Physical and biological characterization of linear DNA plasmids of the yeast Pichia inositovora.

Three cryptic DNA plasmids have been identified in a strain of the yeast Pichia inositovora that are 18, 13, and 10 kbp in size. All are sensitive to digestion by DNase I, restriction endonucleases, and exonuclease III, but are resistant to the activities of RNase A and lambda exonuclease. These results indicate that each plasmid is a linear DNA molecule whose 5' ends are protected. A restriction map has been developed for each of the plasmids, demonstrating that each is unique and confirming their linear nature. The plasmids are a major constituent of DNA prepared from whole cells, but are absent from DNA preparations of purified mitochondria and nuclei, indicating that the plasmids are located in the cytoplasm. These plasmids share many of the physical characteristics described for the linear plasmids of the yeasts Kluyveromyces lactis and Saccharomycopsis crataegensis. Unlike the linear plasmids of K. lactis, however, they appear not to be capable of killer toxin production.