The relative merits of the tetO sub(2) and tetO sub(7) promoter systems for the functional analysis of heterologous genes in yeast and a compilation of essential yeast genes with tetO sub(2) promoter substitutions

We have generated a collection of yeast strains, each of which has an essential yeast gene under the control of the tetracycline-responsive, tetO, promoter. Screens using first-generation promoter-swap strains uncovered the non-specific responsiveness of the tetO sub(7) promoter to a known human transcription factor (hIRF-1). Non-specific regulation was not observed with the tetO sub(2) promoter. Reporter assays have been used to demonstrate this phenomenon. Subsequent efforts to generate a collection of tetracycline- regulatable strains have focused on the tetO sub(2) promoter. These strains are available to the yeast community and can be used for functional genomics studies.