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Biomedical subjects

H Gutz

Publications and source records attributed to H Gutz.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Hyperspeckled mutants of Schizosaccharomyces pombe: frequent mating-type switching without detectable double-strand breaks.

Mating-type (MT) switching in homothallic (h90) strains of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is initiated by a DNA double-strand break (DSB) at the distal end of the expression cassette mat1. The cis-acting smt-s1 mutation C13-P11 reduces the frequency of MT switching. It is a small deletion mapping approximately 50 bp distal to the site of the DSB. From the h90 smt-s1 strain we isolated 13 mutants with a hyperspeckled iodine reaction. In these mutants the frequency of MT switching is increased. The mutations define nine different hsp genes, none of which maps in or close to the MT region. We tested one mutant of each gene for the presence of DSBs at mat1. Curiously, in none of the h90 smt-s1 hsp strains could DSBs be detected, although some sporulate nearly as efficiently as the h90 smt-n wild type. The hsp mutations show no effect in smt-0 strains; the smt-0 deletion abolishes MT switching completely. Furthermore, we tested the interaction of hsp1-1 with swi1, swi2 and swi7 mutations. hsp1-1 has no effect in swi2 strains, whereas it increases MT switching in swi7 and, to a lesser degree, in swi1 mutants.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed1994

The mating-type region of Schizosaccharomyces pombe contains an essential gene encoding a protein homologous to human modulators of HIV transactivation.

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, an intrachromosomal crossover between the mating type (MT) expression locus and one of the silent donor cassettes is lethal due to the loss of the intervening L region. The region contains one essential gene, let1. This gene was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence of let1 shows extensive homologies with SUG1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Significant homologies were also found with the human HIV transactivation modulators, MSS1 and TBP-1, as well as with subunit 4 of the mammalian 26 S protease. The data indicate that let1 is a member of a recently defined multigene family of ATPases.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1993

Theoretical analysis of the effects of mitotic crossover in large yeast populations.

In a diploid yeast population which is heterozygous for a given marker, A1A2, mitotic crossover (mit. c.o.) between the centromere and the marker will give rise to homozygous daughter cells, A1A1 and A2A2. Since this causes a decrease in the frequency of A1A2 cells, mit. c.o. is an important population genetic process in vegetatively propagated yeast cultures. The effect of mit. c.o. is counteracted by mutations and, in the case of heterosis, by selection. We present a mathematical analysis of these interactions.

Crossing Over, Genetic↗
PubMed1993

Mating configurations in Schizosaccharomyces pombe strains of different geographical origins.

In genetic research with Schizosaccharomyces pombe the strains used are almost exclusively descendants of the clones originally isolated by Leupold. In the "standard" homothallic (h90) strain three closely linked mating-type (MT) genes are present in the MT region: the actual MT locus, mat1, and two silent cassettes, mat2 and mat3, respectively. Various rearrangements are known in the MT region, e.g., heterothallic h+ or h- strains arise by duplications or deletions. In the present paper we analysed the mating behavior and the configurations of the MT regions of 19 S. pombe isolates from different parts of the world. In comparison with the Leupold strains several new MT configurations were found.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1993

Analysis of DNA repair pathways of Schizosaccharomyces pombe by means of swi-rad double mutants.

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe 11 different switching genes (swi1 to swi10 and rad22) are known which are involved in mating-type (MT) switching. Mutations in swi5, swi9, swi10 and rad22 also cause an increased radiation sensitivity. We tested whether the survival of these mutants after UV irradiation is influenced by caffeine. We included rad1 and rad13 mutants in our experiments which do not affect MT switching. Several double and triple mutants were constructed. We were able to assign the switching genes to different repair pathways: swi9 and swi10 are involved in excision repair, rad22 has a function in recombination repair, while swi5 appears to be involved in a hitherto unknown pathway. This 'swi5 pathway' is stimulated (!) by caffeine. Previously it was found that the swi5 mutation also reduces meiotic recombination. As to rad genes, we found a few inconsistencies with previous reports in the literature.

Alleles↗
PubMed1990

A mutated swi4 gene causes duplications in the mating-type region of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Efficient mating-type (MT) switching in homothallic strains of Schizosaccharomyces pombe is significantly reduced if they have a mutation in any of the eleven known swi genes. The swi4 mutation causes heterothallic as well as homothallic segregants, both of which have duplications in the MT region. In contrast to homothallic strains, h+ swi4 strains yield only a few duplications. The duplications originate in the process of MT switching, presumably by mistakes in the resolution of DNA intermediates. They always consist of one cassette and one of the intervening sequences, L and K respectively. Strains with up to seven cassettes in the MT region were found. The possible modes of their origins are discussed.

Gene Rearrangement↗
PubMed1989

Some of the swi genes of Schizosaccharomyces pombe also have a function in the repair of radiation damage.

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe the frequency of mating-type (MT) switching is reduced by mutations in the swi genes. The ten hitherto known swi genes can be subdivided into three classes: Ia, Ib and II. Strains having swi5 (class Ib), swi9 (class II) and swi10 (class II) mutations do not only show reduced MT switching, but also exhibit an increased sensitivity to UV- and gamma-rays. For that reason, 19 previously described rad genes were tested for their effect on MT switching. We found that swi9, "rad10", "rad16" and "rad20" are allelic with each other indicating that the former allocation of these rad mutations to three different genes must have been erroneous. Among the remaining 16 rad genes examined, rad22 seems to be a new class II swi gene. The double mutants swi5 swi9 and swi5 swi10, but not swi9 swi10, are much more sensitive to radiation than the respective single mutants. Thus a cumulative increase in sensitivity occurs only if the mutants belong to different classes; previously the same correlation was found with regard to cumulative effects in MT switching.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1976

Gene conversion: a hitherto overlooked parameter in population genetics.

Gene conversion causes deviations from the 2:2 segregation of allele pairs in meiosis. Thus, gene conversion is a potential cause for changes of allele frequencies in populations. Equations are derived for the effects of conversion in a large random-mating population. The influence of gene conversion on allele frequencies is compared with that of spontaneous mutation and meiotic drive.

Alleles↗
PubMed1975

A new type of mutation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: vegetative iodine reaction.

Colonies of Schizosaccharomyces pombe that contain ascospores (e.g., colonies of homothallic strains) turn black after treatment with iodine vapors. Heterothallic strains of S. pombe normally do not show this reaction. In experiments with the latter strains we found mutants which exhibit a positive iodine reaction though they do not contain ascospores. This phenotype is due to mutations in a new gene, vir1 (vegatative iodine reaction). The vir1 locus is not linked with the mating-type genes.--Strains of mating-type h-S are known not to give any spontaneous mating-type mutations. Mating-type mutations were also not found after treatment with nitrous acid.

Alleles↗
PubMed1967

"Twin meiosis" and other ambivalences in the life cycle of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Diploid cells of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe carrying the mating-type allele h(90) are capable of sporulation and copulation. After copulation karyogamy does not always occur. In this case both nuclei will undergo meioses separately (twin meiosis). Asci with eight haploid spores derive from this event. Diploid cells homozygous for the mating-type alleles h(+) or h(-) do not sporulate. However, their nuclei can perform meiosis when they are in a common cytoplasm with a diploid nucleus of compatible mating type.

Ascomycota↗