Genetic control of sensitization by oxygen involving repair systems in Saccharomyces

Genetic analysis of gamma-ray mutagenesis in yeast. III. Double-mutant strains

Comparisons between the 60Co gamma-ray survival curves of diploid strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are homozygous for two non-allelic radiation-sensitive mutations and the corresponding single-mutant diploids suggest that there are two main types of repair of ionizing radiation damage in this organism. The first, which is defined by the rad52 epistasis group, depends on the activities of the RAD50 through RAD57 genes and is responsible for repairing the larger amount of lethal damage. Previous work [22] shows that this type of repair is essentially error-free. The second, defined by the rad6 epistasis group, depends on the activities of the RAD6, RAD9, RAD18, REV1 and REV3 genes and repairs a smaller, though still substantial, amount of lethal damage. It is also responsible for induced mutagenesis [22, 23]. Data for survival and mutation induction after irradiation in air and partial anoxia show that oxygen-dependent damage can be repaired by either of these two pathways. They also show similar oxygen-enhancement ratios for survival and mutagenesis.

Biological effects and repair of damage photoinduced by a derivative of psoralen substituted at the 3,4 reaction site: photoreactivity of this compound and lethal effect in yeast

A newly synthesized linear psoralen derivative, 3-carbethoxypsoralen is shown to bind to yeast nucleic acids after 365 nm light treatment. As compared to 8-methoxypsoralen, a well-known bifunctional furocoumarin, 3-carbethoxypsoralen exhibits a high photoaffinity for DNA in vivo. Both compounds bind and photoreact more efficiently in vivo than in vitro. In contrast to 8-methoxypsoralen, 3-carbethoxypsoralen does not form cross-links in yeast DNA as demonstrated by heat denaturation-reassociation studies at least in the range of doses used. Thus 3-carbethoxypsoralen reacts as a monofunctional compound. Wild-type cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are 6 times more resistant to 3-carbethoxypsoralen than to 8-methoxypsoralen plus 365 nm light treatment in terms of lethal effect. In comparison to angelicin, another monofunctional (but angular) furocoumarin, 3-carbethoxypsoralen is more photoreactive. When the photoaffinity for DNA of 8-methoxypsoralen and 3-carbethoxypsoralen are considered in relation to photoinduced cell killing, it is clear that monoadducts are very efficiently repaired in wild-type cells. In contrast to the additivity obtained with 8-methoxypsoralen, a synergistic interaction of the two different repair pathways blocked by the rad2 and the rad9 mutation is observed after 3-carbethoxypsoralen plus 365 nm light. Dark holding experiments show that the excision repair function which is present in wild-type and rad9-4 cells is important for dark recovery.

8-Methoxypsoralen plus 365 nm light effects and repair in yeast

Haploid wild-type and mutant cells of Saccharomyces carrying one of the single genes rad2-20 or rad9-4 and the double mutant rad2-20rad9-4 were tested for their response to a treatment with 8-methoxypsoralen plus 365 nm light using immediate and delayed plating techniques. The mutant defective in the excision of ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine dimers (rad2-20) as well as that presumably deficient in a recombinational repair system (rad9-4) are more sensitive than wild type cells. The double mutant (rad2-20rad9-4) demonstrates a higher sensitivity than each of the single mutants, indicating that at least two pathways are involved in the repair of the 8-methoxypsoralen plus 365 nm induced damages. In all cases survival curves have shoulders. The survival of wild type and rad9-4 cells is increased after dark holding whereas it remains constant for the rad2-20 mutant and for the double mutant. These results show that the induced damages are reparable. Respiratory deficient mutant (p-) were compared to the corresponding respiratory competent cells. It is shown that the respiratory function is required for the expression of the excision repair activity. The 8-methoxypsoralen plus 365 nm ligh treatment appears to be less effective than ultraviolet irradiation (254 nm) in the induction of the cytoplasmic 'petite' mutation at the same survival levels.