The mitochondrial genotype can influence nuclear gene expression in yeast

Abstract

Isochromosomal, respiratory-deficient yeast strains, such as a mit-, a hypersuppressive petite, and a petite lacking mitochondrial DNA, are phenotypically identical in spite of differences in their mitochondrial genomes. Subtractive hybridizations of complementary DNA's to polyadenylated RNA isolated from derepressed cultures of these strains reveal the presence of nuclear-encoded transcripts whose abundance varies not only between them and their respiratory-competent parent, but among the respiratory-deficient strains themselves. Transcripts of some nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins, like cytochrome c and the alpha and beta subunits of the mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase, whose abundance is affected by glucose or heme, do not vary. In the absence of major metabolic variables, yeast cells seem to respond to the quality and quantity of mitochondrial DNA and modulate the levels of nuclear-encoded RNA's, perhaps as a means of intergenomic regulation.