Molecular cloning of the yeast nuclear genes CBS1 and CBS2.

The yeast nuclear genes CBS1 and CBS2 are both required for translation of the mitochondrial COB transcripts. Here we report on the identification of two unique chromosomal DNA-sequences of 2 kb and 2.3 kb from yeast wild type gene banks which functionally complement cbs1 and cbs2 mutants, respectively. Disruption of the homologous DNA-fragments by insertion of the URA3 gene generates respiratory deficient cells which fail to complement the original mutants. Cells with these gene disruptions are phenotypically identical to the original cbs1 and cbs2 mutants with respect to cytochrome spectra and mitochondrial translation products. The results exclude the possibility that suppressor genes have been cloned and confirm the conclusion that both genes, CBS1 and CBS2, specifically are involved in translation of mitochondrial COB RNA.