ABSOLUTE GLUTATHIONE REQUIREMENT FOR SPORULATION OF A YEAST SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

The glutathione (GSH)-deficient yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisia e completely failed to sporulate in nutrition-deprived medium containi ng potassium acetate (SPO medium). The sporulation defect of the yeast was restored only when the yeast cells were incubated in SPO medium i n the presence of GSH or its derivative such as oxidized GSH and gamma -L-glutamyl-L-cysteine. It was concluded that GSH was indispensably re quired to enter into meiosis and/or sporulation processes of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.