A mutator affecting the region of the iso-1-cytochrome c gene in yeast.

The mutator gene DEL1 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes a high rate of formation of multisite mutations that encompass the following three adjacent genes: CYC1, which determines the structure of iso-1-cytochrome c; RAD7, which controls UV sensitivity; and OSM1, which controls osomotic sensitivity. The simplest hypothesis is that these multisite mutations are deletions, although it has not been excluded that they may involve other types of gross chromosomal aberrations. In contrast, normal strains do not produce such multisite mutations even after mutagenic treatments. The multisite mutations arise at a rate of approximately 10(-5) to 10(-6) per cell per division in DEL1 strains, which is much higher than rates observed for mutation of genes in normal strains. For example, normal strains produce all types of cyc1 mutants at a low rate of approximately 10(-8) to 10(-9). No evidence for multisite mutations was obtained upon analysis of numerous spontaneous ade1, ade2, met2 and met15 mutants isolated in a DEL1 strain. DEL1 appears to be both cis- and trans-dominant. The location of the DEL1 gene and the lack of effect on other genes suggest that the mutator acts only on a region adjacent to itself.