Cloned mitochondrial DNA from the zygomycete Absidia glauca promotes autonomous replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We have cloned fragments from mitochondrial and chromosomal DNA of the zygomycete Absidia glauca in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using the ARS selection vector YIp5. Though it has not been possible to select ARS elements from chromosomal DNA, we succeeded in isolating two clones of mitochondrial origin that support autonomous replication in bakers' yeast. DNA from these plasmids has been shown to hybridize with mitochondrial DNA from both mating types. Generation times of the transformed yeast strain in selective medium are around 20 h. In liquid minimal medium only 6% of the cells contain the plasmid; in complete medium a mitotic stability of 50% has been determined.