Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Efficient Sporulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a 96 Multiwell Format
Published on: September 17, 2016
Dominant Epistasis Between Two Quantitative Trait Loci Governing Sporulation Efficiency in Yeast Saccharomyces
Juraj Bergman1, Petar T Mitrikeski2, Krunoslav Brčić-Kostić1
1Laboratory for Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Abstract:
Sporulation efficiency in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a well-established model for studying quantitative traits. A variety of genes and nucleotides causing different sporulation efficiencies in laboratory, as well as in wild strains, has already been extensively characterised (mainly by reciprocal hemizygosity analysis and nucleotide exchange methods). We applied a different strategy in order to analyze the variation in sporulation efficiency of laboratory yeast strains. Coupling classical quantitative genetic analysis with simulations of phenotypic distributions (a method we call phenotype modelling) enabled us to obtain a detailed picture of the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) relationships underlying the phenotypic variation of this trait. Using this approach, we were able to uncover a dominant epistatic inheritance of loci governing the phenotype. Moreover, a molecular analysis of known causative quantitative trait genes and nucleotides allowed for the detection of novel alleles, potentially responsible for the observed phenotypic variation. Based on the molecular data, we hypothesise that the observed dominant epistatic relationship could be caused by the interaction of multiple quantitative trait nucleotides distributed across a 60--kb QTL region located on chromosome XIV and the RME1 locus on chromosome VII. Furthermore, we propose a model of molecular pathways which possibly underlie the phenotypic variation of this trait.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Epistasis Analysis
Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Epistasis
Incomplete Dominance
Law of Segregation
Dosage Compensation
In addition to sexual development, the X chromosome has genes involved in autosomal functions such as brain development and the immune system. Therefore, males and females with distinct numbers of X chromosomes will...

