Environmental Factors Can Influence Mitochondrial Inheritance in the Saccharomyces Yeast Hybrids

PLoS One. 2017 Jan 12;12(1):e0169953. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169953. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Mitochondria play a critical role in the generation of metabolic energy and are crucial for eukaryotic cell survival and proliferation. In most sexual eukaryotes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is inherited from only one parent in non-Mendelian inheritance in contrast to the inheritance of nuclear DNA. The model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae is commonly used to study mitochondrial biology. It has two mating types: MATa and MATα. Previous studies have suggested that the mtDNA inheritance patterns in hybrid diploid cells depend on the genetic background of parental strains. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To elucidate the mechanisms, we examined the effects of environmental factors on the mtDNA inheritance patterns in hybrids obtained by crossing S. cerevisiae with its close relative S. paradoxus. The results demonstrated that environmental factors can influence mtDNA transmission in hybrid diploids, and that the inheritance patterns are strain dependent. The fitness competition assay results showed that the fitness differences can explain the mtDNA inheritance patterns under specific conditions. However, in this study, we found that fitness differences cannot fully be explained by mitochondrial activity in hybrids under stress conditions.

MeSH terms

  • Ammonium Chloride / pharmacology
  • DNA, Fungal / isolation & purification
  • DNA, Fungal / metabolism
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics*
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / metabolism
  • Environment*
  • Genes, Mating Type, Fungal / genetics
  • Genotype
  • Hybridization, Genetic / drug effects
  • Hybridization, Genetic / genetics
  • Inheritance Patterns / genetics*
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / genetics
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Osmotic Pressure
  • Saccharomyces / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Ubiquitination / drug effects

Substances

  • DNA, Fungal
  • DNA, Mitochondrial
  • Ammonium Chloride

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 104-2311-B-018-001 and MOST 105-2311-B-018 -001 -MY3 to J-YC). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.