Mutation of the cohesin related gene PDS5 causes cell death with predominant apoptotic features in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during early meiosis.

Pds5p is a cohesin related protein. It is required for maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion in mitosis and meiosis. Here we report that pds5-1 causes cell death in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during early meiosis. The pds5-1 caused cell death possesses characteristics of apoptosis and necrosis, including externalization of phosphatidylserine at cytoplasmic membrane, accumulation of DNA breaks, chromatin condensation and fragmentation, nuclei fragmentation, membrane degeneration and cell size enlargement. Our results also suggest that (1) The defect of DNA repair; (2) The production of reactive oxygen species, in pds5-1 mutant are involved in pds5-1 induced cell death.