Caffeine-resistance in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: a pleiotropic mutation affecting UV-sensitivity,fertility, and cell cycle

Summary A stable mutant having increased resistance to growth inhibition by caffeine was obtained from Schizosaccharomyces pombe after UV-irradiation of vegetative cells. The caf1-21 mutation confers increased UV-sensitivity, impaired fertility and sporulation, lengthened cell cycle and a slightly abnormal cell morphology, but it does not affect ectopic recombination in vegetative cells. The mutation is partially dominant and defines a gene mapping on chromosome II. Various possible mechanisms of resistance are discussed.