Selection of yeast auxotrophs by thymidylate starvation

Abstract

A rapid procedure for the recovery of S. cerevisiae auxotrophs was developed by exploiting the protection of these mutants from thymineless death when a required metabolite was withheld. The method can be used for thymidine 5'-monophosphate-requiring auxotrophs or wild-type strains blocked in de novo synthesis of thymidylate of folate antagonists.