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Drug-dependent mutants in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
M D Ter-Avanesyan1, L N Mironova, S G Inge-Vechtomov
1Department of Genetics, Leningrad State University, 199164, Leningrad, USSR.
Current Genetics
|November 1, 2013
Summary
Mutations in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae sup1 and sup2 genes alter cytoplasmic ribosome conformation, affecting cycloheximide antibiotic binding and growth. These sup1 and sup2 mutations impact ribosome function and drug sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Mutations in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae sup1 and sup2 genes can lead to cycloheximide-dependent growth.
- Two classes of mutants are identified: conditionally dependent and true dependent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying cycloheximide-dependent growth in yeast mutants.
- To characterize the interaction of cycloheximide with mutant ribosomes.
Main Methods:
- Equilibrium dialysis was used to study the binding of H(3)-labelled cycloheximide to ribosomes and 60S subunits.
- Circular dichroism spectroscopy was employed to analyze conformational changes in ribosomes.
Main Results:
- Conditionally dependent mutants exhibited higher affinity for cycloheximide binding to 80S ribosomes and 60S subunits compared to the parent strain.
- The number of cycloheximide binding sites remained unchanged in the mutants.
- sup1 and sup2 mutations were shown to alter the conformation of yeast cytoplasmic ribosomes.
Conclusions:
- sup1 and sup2 mutations induce conformational changes in yeast cytoplasmic ribosomes.
- Cycloheximide binding to mutant ribosomes triggers a conformational shift, potentially compensating for functional defects and explaining drug dependence.
