Macromolecule synthesis in a mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inhibited by S-adenosyimethionine

Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 83384-B3 carries the sai-1 mutation which confers sensitivity to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). It was shown that the mutant is impermeable to precursors of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein during inhibition by SAM (0.2 mM). Inhibition of uptake of adenine and uracil was nearly complete 3 h after growth in the presence of SAM and the uptake of leucine was at least 10-fold lower. The incorporation of 3H-adenine into ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA and heterodisperse RNA, believed to be messenger, was reduced 10-fold when measured after 1 h inhibition. The inhibition of growth was completely reversed by methionine (2.0 mM) in cells previously exposed to SAM for 90 min. The polysome content in cells inhibited by SAM was 25% less than the control after 4 h inhibition. Ribosome synthesis increased only about 40% in the presence of SAM and about 5-fold in the control over an 8 h period. All classes of RNA were synthesized during inhibition.