Summary
The Escherichia coli Tn9 derived chloramphenicol resistance gene (cam r) is functionally expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This gene was introduced into yeast cells as part of a hybrid yeast/E. coli shuttle plasmid. A number of plasmid associated yeast mutants overproducing the cam r gene product, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (acetyl-CoA: chloramphenicol 3-0-acetyltransferase, E.C. 2.3.1.28) were isolated. One of the plasmid mutants was analyzed in some detail. Even though this mutant showed a 1,000 fold overproduction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase in the yeast host the level of RNA complementary to the cam r gene was not increased. A deletion of 127 base pairs in the region immediately upstream from the 5′ end of the cam r gene appeared to be responsible for the “up” phenotype of this mutant. This mutation affected the expression of the cam r gene in E. coli in a “down” fashion, in contrast to its effect in yeast.
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Communicated by F. Kaudewitz
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Cohen, J.D., Abrams, E., Eccleshall, T.R. et al. Expression of a prokaryotic gene in yeast: isolation and characterization of mutants with increased expression. Molec. Gen. Genet. 191, 451–459 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425762
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425762