Periodic cell cycle changes in the rate of CO2 production in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe persist after a block to protein synthesis.

CO2 production has been followed by manometry in synchronous and asynchronous control cultures of Schizosaccharomyces pombe prepared by elutriation from the same initial culture. Earlier results showed a periodic change in the rate of production, which took place once per cell cycle. These changes were most clearly shown as oscillations in the difference between values of the second differential (acceleration) for the synchronous and asynchronous cultures. This paper shows that the oscillations continue for at least three cycles in the presence of cycloheximide (with and without chloramphenicol). Protein synthesis is virtually absent and there is no cell division. The control of this metabolic oscillation is therefore not directly dependent on translation. The period of the oscillation under these conditions is about 60% of the normal cycle time.