Quantitative Selection of Respiratory Deficient Mutants in Yeasts by Triphenyltetrazolium Chloride

Abstract

Triphenyltetrazolium chloride exhibits a strong growth inhibition in respiratory competent cellsbut shows only minor effects in respiratory deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Use of this dye thus allows rapid selection of rarely occurring respiratorydeficient mutants, showing karyotic as well as extrakaryotic inheritance. Mutation inductionby tetrazolium chloride was not observed. The results favour the hypothesis that triphenyltetrazoliumchloride interferes with the terminal oxidase of the respiratory chain. © 1972, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.