Depolarization of the actin cytoskeleton is a specific phenotype in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The yeast actin cytoskeleton is polarized during most of the cell cycle. Certain environmental factors and mutations are associated with depolarization of the actin cytoskeleton. Is depolarization of the actin cytoskeleton a specific response, or is it a nonspecific reaction to harsh conditions or poor metabolism? If depolarization is a nonspecific response, then any mutation that slows growth should induce depolarization. In addition, the number of genes with the depolarization phenotype should constitute a relatively large part of the genome. To address this question, we determined the effect of slow growth on the actin cytoskeleton, and we determined the frequency of mutations that affect the actin cytoskeleton. Eight mutants with slow growth showed no defect in actin polarization, indicating that slow growth alone is not sufficient to cause depolarization. Among 273 viable haploids disrupted for ORFs of chromosome I and VIII and 950 viable haploids with random genome disruptions, none had depolarization of the cytoskeleton. We conclude that depolarization of the actin cytoskeleton is a specific phenotype.