Specific gene probes as tools in yeast taxonomy

The gene PDC1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae coding for pyruvate decarboxylase (E.C. 4.1.1.1.) was used as a hybridization probe to detect gene sequence homologies in different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in other yeast species. Additionally six other genes coding for glycolytic enzymes as well as the genes URA3 of the pyrimidine synthetic and TRP1 of the tryptophan synthetic pathways were used. A restriction polymorphism for the BamH1 fragments carrying the PDC1 gene was evident within the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae . All strains definitely declared as Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed the same restriction patterns. Hybridizations of different intensities were observed only with species in the family Saccharomycetaceae . Hybridizations with different genes showed different degrees of conservation for certain DNA sequences.