The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene YPT1 encodes a protein that exhibits significant homology to the mammalian ras proteins. Using gene disruption techniques, we have shown that the intact YPT1 gene is required for spore viability. Lethality caused by loss of YPT1 function, unlike that caused by loss of the yeast ras homologs RAS1 and RAS2 function, is not suppressed by the bcy1 mutation, suggesting that YPT1 does not act through the adenylate cyclase regulatory system. A cold-sensitive allele, ypt1-1, was constructed. At the nonpermissive temperature, mutants died, exhibiting aberrant nuclear morphology, as well as abnormal distribution of actin and tubulin. The mutant cells died without exhibiting classical cell-cycle-specific arrest; nevertheless, examination of cellular DNA content suggests that the YPT1 function is required, particularly after S phase. Cells carrying the ypt1-1 mutation died upon nitrogen starvation even at a temperature permissive for growth; diploid cells homozygous for ypt1-1 did not sporulate. The YPT1 gene is thus involved in nutritional regulation of the cell cycle as well as in normal progression through the mitotic cell cycle.
The ras-like yeast YPT1 gene is itself essential for growth, sporulation, and starvation response.