ADP/ATP translocator is essential only for anaerobic growth of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

All three genes (AAC1,AAC2 and AAC3) encoding the mitochondrial ADP/ATP translocator, were inactivated in a haploid yeast strain by a gene disruption technique. The triple mutant was still able to grow on fermentable carbon sources but only in the presence of oxygen. Under aerobic conditions neither translocator‐protein nor carrier‐mediated transport was detected in all mutants in which the AAC2 gene was disrupted. It was further shown that a functional AAC genes product is essential only for anaerobic growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae but not for growth under derepressed conditions. Under anaerobic conditions a non‐detectable amount of AAC3 gene product is sufficient to ensure the cell growth and multiplication.