Yeast cell viability under conditions of high temperature and ethanol concentrations depends on the mitochondrial genome.
Wine yeasts manifest simultaneously a high tolerance to ethanol, thermotolerance, and a high resistance to the mutagenic effects of ethanol on the mitochondrial genome. The transfer of mitochondria from these strains to laboratory yeasts demonstrate that this genome influences the above parameters, since thermotolerance, ethanol-growth tolerance, and the frequency of rho- mutants were either totally or partially modified in the laboratory recipient strain. When the death rate and the rate of formation of rho- mutants were measured under extreme conditions of inhibitory ethanol concentrations and high temperature, a perfect correlation was found between these parameters, and both of them were dependent on the strain of mitochondrial genome. Thus, the transfer of wine yeast mitochondria leads to a lower death rate, and a simultaneous increase in thermotolerance and ethanol tolerance in the recipient strain. These results demonstrate the role that viability plays under conditions of high temperatures and high ethanol concentrations. The greater stability of the rho+ phenotype shown by the wine yeast mitochondrial genome may be responsible for the increased viability conferred by these mitochondria.
D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000637:transplantation; D009154:Mutation; D012440:Saccharomyces / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D013172:Spores, Fungal
D003470:Culture Media; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D000431:Ethanol