Mating-type mutations in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: isolation of mutants and analysis of strains with an h- or h+ phenotype

Mutants defective in various steps of the sexual cycle have been isolated from homothallic strains of Schizosaccharomyces pombe by Bresch, Müller and Egel (1968). These mutants include heterothallic h(+) and h(-) strains. We have isolated additional h(+) and h(- ) mutants from homothallic strains. Those mutants which are due to mutations in the mating-type region were analyzed in detail. Our results show that the mating-type gene mat2 not only has a function in copulation and meiosis, but that it also regulates the formation of the map1 gene product (map1 is a mating-type auxiliary gene). Some of the h( -) mutants have lost only one of the three functions while others are defective in at least two, and perhaps all three, functions. Further, we show that the mat1(-) allele of h(90) strains can mutate to mat1(+) but that mutations in mat2 appear to affect the mutational behavior of mat1. Finally, we describe a new inactive mating-type allele, mat2*, which is different from mat2(0) in that it can mutate to mat2(+).