killer toxin: purification and characterisation of the protein toxin from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Eur J Biochem. 1979 Feb 1;93(3):487–493. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1979.tb12847.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Somers J. M., Bevan E. A. The inheritance of the killer character in yeast. Genet Res. 1969 Feb;13(1):71–83. doi: 10.1017/s0016672300002743. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Toh-E A., Guerry P., Wickner R. B. Chromosomal superkiller mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Bacteriol. 1978 Dec;136(3):1002–1007. doi: 10.1128/jb.136.3.1002-1007.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Toh-E A., Wickner R. B. A mutant killer plasmid whose replication depends on a chromosomal "superkiller" mutation. Genetics. 1979 Apr;91(4):673–682. doi: 10.1093/genetics/91.4.673. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Vodkin M., Katterman F., Fink G. R. Yeast killer mutants with altered double-stranded ribonucleic acid. J Bacteriol. 1974 Feb;117(2):681–686. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.2.681-686.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wickner R. B. "Killer character" of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: curing by growth at elevated temperature. J Bacteriol. 1974 Mar;117(3):1356–1357. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.3.1356-1357.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wickner R. B. Chromosomal and nonchromosomal mutations affecting the "killer character" of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 1974 Mar;76(3):423–432. doi: 10.1093/genetics/76.3.423. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Wickner R. B. Deletion of mitochondrial DNA bypassing a chromosomal gene needed for maintenance of the killer plasmid of yeast. Genetics. 1977 Nov;87(3):441–452. doi: 10.1093/genetics/87.3.441. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wickner R. B., Leibowitz M. J. Chromosomal genes essential for replication of a double-stranded RNA plasmid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: the killer character of yeast. J Mol Biol. 1976 Aug 15;105(3):427–443. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(76)90102-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wickner R. B., Leibowitz M. J. Dominant chromosomal mutation bypassing chromosomal genes needed for killer RNA plasmid replication in yeast. Genetics. 1977 Nov;87(3):453–469. doi: 10.1093/genetics/87.3.453. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Wickner R. B., Leibowitz M. J. Two chromosomal genes required for killing expression in killer strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 1976 Mar 25;82(3):429–442. doi: 10.1093/genetics/82.3.429. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Wickner R. B. Twenty-six chromosomal genes needed to maintain the killer double-stranded RNA plasmid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 1978 Mar;88(3):419–425. doi: 10.1093/genetics/88.3.419. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Young T. W., Yagiu M. A comparison of the killer character in different yeasts and its classification. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 1978;44(1):59–77. doi: 10.1007/BF00400077. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES