Inositol Mutants of SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE: Mapping the ino1 Locus and Characterizing Alleles of the ino1, ino2 and ino4 Loci.

An extensive genetic analysis of inositol auxotrophic mutants of yeast is reported. The analysis includes newly isolated mutants, as well as those previously reported (Culbertson and Henry 1975). Approximately 70% of all inositol auxotrophs isolated are shown to be alleles of the ino1 locus, the structural gene for inositol-1-phosphate synthase, the major enzyme involved in inositol biosynthesis. Alleles of two other loci, ino2 and ino4, comprise 9% of total mutants, with the remainder representing unique loci or complementation groups. The ino1 locus was mapped by trisomic analysis with an n + 1 disomic strain constructed with complementing alleles at this locus. The ino1 locus is shown to be located between ura2 (11.1 cm) and cdc6 (21.8 cm) on chromosome X. An extended map of chromosome X of yeast is presented. Unlike most yeast loci, but similar to the his1 locus, the ino1 locus lacks allelic representatives that are suppressible by known suppressors. This finding suggests that premature termination of translation of the ino1 gene product may be incompatible with cell viability.