A hybrid DNA sequence containing the replication origin of the multicopy yeast plasmid 2 micron circle and an additional repeated sequence can convert maltose-negative into maltose-positive strains.

Yeast DNA pools were prepared by ligating partial Sau3A genomic digests from strains carrying various MAL genes into the BamHI site of the yeast-Escherichia coli shuttle vector YRp7. They were used to transform recipient yeast strains that could not utilize maltose since they lacked a classical MAL gene. Transformants were obtained that could use maltose and also formed normal levels of maltase. They were unstable. They would lose the selective marker TRP1 of YRp7 alone, together with the ability to utilize maltose or only the ability to utilize maltose. The insertion of one of the plasmids was used as a hybridization probe for the others and found to share homologous sequences with all. They were then shown to contain the replication origin of the yeast 2 micron circle plasmid and additional sequences. These additional sequences were used to probe genomic digests of total yeast DNA. They hybridized at various degrees of efficiency with several bands, indicating that they were part of a family of repeated sequences. Apparently, it was the combination of the replication origin of the 2 micron circles with the additional sequences that promoted maltose utilization.