CAFFEINE-RESISTANCE IN SCHIZOSACCHAROMYCES-POMBE - A PLEIOTROPIC MUTATION AFFECTING UV-SENSITIVITY, FERTILITY, AND CELL-CYCLE

A stable mutant having increased resistance to growth inhibition by caffeine was obtained from Schizosaccharomyces pombe after UV-irradiation of vegetative cells. The caf1-21 mutation confers increased UV-sensitivity, impaired fertility and sporulation, lengthened cell cycle and a slightly abnormal cell morphology, but it does not affect ectopic recombination in vegetative cells. The mutation is partially dominant and defines a gene mapping on chromosome II. Various possible mechanisms of resistance are discussed. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.