Genetic studies on mitochondrially inherited mikamycin-resistance in Paramecium aurelia

Extranuclear recombination in Aspergillus nidulans: closely-linked multiple chloramphenicol- and oligomycin-resistance loci

A nuclear, chloramphenicol-sensitive mutant cas-1 has been isolated which is cross sensitive to a number of drugs, including oligomycin and cycloheximide. Approximately one-third of the chloramphenicol-resistant mutants isolated from mutagenized conidia of this strain were found to be extranuclear, and exhibited a variety of phenotypes. One of these mutants, designated (camB51), was slow growing on drug-free medium and recombined at low frequency with the previously described mutant (camA112) (Gunatilleke et al., 1975). The majority of extranuclear oligomycin-resistant mutants isolated from cas-1 were indistinguishable from (oliA1) (Rowlands and Turner, 1973). Two mutants, (oliB322) and (oliB332), with similar but not identical phenotypes to (oli A1), recombined with the latter at low frequency but not with each other, thus representing a new class of extranuclear mutants.

Meiosis in protists. Some structural and physiological aspects of meiosis in algae, fungi, and protozoa

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Interspecies transfer of mitochondria in Paramecium aurelia

Erythromycin-resistant mitochondria from species 1, 5 and 7 of P. aurelia were injected into erythromycin-sensitive paramecia of each of the same three species. Mitochondria from species 1 and 5 were successfully transferred to all three species, but species 7 mitochondria failed to develop in species 1 and 5. Minor differences were indicated in the frequency of successful transfers of species 1 mitochondria into species 1 and 5 cells. From studies on the transferability of mitochondria from "hybrid" cells, containing mitochondria from one species and nuclei from another, it was concluded that mitochondrial compatibility was mainly under control of the nuclear genome, with a possible minor control also by the mitochondrial genome.

Non-mendelian segregation in hybrids between chinese hamster cells

Mechanisms of segregation have been examined in hybrids between Chinese hamster cells, where chromosome loss in comparison to other systems is minimal. Hybrid cells were grown in HAT medium and subjected to back selection with bromodeoxyuridine (BUDR) or azaguanine (AZG). In AZG or BUDR at 30 mug/ml, segregation began with a random high frequency event that gave rise to cells capable of growth in both HAT and back selection medium, unlike the precursor hybrid or original parental cell types. BUDR-resistant segregants were propagated serially in the presence of BUDR, and were examined by clonal analysis for changes in plating properties during long term culture. Over a period of 300 days the HAT/BUDR plating ratio for sergregant cells declined continuously. A parallel decrease was observed in the rate of H3-thymidine incorporation, along with a drop in thymidine kinase activity. These shifts took place only in the presence of BUDR, and could be reversed by altered selection in HAT medium. Clonal studies showed that the evolution of segregant properties occurred in most if not all cells of the population, and did not arise from variation and selection of minority cell types. These properties of the segregating system are not consistent with models based on gene mutation, chromosome rearrangements, or chromosome loss. The evolution of segregants resembles more closely a sorting-out progress, taking place by intracellular selection over many generations. The segregating units may conceivably be cytoplasmic determinants linked functionally to nuclear genes, and which serve to modulate the events of phenotypic expression. Several lines of evidence which bear on this concept are discussed.

Cytoplasmic transfer of chloramphenicol resistance in human tissue culture cells

The cytoplasmic inheritance of human chloramphenicol (cap) resistance has been demonstrated by removing the nuclei of cells of the CAP-resistant HeLa strain 296-1 (enucleation) and fusing them to a CAP-sensitive HeLa strain lacking nuclear thymidine kinase. Plating the fusion products in bromodeoxyuridine and CAP resulted in the growth of about 150 colonies/10(6) parent cells plated. Permanent cell lines (cybrids) grown from such fusions have been designated HEB. A recloned HEB cybrid (HEB7A) has also been enucleated and fused to hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT)-deficient HeLa cells (S3AG1) and HPRT-deficient lymphocytes (WAL-2A). Cybrids were selected in thioguanine and CAP. In the fusion of enucleated (en) HEB7A to S3AG1, 1,200 colonies/10(6) parents were observed. Fusion of enHEB7A to WAL-2A was done in mass culture and cybrids were obtained on three separate occasions. In every case the parental controls were negative. All isolates tested from the above fusions have the CAP-resistant characteristics, in vivo and in vitro, of the enucleated parent and the nuclear characteristics of the CAP-sensitive parent, such as chromosome number, morphology, and specific isozyme and chromosome markers. Therefore, it can be concluded that CAP resistance is coded in the cytoplasm and not in the nucleus of 296-1 cells. Furthermore, this resistance can be transferred to cells of widely different origin and differentiated state. These studies represent the first genetic evidence of cytoplasmic inheritance in human cells.

Cytoplasmic and nuclear mutations to chloramphenicol resistance in Aspergillus nidulans

Two chloramphenicol resistance mutations out of 123 tested in Aspergillus nidulans are inherited extranuclearly as judged by transmissibility in heterokaryons, lack of segregation at meiosis, and independent segregation from all of the eight nuclear linkage groups. They do not recombine with each other. However, experiments in collaboration with G. Turner and R.T. Rowlands show that they do recombine with cytoplasmic mutations to oligomycin resistance (Rowlands and Turner, 1973) and cold-sensitivity (Waldron and Roberts, 1973). These cytoplasmic chloramphenicol resistance mutations are stable and do not affect growth or morphology on antibiotic-free media. Nuclear mutations to chloramphenicol resistance map at a minimum of three loci. At one of these loci, most, but not all, mutations lead pleiotropically to cycloheximide hypersensitivity, and most of these, but not all, also confer pleiotropic hypersensitivity to salicylhydroxamic acid.

Mitochondrial mutations affecting resistance to erythromycin and mikamycin in Paramecium aurelia: provisional results with a new method

A new method for obtaining mitochondrial mutants ofParamecium aureliais described. Sensitive organisms were first placed in medium containing a low concentration (0·02 mg/ml) of erythromycin (ERY), insufficient to prevent fission. The paramecia were then transferred through a graded series of increasing ERY concentrations, with a period of growth at each concentration. A high yield of ERY-resistant mutants was obtained.

Continuous growth in 0·02 mg/ml ERY also resulted in the accumulation of a spectrum of mutants resistant to various concentrations of ERY. Many of these mutants are also resistant to mikamycin. On returning the resistant paramecia to media lacking ERY, some clones remained resistant whilst others reverted to sensitivity.