Isolation and characterization of pso mutants sensitive to photo-addition of psoralen derivatives in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We have isolated mutants sensitive to photo-addition of bi-functional and mono-functional derivatives of psoralen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three of these pso mutants were analyzed in detail. They segregate in meiosis like Mendelian genes and complement each other, as well as existing radiation-sensitive (rad and rev) mutants. The study of heterozygous diploid strains (PSO+/pso) indicates that the three pso genes are recessive. The mutant pso1--1 demonstrates a cross-sensitivity to UV and gamma-rays, whereas mutants pso2--1 and pso3--1 are specifically sensitive to photo-addition of psoralen derivatives. The comparison of exponentially growing cells to stationary-phase cells demonstrates that for the three mutants the defect in repair capacity of DNA cross-links and monoadducts concerns G1 and early S-phase cells. The pso2--1 mutant is, however, also defective in G2 repair and loses diploid resistance when it is in the homozygous state.--The block in repair capacity in these novel mutants is discussed in relation to the three other repair pathways known to be involved in the repair of furocoumarins photo-induced lesions in yeast DNA.